Norman Borlaug World Food Prize Building, Des Moines, Iowa
This old building along the Des Moines River, now the home to the Norman Borlaug World Food Prize, was the main branch of the Des Moines Public Library back in the long ago. It's a building I knew well.
My family moved to Des Moines when I was 11 years old. The apartment building where we first lived was only a few blocks from the river, straight across from downtown. I used to spend a lot of time exploring downtown. And being the awkward nerd that I used to be (so long ago) much of that time was spent in the library.
Back then the side facing the river didn't have the grand staircase that now adorns the building. Only a small back door, more of a fire escape then a real entrance.
The main entrance to the building faced west towards the rest of downtown. There was a large stone outdoor stairway the led to the heavy wood and leaded glass front doors. After climbing the stone steps on the front of the building you entered a small landing, and the dusty odor of decades of books strikes you in the face. Pure ambrosia!
After climbing a smaller stair case you come to the main lobby of the library. The center of the building was an open atrium, with an ornate glass inlay in the middle of the floor, unevenly lit from below.
Looking around the main lobby there were usually a few older men lounging in the overstuffed leather chairs. Most of the chairs in the lobby where well worn with age, as were the old men.
On the north end of the lobby was the reference room. Some days I'd satisfy my historical curiosity, pick some month and year at random, and scan the microfilmed rolls of the local paper. There were some days when I'd look up a famous event, such as the Hindenburg explosion, and other days just look over the local news events.
The reference room also seemed to have it's fair share of older men, sitting at the tables, slowly paging through old magazines and newspapers. They always gave the impression they weren't really reading the material, it was just their excuse to be there.
Over looking the river to the east was a small room with the card catalogues. It was the key to unlock all knowledge, but only if you knew the secret code. Only if you were an acolyte of ... the dewey decimal system.
To the south end of the main lobby were the stacks. That was a wonderful place to explore and to linger awhile. Long narrow aisles. You can pick out a book then sit on one of the rolling stools.
And get lost.
Portnoy complained, Mr. Goodbar was found, and Godot never arrived. I learned about the rise of Nazi Germany, and the fall of the Roman Empire. I learned about The Three Laws of Robotics, and the Bene Gesserit litany against fear.
When I got a few years older it was finally time for me to be allowed full use of the collections in the lower level, the basement, the catacombs. The media room.
There, finally, I was able to check out albums with music by Cab Calloway, The Kingston Trio, and The Byrds. And old 16mm reels of classic silent films like The Phantom of the Opera. So much more to experience!
The main branch of the Des Moines Public Library today is a modern building. It's made of glass and steel instead of stone. It's an open space that let's in the sunlight instead of being a refuge from the world.
It has more to offer, I can't argue with that. Music CDs and old movies on DVDs. The card catalogue is computerized, and you can surf the web. Instead of checking out books from the friendly librarian your items are scanned, then so is your card.
The chairs look as if they belong in a doctor's waiting room. They're a place to sit, and they're comfortable enough. But they don't invite you.
The musty odor of old books is still there, barely, if you look in the right little nooks and crannies. But it's not the same. It's all too new and sanitary.
There are many downtown places from those days that have long since disappeared. Most of them have simply disappeared into the past. The main branch is one of the few places that was actually replaced, but I still miss it the most.
It can never be the same without that old book smell.
My family moved to Des Moines when I was 11 years old. The apartment building where we first lived was only a few blocks from the river, straight across from downtown. I used to spend a lot of time exploring downtown. And being the awkward nerd that I used to be (so long ago) much of that time was spent in the library.
Back then the side facing the river didn't have the grand staircase that now adorns the building. Only a small back door, more of a fire escape then a real entrance.
The main entrance to the building faced west towards the rest of downtown. There was a large stone outdoor stairway the led to the heavy wood and leaded glass front doors. After climbing the stone steps on the front of the building you entered a small landing, and the dusty odor of decades of books strikes you in the face. Pure ambrosia!
After climbing a smaller stair case you come to the main lobby of the library. The center of the building was an open atrium, with an ornate glass inlay in the middle of the floor, unevenly lit from below.
Looking around the main lobby there were usually a few older men lounging in the overstuffed leather chairs. Most of the chairs in the lobby where well worn with age, as were the old men.
On the north end of the lobby was the reference room. Some days I'd satisfy my historical curiosity, pick some month and year at random, and scan the microfilmed rolls of the local paper. There were some days when I'd look up a famous event, such as the Hindenburg explosion, and other days just look over the local news events.
The reference room also seemed to have it's fair share of older men, sitting at the tables, slowly paging through old magazines and newspapers. They always gave the impression they weren't really reading the material, it was just their excuse to be there.
Over looking the river to the east was a small room with the card catalogues. It was the key to unlock all knowledge, but only if you knew the secret code. Only if you were an acolyte of ... the dewey decimal system.
To the south end of the main lobby were the stacks. That was a wonderful place to explore and to linger awhile. Long narrow aisles. You can pick out a book then sit on one of the rolling stools.
And get lost.
Portnoy complained, Mr. Goodbar was found, and Godot never arrived. I learned about the rise of Nazi Germany, and the fall of the Roman Empire. I learned about The Three Laws of Robotics, and the Bene Gesserit litany against fear.
When I got a few years older it was finally time for me to be allowed full use of the collections in the lower level, the basement, the catacombs. The media room.
There, finally, I was able to check out albums with music by Cab Calloway, The Kingston Trio, and The Byrds. And old 16mm reels of classic silent films like The Phantom of the Opera. So much more to experience!
The main branch of the Des Moines Public Library today is a modern building. It's made of glass and steel instead of stone. It's an open space that let's in the sunlight instead of being a refuge from the world.
It has more to offer, I can't argue with that. Music CDs and old movies on DVDs. The card catalogue is computerized, and you can surf the web. Instead of checking out books from the friendly librarian your items are scanned, then so is your card.
The chairs look as if they belong in a doctor's waiting room. They're a place to sit, and they're comfortable enough. But they don't invite you.
The musty odor of old books is still there, barely, if you look in the right little nooks and crannies. But it's not the same. It's all too new and sanitary.
There are many downtown places from those days that have long since disappeared. Most of them have simply disappeared into the past. The main branch is one of the few places that was actually replaced, but I still miss it the most.
It can never be the same without that old book smell.
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