Pioneer Memorial Library, Colby, Kansas

My time at the Pioneer Memorial Library was brief, so this post will follow suit.

The drive up from Dodge City to Colby was very similar to the drive between Roswell and Albuquerque. There were signs along the highway suggesting Kansas wildflowers might be seen, but it was just miles of dull sameness. Intermittent small oil companies dotted the way, with their trucks, fences, and flaccid temporariness that only added to the dreariness.

Colby is a nice little Kansas town...either my timing was weird or it really does have a touch of hippy to it, since I heard the word "groovy" uttered by three different people in three different settings. Once in the library lobby, once in the library proper, and once later at the Starbucks where I was the lone laptop warrior in a sea of empty chairs. More on that later.

The Pioneer Memorial Library is older, but super cute in a weird, Auntie Em, Good Lord This Has to be Kansas sort of way. The front of the building was kicky, with that hippy dippy flair that invites you to come in for a spell and have some reading adventures...though the invitation to relax and enjoy only goes so far. It was one of the few places I've visited that permitted absolutely no beverages or food. Most places will let you come in with a covered drink, water bottles, etc., but Pioneer Memorial was NOT having it. Truth be told, I'm always grateful for the open policy in many of these libraries, but wonder at the wisdom of it. On my second visit to the lovely Mulvane Library, I overheard two staff members discussing stains on the furniture and the plans to start getting bids to do a thorough cleaning. Mulvane was built last year; Pioneer Memorial was built in 1964. According to their website, the Pioneer Memorial library has had several renovations/refurbishments over the years, so maybe they learned through hard knocks and tears.

The View into the Library from the Lobby

I only had a short amount of time before the library closed, so I devoted most of my time to this blog. I have a feeling I missed some gems, but what struck me was the sight of grandma's sitting room chairs in the lobby...juxtaposed by what I believe to be a 3D printer inside the library proper. Pioneer Memorial has it all!

On a lark I Googled Starbucks and couldn't believe my luck--they really did have one. Colby is a small town, but it is also a gateway town to Colorado and its Rocky Mountain magix, so it merits this particular badge of honor. It was located in the "Oasis Travel Center," which also featured eateries and a convenience store that sold gas out front. I arrived about an hour and a half before the Starbucks part of the Oasis closed and was confounded at how empty it was. Living in New York for 15 years conditioned me to always expect all of humanity to be lined up ready to order, or setting roots at every table, laptops open and looking to go nowhere notime never. Being in an empty Starbucks was nothing short of glorious.

About 20 minutes before close, people started piling in, so I guess Colby is exactly like New York, just more like the bars than the coffee shops. It simply isn't cool to roll in any earlier than Last Call.

The Sitting Room / Lobby