I love books, history and the Clear Lake Public Library.
Books serve as a tool to record and share information, stories and knowledge.
In the beginning, people etched images into stone. Exquisite hieroglyphics and pictographs still tell us the stories of centuries past.
Stone tablets recorded information but also posed a bit of a challenge. Bonus- the reader got a workout while learning.
Papyrus scrolls improved portability but presented new problems. They were kinda like spy tools, their ink fading and disappearing over time. In an era of wood heating, their flammability often led to disaster.
Eventually humans learned to make paper and the race was on. This more accessible product allowed for thin, flexible writing surfaces.
Books were painstakingly hand written by monks (with good handwriting). Some show offs included artistic flair to their tedious work. Because books were rare and precious commodities, only the elite owned them. Books became symbols of power for royalty and clergy. The masses were intentionally kept illiterate.
Johannes Gutenberg invented an improved printing press around 1440 that rocked the world. His printing press used uniform letters, better ink and a press that applied even pressure to the pages. Game on!
This led to the Renaissance. Communication became faster and literacy spread. The middle class was born. An explosion of knowledge covered the globe. Authors abounded.
Nevertheless, humans are constantly on the lookout for the next best thing. Benjamin Franklin in particular. His epic kite flying brought us electricity. It became much easier to read in the dark with a flip of a switch. As fantastic as that discovery, he also envisioned public libraries.
Books had been gathered into libraries for years but allowing patrons to remove them from the building was a revolutionary idea. Chains often prevented the more popular books from being taken to a comfortable spot in the building to read…least they be stolen.
Benjamin dreamt of an educated public and a system where books could be enjoyed at home then returned for others to read. Soon libraries sprouted up everywhere, especially in college towns and governmental centers. Thanks Ben!
Along came a philanthropist who realized he could not take it with him. He decided to leave a legacy of sturdy buildings filled with books. Andrew Carnegie enabled even small towns to apply for funds to build these structures and curate knowledge for their citizens.
Clear Lake established a library in 1889. It was (and continues to be) well received and supported by Clear Lakers and visitors. The Clear Lake Library eventually outgrew its original space and started looking for the next best thing. After several years of conversations with the founders, the Clear Lake Carnegie Library opened in 1918. The library has been expanded twice and sits sturdily on the corner at 200 North 4th Street. Thanks Andrew!
Books themselves have evolved. We have hard covers, paperbacks, and audiobooks in every genre. We even have books that magically beam down like the Star Trek crew to the landing pad of your tablet or phone.
If you are a card-carrying patron of the Clear Lake Public Library, we can definitely save you some serious cash too. Two families saved an astonishing $10,000 each this last year! That is a whole lot of picture books and more that did not use up resources being printed or end up in a landfill after they had been read. Win – win-win!
Do you love books and history?
Are you looking for the next best thing?
It is right here in a beautiful sturdy building.
Clear Lake Public Library
Written by Cindy Richardson
