
The Johnson building, constructed to the rear of the McKim building, is more contemporary and houses all the circulating collections. These two buildings surround an Italianate courtyard perfect for studying and sipping coffee from the café. During my visit, the place was bustling, people in the reading rooms, people enjoying the wonderful weather in the courtyard, folks using the twenty 15-minute Internet Access computers, people browsing the new book area, people asking questions at the Information Kiosk. Wow, it was reassuring to see such activity, such interest; yes just one more example of why libraries will live on, and on, and on…..a blend of old and new, of firsts, seconds, thirds….
(Post-script: I dedicate this brief essay to the Boston Strong effort. Thank you, Boston!)