Celebrating 100 Years of the Mill Valley Library

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of participating in an old-fashioned party to celebrate the wonderful Mill Valley Public Library, which . Originally built as a Carnegie Library, in what is now a stately brick house at 52 Lovell Avenue, the Mill Valley Public Library has grown from an institution with 750 donated books to one with 132,000 books, a digital collection, a team of librarians and live offerings almost every day it’s open, from noted local authors and pre-school story times to performances inside and outdoors. No wonder our library thrives while others around the country are forced to close. Hundreds of visitors per day find it relevant and exciting, a true community hub.

It was terrific then, and very fitting, to with a gathering in 's grove of redwoods that adjoins it. There was a free, ongoing program of , a birthday cake, announcements and proclamations, sodas and hot dogs, crafts, library trivia contests, and games, which I led with Research Librarian Cara Brancoli and which, in keeping with the historical spirit of the day, included Tug-of-War, Three-Legged Races, Sack Races, and Egg-and-Spoon Races. We also had jacks and hula hoops out for free play. Wonderfully, many children, especially the smaller ones, rolled the hoops, just as children may have done 100 years ago.

It was truly lovely and warm (in spirit, if not quite in temperature) and surely memorable for all who came out.