Public invited to open house at library
The public is invited to an open house Sunday at Marion City Library. The library has relocated to the former Santa Fe Depot south of the courthouse.
It will be open from 7 to 9 p.m.
A brief dedication ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. with remarks by Mayor Eloise Mueller and other officials. Cake will be served on the grounds following the dedication.
The entrance is on the east side, leading to a lobby with the main checkout desk. Restrooms, storage, and office areas are on either side of the desk.
The room to the northwest will be the children's area with books and a reading area.
The library's collection of books on Kansas people and locations will continue to be in a separate room. Most of the other books are located in the former baggage area in the large southeast room.
Windows have been restored without changing architectural detail. The large cargo entrances are now windows, but the sliding cargo doors remain and will be used instead of curtains.
While the space is about two times the size, it doesn't mean the library can immediately double its holdings. Shelves are much farther apart. In the former library, two patrons couldn't go past each other between the shelves.
Regular hours begin Monday. They are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
The morning hours during the week were added to provide more options for patrons while maintaining some consistency.
Interest in the library remains high even though it has been closed for three weeks. Librarian Janet Marler said the answering machine has been "full of messages" from people wanting to know plans.
And at the new library, people occasionally wander in among the construction workers and ask to check out materials. No items will be checked out until Monday.
Those who contributed $50 or more in cash to the project will attend a celebration meal at 5 p.m. at the old library. Reservations were due July 1.
In addition, Jim and Jackie Strawn, owners of Elgin House Apartments, will offer tours of the remodeled apartment, office, and bed and breakfast units. Extensive changes have taken place on the interior. Exterior work, including landscaping and repairs to the sweeping porch roof, is ongoing.
Other activities
Other activities are planned for the first week, including daily drawings for books and prizes.
July 15 — 11-11:45 a.m., storytime for children age 6-9, led by storytellers Pat Wick and Jessica Gilbert.
July 16 — 7 p.m., handwriting analysis by expert interpreter Frances Turner.
July 17 — 7 p.m., train historian and author Robert Collins will provide information on the depot and trains in Kansas.
July 18 — 10-10:45 a.m., storytime for children age 3-5, led by Nanette Lowry. Special guest will be Clifford the Big Red Dog, the subject of his own books and television shows.
July 19-24 — Book fair, open to the public. New books for adults and children will be available for purchase. The library receives free books and discounts based in part on number of books sold. The fair will be open during regular library hours.
