Thank You Brown County Library in Green Bay

Monday, I was in Green Bay.  Except for research, I do not go to the library as much as when the girls were growing up. For over a dozen years we went to one of the Madison branches every other week, except during the summers.

The computer service was out at my hotel so I hustled over to the Brown County Library. I worked there for over two hours. Some time was spent at a solid desk, my papers spread out, some time was spent on their computers, and some time was spent browsing through newspapers and magazines.

Some time was spent studying the library itself.

The biggest change is the rows of computers.  I studied the users and peeked at what they were doing. There were no kids there, it was a school day, though Terry Anderson, a reporter from the Green Bay Press Gazette, told me that the library is teeming with kids after school.

The users ranged in age from late teens to close to seventy. The range of colors and ethnic backgrounds was as varied as Wisconsin. Only two users out of twenty were playing games. One man was activating his new cell phone. Several of the younger users, college students, were writing papers and or preparing for finals. At least two of the users were doing what I can best describe as consumer research. Several were looking ads, job and housing. Many were reading and writing email.

The obvious struck me. This was an investment in people, in Green Bay and in Brown County. I wondered what the value of the library was to me. Certainly from a work standpoint, it was at least $30 or $40 an hour. Upon reflection, that is what I would have paid if they charged.

The Brown County Library is like most of the libraries in the state. It struggles to stay open when it should be expanding its hours. It has decent computers, but it could use more and newer ones. All the desks were filled at 10:00 am.

Then there is the matter of the books. I did not speak with any of the librarians, but I am sure they would like to update the collection and add to it. Oh, another thing is that librarians like to figure out ways of getting more young people inside their building. Do that and kids read more.

There was one man sleeping at the end of my table. He was not disturbing anyone. After an hour or so, he got up and left.

Thank you , Brown County.

Comments

[Dan Sebald]

This is why I thought a well designed Sequoya branch was imperative and felt frustrated by the lack of real thought put into its design, especially in that area of attracting young patrons. The current space does fairly well at that, given its limitations. The plans for the new space looked like a secluded play area.

The whole process was no joy. And then there are developers who, after all that work of getting approval from city committees and the testimony of neighborhood residents, turn around and scrap essential elements of the original development. Union Corners and Hilldale are two very recent examples.

[Billiam]

I've been a fan of Libraries since I first learned to read. Living in GB, it is a nice library.

[Jeff]

What you saw that day at the Brown County Library is what you see every day at each of its branches. The computers always are filled with people doing the kinds of work you described. All overseen by a quality, hard-working staff that has been lacking a permanent director for some time because the county simply won't pay the going price for a director for a system of Brown County's size.