Branch:
East Branch |
Category: Branches and Groups
East and Central Branch held a joint Meet the President event at Falkirk Library on May 24th, with Theresa Breslin. A ‘fierce’ competition took place amongst those travelling from Edinburgh by train, with committee member Lauren achieving an almost perfect score n the quiz! Mind you there was some ‘help’ given to folk with impromptu charades as clues and we may have looked a wee bitty crazy to our fellow passengers, who perhaps put our enthusiasm down to the bottle of wine being shared and not the fact that we were excited Librarians out on a jolly!
I hadn’t been to Falkirk Library before and if you haven’t it’s well worth a look. It manages to merge the original building with a modern addition in an attractive manner that manages to enhance both parts. If you look out of the upstairs windows you can also see the kelpies
unless the weather is a wee bit dreich. Being Librarians we were allowed in the back door and ninja’d up the staff stair. I have a thing about spiral staircases, so took a wee bit of time imagining that I was in a medieval tower and taking photos of the curving stairs (sorry if you were behind me). The library has an amazing array of architectural features, there are wonderful examples all around and it was hard to know what to look at first: stained glass windows, arched entrances, tiny leaded windows or the awesome metal spiral staircase against the corner that once led to the Librarians flat. It was a lot to take in and that was before I started nosing around the book stacks, excellently stocked btw…
You would think that all these features would result in a dark, pokey space but you wouldn’t be more wrong; it is a beautiful, light, fresh and welcoming place and I am frankly jealous that I don’t work there myself. I was delighted at the display of knitted and felted beasties displayed behind the issue desk and it was had to choose a favourite; the knitted kelpie masks, felted hare or swan? Just as well they were securely fastened to the shelving, I can only imagine the temptation of other library users who also love beautifully crafted objects such as these.
Set in the centre of the library we met the wonderful Theresa Breslin, who chatted companionably about her life and inspiration as one of Scotland’s best loved children’s authors and who indulged us gracefully in signing the books we had snuck into our handbags. Theresa has long been a library supporter and campaigner, and she shared with us stories of visiting her branch library as a child which encouraged and developed this lifelong connection. I was also delighted that Theresa gave us a reading from one of her books for younger readers, it took me right back to my own childhood memories of storytelling and finger puppets in my preschool library visits. In this halcyon haze we nibbled, sipped and chatted away until the evening drew to a close.
An absolutely lovely evening
Julie
