Three weeks after opening their doors to the public, the employees and volunteers of the new 17,000-square-foot Camp Verde Community Library are greeting each incoming patron with a warm welcome.
“There’s something that is good for your soul, to be working in a beautiful space. It’s hard to express how great that is,” CVCL Director Kathy Hellman said as she sat in the second floor common room — a space filled with natural light and comfy chairs, highlighted by a large fireplace and mantle decorated to suit the holidays.
“The nice thing is that we’ve been able to host three events at a time,” Hellman added. “This allows patrons to use the library as a library without being disrupted by what’s going on.”
Though she hasn’t yet gotten her hands on firm data, Hellman has observed a lot more people getting library cards since the Nov. 8 opening. An uptick in the patronage of young families, especially, has delighted the director.
In the old library building, children traded space with teens and adults. The new children’s library is dedicated solely to them, however, allowing children to be children and parents to relax.
At the same time, Hellman said that acclimating to all the space — either dedicated to specific or general use — has taken some time. Though longing for room to breathe, employees and volunteers had formed habits from years of working in close proximity at the old facility.
“We were so much on top of each other before,” Hellman said, adding that the pressure encouraged sharing and collaboration.
For all its benefits, the upgraded space has meant an adjustment. It has become harder for employees to step away from posts, as monitoring the larger areas has become a top priority.
“We’re using a lot more volunteers than in the old library.” Hellman said, adding that the CVCL Friends of the Library have stepped up their efforts to be present.
Fundraising, as well, is ongoing — simply because so much space demands hardware: Furniture, in particular. Some of the meeting rooms are still unfurnished, as are the front and back patios.
Hellman and her peers are evaluating how to best use open wall space.
“There are a lot of opportunities to dress the inside of the library,” Hellman said as she pointed out spaces in which local art could be featured on a rotating basis.
The effort to find an equitable way to showcase Verde Valley artists reflects a particular ethos, according to Hellman — one in which the community is welcomed with open arms and listening ears.
“I’m so grateful to the community for always believing in this project. You can’t even name all the people that were involved,” Hellman said. “And now we’re really open to hearing from the public. What do you want to see here?”
