The Yelm Library – A Second Home

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By Jake Luplow

Life is busy; we all know that. But sometimes we are given a special moment to reach out and embrace someone else’s life. One moment when just the slightest amount of our attention penetrates someone’s heart, lending guidance and hope.

In a recent interview with Mike McGowan, a 17+ year librarian at the Yelm Timberland Regional Library, he explained the joy he gets from helping others, specifically, working with children:

“I was at the self-checkout helping a young woman in her twenties, and I was about to walk away when she said, ‘You know, you changed my life. I saw you the other day and just couldn’t approach you; I’m still getting a little goose-bumpy right now. You see, years ago, when I was in school, I didn’t read, and you came to the school to do a book reading and made it seem like so much fun I started reading.’ Then, she turned and gestured to her two young children and said, ‘and now I read to my kids.’”

Mike holds many book readings at the library, much like the ones he does at schools, each one an invitation for families to come together and share common ground.

Over the years, I have been to many libraries, all the while wishing for that old time feel of tattered books and librarians peering through gold plated spectacles. But it’s never quite like that; it’s chaotic. Much like the busyness of a window shiny city made of glowing lights—electric people scurrying around, powered by coffee and deadlines.

It wasn’t until I stumbled into the Yelm Library I felt acquainted with a modern atmosphere and the feel of heart—people who cared.  It’s here where people, young and old, find themselves engrossed in literature, audio cds, e-books and more. And it’s here where a safe, friendly environment for children and teens is valued thru activities facilitated by library staff.

Nicole, the library manager, explained, “We see ourselves more as a community center where school groups come to plan trips, whole families come for book readings, and teenagers can come to occupy their time in a safe and friendly atmosphere.

“We have a range of staff, each specializing in different areas. Mike McGowan is the children’s librarian and Kelsie Raddas works with the teen programs; together they work to make the library a safe place for our youth,” she said.

In the year and a half she has been the library manager, she has helped to expand teen programs and has helped to maintain a youth oriented library. “It’s nice for our younger youth to know that as they transition into their teenage years, they can still call the library a ‘second home,’” she said.

After interviewing Kelsie, It became quite clear the library truly is a “second home.” When asked why she enjoys working with the teen programs, she said, “Looking back upon my teenage years, I can relate to a vast number of the teens who come in here: I was dealing with life just as every other teenager had to. And the kids and teens that come in here are very similar to how I was. I have formed relationships with them to where they can open up about their lives and share some of the most incredible things with me. They just want someone to listen to them and to treat them like a human being, and that’s what I am here for. I do this because providing a constructive, healthy outlet for them is worth it to me and to the rest of the staff.”

The Yelm library is located in the Fay Fuller Building in the Prairie Park development. Some of the activities include: Story Time for toddlers, age 3, is held on Thursdays (11-11:30 a.m.) and for preschoolers, ages 3-6, on Wednesdays (11-11:30 a.m.). And for teens, Open Mic will be held on May 9th and June 13th at 6 p.m., Crafternoons will be on May 11th and June 8th from 3-4:30 p.m., and Yoga For Teens will be on May 4th and June 1st at 3 p.m. (Other activities and listings can be found at TRL.org.)

Back home, my library was the common ground for misspent youth. But here, in the small confines of Yelm, the library is the common ground for hope. So bring your kids and teens, and see for yourself. Have an afternoon of crafts, or just go and read poems by Shel Silverstein.

 

 

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