As you come up the main stairs by the stained glass window, you will find yourself in a grand, sunlit sanctuary, dotted with desks and armchairs. You are in the territory of the newly-renamed Adult Services Department. Everything we do is to meet the needs of our patrons, especially our adult patrons (18+). Here is a place you may come to quietly read and relax, to learn and work under natural light, to get help and find community, and so on.
To your right is our extensive nonfiction collection, organized by subject using the Dewey Decimal system. It starts at 000 with encyclopedias and curiosities and ends at 999 with History. Beyond that, are our periodicals, back-issues of the magazines, and newspapers whose most recent editions are stored in the glass-walled reading room downstairs. Our oversized volumes are nearby in the northeast corner, and following along the wall are our Spanish language books. Closest to the tiled walkway are our graphic novels and new nonfiction titles. Our collection is growing all the time, so if you don’t see something you want, please fill out a green suggestion card at the desk.
To your left are our fiction titles. We sort alphabetically by the author’s last name, so mystery, romance, and sci-fi live together side-by-side on the shelves. The same principle applies to our nearby fiction DVDs, though they are sorted alphabetically by title. If you’re looking for something in a specific genre, you can filter your search using CDPL’s online catalog. Our catalog is available through our website or you may use the centrally-located Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) computers on the first or second floor. Trying our catalog for the first time? Come to the Adult Services desk for help!
Our staff at the service desk is always happy to help you find books, answer questions, look up directions, or search for a piece of information you may need – like something to do with your day off! See our online calendar for a list of fun programs and events for adults each month.
We also handle the public computer lab and second-floor print services. You can log on any computer with a green box on the screen using your library or computer card. Visitors can request a computer guest pass from the desk. We offer wireless printing and public Wi-Fi as well.
The Local History and Genealogy collection is in the back, beyond the computer lab. You can schedule an appointment for research help, or use our resources any time during our business hours. Our most popular items are the local schools’ yearbooks. You are welcome to browse our collection and maybe find a few photos of your high school days. Genealogy computers are available for research and to access our Local History databases and digital resources.
Finishing out the tour, our large print fiction starts beside the elevator and the back stairwell then curls around the sitting area where you can enjoy a game of chess, do the community puzzle, and check out our monthly book displays. Large print nonfiction ends adjacent to the audiobook collection. Our media collection also includes music CDs, TV and movies on DVD, new DVDs, international films, anime, and a Blu-ray section following after.
The library is a place to spend time. People come here to relax, and to use resources like our public computers. Unlike other public spaces, the quiet is a service we strive to offer so our users may concentrate and effectively utilize our resources. Just as patrons may not have internet access at home, they may not have a dedicated, distraction-free space where they can work.
Come up, browse around, and spend some time here. This space is a resource for you to use, just the same as our dictionaries. The library is not just a grocery store for books. You don’t have to hustle to grab everything on your list and get out. We invite you to slow down and browse. Pull things off the shelves, find a comfy chair, and read the first page — or maybe the first three books.
Check out what’s happening on our website at www.cdpl.lib.in.us or call us at 765-362-2242. The library is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
Susanna Howard is a library assistant in the Adult Services and Local History department at the Crawfordsville District Public Library.
