The Rutland Free Library has been in the news quite a bit lately. Moving the library to a new location is under discussion. It has been in its current location since 1935. An addition to the original building was added in 1966.
My love of books most likely began at that library. My mother used to take me there every Saturday morning to select books. The children’s section was where the Vermont Room is currently located. Mrs. Douglas was the librarian and she was so patient as I asked her questions about which books to select.
The library cards were a small square, blue in color and made of a light-weight cardboard like material. There was a brown paper envelope in which to keep the card. Each book had a little sleeve in the back and when you checked out a book the card was taken out of the pocket and put into a little machine that printed the due date. Then the card was put back into the pocket and you could easily check at home to see when the book had to be returned.
The fine for a late book was minimal but I was such as avid reader that I was never late returning a book. Each week the books from the previous week were returned and it was time to start the process over.
The library took on a different role as I got older and had papers to research. That is when the card catalog came into my life. The index cards were in wooden cabinets and you could search alphabetically by title, author or subject. You stood in front of the cabinets with your notebook and jotted down where to find what you were looking for. Next you headed to the Dewey Decimal section of the library that held the book you needed.
When you entered the library from the Center Street side you walked into a room with tables and chairs. Some people were reading the newspapers that were available. Others were using reference books that couldn’t be removed from the library. If you had a paper to write you might spend a few hours doing the research. All information was written in long-hand and you had better get it right! If you needed answers to any questions that came up as you read over your notes at home it meant another trip to the library!
I remember a section devoted to teenage readers. As you grew so did your options to find a book appropriate to your age.
By high school the assignments got more complex and more “library time” was required to get all the information you needed. Since all our classmates had the same assignment we often went to the library with our friends. What teenager doesn’t get a “case of the giggles” when you know you are supposed to be quiet? When that happened someone was right there to remind us that silence was the rule!
Once I got out of high school the library was used mainly for books I wanted to read for my own pleasure and not for research. But once I began writing for various publications, and before I had a computer, I needed to look up information for articles. That is when I got an introduction to microfilm. I was able to access old editions of the Rutland Herald. I was fascinated by the way research methods had changed. After seeing the card catalogs in the same spot for so many years it took some getting used to when my “old faithful” method for obtaining information had disappeared!
The card catalogs were “oldies but goodies”… just like me!
I hope there will always be books on library shelves that I can hold in my hands and turn the paper pages with my fingers. As handy as the digital experience is it won’t be my preferred method when it comes to reading for pleasure.
