Urbana Library

I was roaming around Frederick County last week, and I decided to stop by the Urbana Library.  Built in a new part of Urbana in the middle of a planned neighborhood - adjacent to the grocery store and other shopping, the Urbana Library is strategically located in the middle of a thriving and rapidly growing area. 

I always love driving up to the front of this building.  It's such an impressive place!  (I park in the back, but the front makes such a dramatic statement, doesn't it?)

Once I wend my way around to the back, this is the entrance that I use.  The Senior Center is on the lower level, and the library occupies the top two floors of the building.  Do you see that glass enclosed space on the levels above the entrance?  Those are a couple of unique spaces that the library has put to excellent use!

I'm sorry the picture is blurry.  I didn't realize just how blurry they were until after I got home.  

The first floor houses the children's collection.  If you enter from the back, you walk up a set of stairs and enter just off to the side here.  If you enter from the grand front entrance, this is where you come in.  I love the big windows!  Everywhere you look, the space is light, bright, and airy!

Above and below, more of the children's section.  Don't you love the beautiful frosty winter village on the bookshelves? 

Do you remember the glassed in area over the entry on the back side of the building?  This is that area on the first floor.  It is designed with the kids in mind!  2 train tables, a puppet theater, and filled with hands on toys (currently residing on the shelves, as there were no children hanging around at 1:00 in the afternoon!)  I can just imagine this space full of kids and parents, talking, playing, and having some quality time together. 

Both of these pictures were taken on the first floor in the chapter books.  I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but the check out/reference desk is just on the other side of that book shelf that's facing directly towards me in the picture.

Take a look at the picture below.... I took it from the landing at the top of the second floor.  You can see the puppet theater for the children in the middle, and the doors for the back entrance at the bottom.  I really like how the central atrium has been left open to allow light through to all levels of the building.

Looking around the second floor, I found the Young Adult (YA) books as well as the adult books, a meeting room, and the public computers.  It's a grand space, with lots of quiet nooks and crannies for spreading out and getting some work done!

This pathway through the book shelves leads to this wonderful quiet study spot.  (Below)

Here's the YA section!  I adore the origami paper stars above the bookshelves!  They look so festive!

Do you see that glassed in wall back behind the book shelves?  There's an area back there for groups to work and talk, as well as a couple of public access computers. 

I found this beautiful wreath on an office door!  Gorgeous, isn't it?

This picture is taken at the far end of the second floor, next to the large, boxed in window area over the back entrance.  You're looking at the adult fiction collection.  The shelves along the atrium walls house the books on CD's and Playaways.

This has always been one of my favorite library spaces!  Filled with big, comfortable arm chairs and low tables, this area invites you to sit down and stay for a while.  (So I did!)

The book tree!

Walking away from the window and back towards the stair well, you come to the public access computers.  There's a meeting space/classroom off to the right, just past the computers.  Unfortunately, I couldn't take bigger pictures of this area, as the rest of the computers were filled with people on the computers - and I most certainly don't have permission to post their faces on the internet.  Trust me, it's a beautiful space.  If you're in the area, stop by and check it out!

Again, this is the view through the atrium.  This is from the other end of the atrium, looking towards the stairs and the grand entrance in the front.   The picture below, I took at the ground level, looking up towards the top of the atrium as I was walking out towards the back doors.

The welcoming crew as you walk in through the big front doors!

Frederick County Public Library Website: http://www.fcpl.org/

The Urbana Regional Library: http://www.fcpl.org/branches-hours/urbana-regional-library