Book 'im, Dano!

The library always had a smell to it. A little woody in its olfactory texture, maybe some undertones of floor polish and leather, the predominant smell was of paper. Paper and silence. With the exception of the occasional sniff or turning of a page, both of which were quite subdued, silence ruled the large, book-laden room. At the librarian's desk in the hallway between the children's side of the building and the opposite adult side, talk was committed with a low voice.

The building itself is a modern structure of concrete, glass and stone. Two levels, an entrance at each level - the contours of the land on which it sat allowed for this - the lower of the two had an open staircase which led to the main level. Below the staircase was a sort of rock garden. As to what was on the lower level was something I never found out. It seemed like a forbidden zone, but it very well may not have been.

I say it is a modern structure, but the style was modern for the 70s. Modern like the Brady's house was modern. Still, it's a look that has worn well over the years.

When I first started going to this library, I was young enough to peruse the children's side. Of course, the desire was to go over to the adult side. I don't know of any prohibition against it, but it seemed as if one needed to be of a certain age before being able to do so.

The children's side was brighter in color, perhaps a little noisier. If one enjoyed reading, then it was much like entering a candy store. I still remember something of stories I read from there, though I don't recall their titles. The tables and chairs, of course, were smaller to accommodate smaller bodies. In thinking back, I can't recall how I got to the library at that age as it was over a mile from where I lived. I suppose it entirely possible that my friends and I rode our bikes there. We were pretty wide ranging on our bikes at fairly early ages. There just didn't seem to be much danger back then.

Eventually, however, I became a teenager and graduated to the adult side of the library. I remember Wally, a friend and classmate, trying to convince me that the library sold hamburgers. It wasn't a believable tale he told me, and I refused to approach the librarian to ask. But I did sort of cast a glance here and there while looking at books to see if there was actually a kitchen somewhere in the back. The thing is, were there hamburgers, I'm sure I would have smelled them cooking.

Instead, I just smelled paper.

The move to the adult side of the library, though anticipated, really meant work. Whereas I used to take out children's books for the enjoyment of reading, the adult side was required for research for school papers. Even so, I still managed to find books for recreation as well. I read a lot of Jacques Cousteau's books, being interested in scuba diving at the time.

Since then, I've been to small town libraries, university libraries, the large Portland Public Library, the huge Boston Public Library.

But none of those approach the memories I have of the South Portland Public Library.

It was my first library.