\nTables piled high with stories<\/strong><\/p>\n
Right now, the space looks more like a giant book fair than a finished library. Tables are lined with rows of novels, children\u2019s books, biographies, and even well-loved cookbooks. The books have come from all over, some from closets, basements, and storage rooms at the Niverville Community Resource and Rec Centre (CRRC), others from community members thinning out their own shelves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve started sorting the books that have been donated; ones that have been stored in the Rec Centre or in various rooms around the CRRC for quite some time now,\u201d Beasant said. \u201cWe\u2019re loosely sorting them into categories such as mystery, crime, horror and thriller, fiction, nonfiction, and kids. Then based on the books coming in, we\u2019ve added cooking and gardening, self improvement, romance, and then my personal favourite table, the \u2018iconic table.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
That \u201ciconic\u201d section is where the classics and cult favourites end up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings like popular Stephen King novels, The\u00a0Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, and even 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We got a really old copy that\u2019s still in very good shape,\u201d adds Beasant.<\/p>\n
Sorting isn\u2019t just about genre. It\u2019s also about quality.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re just going through quality control, looking at the actual quality of the book itself,\u201d Beasant explained. \u201cIs it in good shape? Is it ripped? Is it stained? I\u2019ve learned that a lot of people like to highlight their books a lot. We are trying to find decent-quality books. We don\u2019t want you picking up a book and having all the pages falling out on you, no matter how good the story might be.\u201d<\/p>\n The group hasn\u2019t yet decided which books will go out on the shelves first, since there\u2019s no way to fit everything at once. The plan is to rotate books in and out as space allows, keeping the collection fresh for returning readers.<\/p>\n The library will share space with golf simulators, but while the library is open, the golf simulators will stay quiet.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you walk into the room we\u2019re using, we call it the South End room, you’ll see it\u2019s a multi-use space. We\u2019ve fixed up what used to be a small storage office into a little library with permanent shelves along the walls. I\u2019m hoping to get rolling carts or shelves with wheels so that when the library is open, we can roll everything out into the bigger space.\u201d<\/p>\n The dream is to create an atmosphere where people of all ages feel welcome.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll have tables and chairs for people who want a quiet place to sit, hopefully some comfortable seating for those who\u2019d like to relax and read, and a little kids\u2019 table and chairs so children can colour while their parents or grandparents browse,\u201d Beasant said. \u201cWith the cold and rainy weather coming our way, I\u2019m hoping we can have this nice space filled with books and quiet for people to come and relax.\u201d<\/p>\n Down the line, the group hopes to use the backroom’s small kitchen as a caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n \u201cThat caf\u00e9 goal is definitely a combined goal of not just a vision of the library, but of this space in general,\u201d Beasant said. \u201cI can\u2019t say when that will happen, but eventually we do hope to provide something a little extra.\u201d<\/p>\n Volunteers and community support<\/strong><\/p>\n Volunteers are the backbone of the project, and Beasant is quick to acknowledge both their help and the ongoing need for more.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a few volunteers who help out on days that suit them. We all only work together one day a week; otherwise, we just come when we can. I tend to be here alone, but I can tell people have been by because there are more and more books stacked up,\u201d she said. \u201cThen once we’re officially open, we\u2019ll be looking for more help, because the hours of the library will depend on volunteer availability. Daytime, evenings, weekends, we\u2019d love to cover all the different times people in Niverville might want to come.\u201d<\/p>\n The long-term plan is to post consistent hours so residents don\u2019t have to \u201cguess and hope\u201d that the library is open.<\/p>\n Donations keep coming<\/strong><\/p>\n The library is open to most kinds of book donations, though with a few exceptions.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never want to say no to books,\u201d Beasant says. \u201cBut we are saying no to magazines, no DVDs, and no encyclopedias. As much as encyclopedias are full of information, we don\u2019t want to end up with five full collections of Britannica.\u201d<\/p>\n The only real requirement is that donated books are in decent condition. Names inside covers should be crossed out if donors want them removed, and Beasant encourages people to pass along books of any genre.<\/p>\n For Beasant, the project is personal. Even though her own children are older, she remembers when a space like this would have been invaluable.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very excited,\u201d she said. \u201cEven though my kids are in school full time now, I imagine how great this space will be for parents with little kids during the winter, or for seniors who don\u2019t have the means to leave town but want a nice place to sit, read, or visit with friends. It\u2019s a starting point. I know it\u2019s not a full library, but it\u2019s a very exciting time that there is now a space in Niverville for books. Where else can you start but with a space for books?\u201d<\/p>\n Unexpected treasures<\/strong><\/p>\n After having already sorted through thousands of donated books, Beasant says she’s found several quirky surprises, little glimpses into the lives of past readers.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve found an airplane ticket stub from 2003, a recipe written on the back of a newspaper clipping, Canadian Tire money, hockey cards, even crocheted hearts,\u201d Beasant said. \u201cOne of my favourites was a holiday recipe booklet from Winnipeg Hydro in 1989. If you think about what you use as a bookmark at home, well, it all showed up here. I now have a whole stack of little bits of people\u2019s lives that came in with their books.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n As the finishing touches come together, excitement is building for opening day. The lending library is expected to welcome its first visitors soon, just in time for colder weather.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re starting small, but the possibilities are endless,\u201d Beasant said. \u201cAnd right now, it\u2019s just so exciting to see Niverville finally have a space for books.\u201d<\/p>\nTables piled high with books being sorted for Niverville Lending Library.
\nA careful check of quality<\/strong><\/p>\nSouthend of Niverville’s Centennial Arena is also used as the Golf Simulator space.
\nTransforming the arena space<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Dedicated Lending Library space in the southend of the Niverville Centennial Arena under construction.
\nA space for everyone<\/strong><\/p>\n