By Laurie Lunsford—
MUNCIE, IN—A few years ago, Maring-Hunt Library, one of the four branches in the Muncie Public Library system, joined with several community organizations and Ball State University Immersive Learning students, led by Dr. Pam Harwood, to develop a large green space behind the library. The space previously provided community garden plots. The result was a beautiful and functional outdoor space for people to gather.
The Maring-Hunt Library Pavilion project and the continuing garden plot program brought big changes to the entire branch, making it an integral part of the neighborhoods surrounding it. Maring-Hunt had already partnered for several years with South View Elementary School, right next door, to provide an afterschool program known as Great Achievers. An early literacy tutoring program called Ready Readers also made the branch a familiar place for students and their caregivers.
Since opening in 2002, Maring-Hunt Library has become an active partner with many agencies and businesses surrounding the library. This includes the 8Twelve Coalition, the Muncie Mission, Ross Community Center, Muncie Community Schools, Wilson Apartments, and more. Open Door Connections uses the Maring-Hunt Library atrium as a convenient point for outreach as its representatives meet face- to-face with people in need of health service information.
Oftentimes, government leaders use the space to make themselves available with information tables and to gather questions and ideas from citizens. Neighbors come in and out of the library doors frequently and visiting the library can become a daily habit for many. “It’s like I’m walking into another room of my house,” Bob Anderson relates as he sits at a table reading the news. Bob lives only a couple of blocks away and spends three or four hours every day engrossed in reading. He didn’t like to read as a kid. But now….
Michael McKinley rides his bike every day to be at the library and spend time on the computer. “People here are really nice,” he says. Gwynne Orcutt, a Circulation Assistant at MPL, loves helping to meet needs. She has the pleasure of directing patrons to get what they need. She says that Maring-Hunt Library is a place that provides tools to help individuals and families become productive and more involved. Those tools include more than books, says Orcutt as she lists other resources, such as free Wi-Fi access, public access computers, and tech tutoring help.
There are also fax machines with most faxing provided free and printers for low-cost black and white and color printing. Maring-Hunt Library also has several Reference Librarians who can expertly answer questions about how to use technology, how to research topics, and how to problem solve. Besides thousands of books, there are games, jigsaw puzzles, movies, CDs, and activity kits. These kits include activities for adult literacy, game kits, birding kits, family card game kits, hobby kits, and memory care kits, provided in partnership with LifeStream Services.
The collection at Maring-Hunt Library is proof that libraries aren’t only about books anymore. According to Akilah Nosakhere, MPL Library Director, there are even more “things” coming soon as MPL develops a things library. A walker, a blood pressure monitor, and a karaoke machine are only a few of the amenities that will be available for patrons to borrow when the collection is made available next year. According to Mary Lou Gentis, Branch Manager of Maring-Hunt Library, there is anticipation for the future with new programs and even more ideas. She emphasized the fact that there is lots of space available and the space provides opportunities more activities and more people. “There is plenty of space for meetings, formal and informal.
The atrium has been a place where people can eat lunch, drink coffee, or chat.” There is a lot of heart. Paintings from local artists and art groups lines the hallways. More than 190 hats, knitted and stitched by local crafters were donated to keep heads warm. These are hanging in the atrium and anyone can take one, plop it on his or her head, and walk out into the cold with something lovingly handmade. Festivals and special events are often on the calendar to attract residents to visit. These events cost nothing for attendees and provide valuable community interaction. All are welcome.
Photo by Laurie Lunsford
Frost Fest held on Friday, December 15 from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. is the next big event at Maring-Hunt Library. The event is free and will feature karaoke, holiday crafts, games, and hot chocolate.
Maring-Hunt Library is located at 2005 S. High Street in Muncie.
For more information, go to www.munciepubliclibrary.org to choose the things that delight you. Better yet, stop in. Even if you don’t have a library card, there is a world of opportunities that await.
