Brendan's Island  

I Love It Here!

Things I Miss

Brendan's Island home page
Places to go on Brendan's Island
I Love It Here! main page
Sauk Centre This Season
Walking to Work
A House of Our Own
Attic Time
Things I MissIn Praise of . . .
Factoid Man: General Information
Factoid Man: Sauk Centre Climate
Factoid Man: Changes in Sauk Centre
Some Web Sites From This Area
Web Sites Beyond Minnesota & the Red River Valley

A Walk on the Catholic Side
Brian's Attic
Attack of the Amateur Photo Album
Brendan: A Monk, A Boat and A Legend
Brendan's Island Guest Book
Brendan's Island Visitor Information Center
 

 

Libraries

One of the things I miss is easy access to university libraries. I used to miss it more, though. Recently the local public library got connected to a regional organization of libraries.

The card catalog is long gone, replaced by two computer terminals. I can sit down, search for books in the system, and get them delivered from other libraries. It's great!

The other day my wife and I went to the library. I walked away with a Leslie Charteris book. She had placed a request for a Chinese dictionary. It arrived the next day. The only downside to this regional system that I've seen so far is sometimes having to wait for someone else to finish using the terminal.

In May of 1997 they turned the terminals around to make room for a few more: Internet access was on the way.

By the second week of June 1997, the Bryant Library had Web access at two computers, right next to the checkout desk. Library users can sign up for one hour sessions and explore the Web, starting from the Great River Regional Library Web site. They've got a pretty good set of links.

The library changed its appearance in the late nineties. Since being handicapped accessible is a good thing thing for public buildings these days, the old outside steps went, replaced with an addition to the front of the building housing inside stairs and an elevator.

The renovation took out some interior walls, and opened up a shaft from the core of the building to the cupola. The interior is a great deal lighter now, and the expanded shelving is a big improvement.

Bookstores

Before moving here, I had never lived in a city without several bookstores. There are a couple of stores that sell books here, but I have to drive about twenty miles up the Interstate to Alexandria ("Alex" to us) to reach the nearest chain bookstore. And even there the selection isn't quite as wide as I like. St. Cloud, over forty miles down the Interstate in the other direction, is the closest place with a good range of new books for sale.

On one hand, I have to wait before buying books. On the other hand, I'm not spending as much on books as I used to. Besides, I find that I don't have as much time for recreational reading as I used to.

And, now that there are a number of new- and used- bookstores on the Web, I've got the best of both worlds here.

 

I Love It Here! | This Season | Walking to Work | A House of Our Own
Attic Time | Things I Miss | In Praise of . . .
Factoid Man: General Information * F. M.: Climate * F. M.: Changes in Sauk Centre
Area Web Sites | More Web Sites

You can send me a message on the contact page.
Brian H. Gill, webmaster


Brendan's Island home page
I Love It Here! (life in a small town) | A Walk on the Catholic Side
Brian's Attic | Attack of the Amateur Photo Album
Brendan: A Monk, A Boat And a Legend
Brendan's Island Guest Book | Visitor Information Center


Hit Counter

This page last updated: December 19, 2010