evening in Parkdale
On my way to see a friend’s exhibit at Gallery 1313, Queen Street West, a blue and white library sign stopped me in my tracks. Not wanting to waste a library-visit opportunity, I took a quick art detour to tour the Parkdale Library.
To walk into a warm library on a cold night is very comforting, like visiting a favorite aunt after a neighborhood snowball fight who offers you hot chocolate and a knitted blanket to wrap around your shoulders. This library, the 45th one in Toronto I’ve visited, consisted of one huge square room with a band of mural-art wrapped around all four walls. The mural had colorful abstract shapes painted on it, though I did recognize a whale in one section. The carpet was gray-blue with concentric circles etched in black.
On the west side of the library, I saw a quiet study room, a homework room, and a newcomer’s help office. There were two shelves of ESL resources near the office. Along the south and part of the east wall could be found books in Vietnamese, Polish, Gujurati, French, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese.
I was impressed with the variety of activity taking place at Parkdale Library. It definitely serves the community in a vital way. As I walked around, I observed a computer class in progress, three men discussing social issues at a study table, and every computer reserved for kids being used. The homework room hosted two families studying intently, and one student was camped out near a potted palm in an armchair, books, notebooks, and backpack strewn about comfortably. With so much light and energy inside, the room really felt like a haven in contrast to the cold and darkness outside.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
you continue to inspire the world with your adventurous and inquisitive accounts of your library tours! merci bella!
April 15th, 2008 at 10:52 am
hello my library visiting friend - how are you? i miss you!