Teton County Library, Jackson, Wyoming

I was talking to my mom on the phone the other night, regaling her with stories of my time in the Tetons and Yellowstone, and we discovered that neither of us knew whether the town to the south of both parks was in fact "Jackson" or "Jackson Hole." I'd seen signs for both, though most of the signs near and around town (and on maps functions) referred only to "Jackson."

I looked it up, and found that the town is just "Jackson" while the whole area of the surrounding valley is "Jackson Hole"--entering the area through the mountains gave the flat valley a "hole" appearance, hence the name (x). I always thought it referred to a hot spring or other nearby attraction and honestly thought it sounded a bit crass, so I'm glad I cleared that up. Now I no longer envision a latrine when I think of Jackson Hole.

Jackson itself is completely redonk. I don't know what I expected, but clearly it wasn't this high-end, ultra pretty, log cabinesque tourist wonderland. I arrived from the southwest, so it was only during my return to town the next day that I saw the ski mountain dead ahead, with its terrifying, steep slopes. Many Kansans ski--wealthy ones, anyway--since Colorado is only a state over. A kid in my fifth grade class lost half of her family in a car wreck returning from one of those ski trips, thus imprinting in my mind an extra sense of peril to the whole activity. I am sure it is quite fun, especially if you have knees, but I've never done it and, after 1983, never wanted to.

With the Tetons and Yellowstone directly to the north and ski resorts directly to the south, it is no wonder that Jackson was a hoppin' tourist joint. It reminded me of Vail, just a bit junkier...and livelier.

I headed over to the Teton County Library to see what they had to offer. I was most curious about the light display featured in some of the pictures I'd previewed, which can be lit up in a variety of colors. According to their website, it is public art by Brian Brush and Yong Ju Lee titled "Filament Mind." The piece "is a physical demonstration of creativity and curiosity. Each thread of gossamer fiber optic cable corresponds with a section of the collections as organized by the Dewey Decimal System. They light up representing online catalog searches across the state of Wyoming." (x)

UM. I think I just fainted dead away? How cool is this? OMG.

When I was there, parts of the installation would light up seemingly at random, but clearly there was a method to the madness. A bibliophile's (libriophile's?) dream.

The frickin donation box. Frickin beautiful, man. I want this in my house.

Color! Patterns! White on wood!

The library itself was gorgeous, matching the log cabin aesthetics of Jackson on the outside, while adhering to the usual modern tropes on this inside: bright color, high ceilings, funky shapes. I didn't get a picture because they were always occupied (and there is a level of creep I won't breach), but the desks I found to set up shop and write were swervy curvy units where multiple people could occupy a space without having to look at each other. Optimum deskage.

One of the first things I noticed once I got past the light installation in the lobby was the fact that the main library and the children's library were entirely separate. By doors, even. Entrances are on opposite sides of the lobby, which means children's programs don't overwhelm the entire space with their cacophony. Everybody gets to have what they want in a library.

I made some mention of that to one of the staff and she gave me pickle face and said welllll, it's not that we don't want them herrreee in that usual Defend the Angels Tone, which always pisses me off. Did I say throw them in the street, the screechy little gutter rats? No. Can we all calm down About the Children? It's as bad if not worse than guilting people over "supporting the troops." There is nothing wrong with having adult spaces, y'all. We don't have to apologize for it. Good for you, Teton County Library...create spaces for all ages to enjoy consistently and simultaneously...and tell your staff not to be so up in their shorts about it.

Though it does occur to me that maybe they get yelled at by parents for this "outrage," sequestering the angels to a magical land dedicated only to them, their loves and interests...that mom or dad also have to languish in, I guess, until they can go and do whatever they want? Maybe. It does remind me of my Barnes and Noble days, when parents would try to leave their children unattended in the children's section...and then would have to temerity to blow a gasket when staff would tell them they absolutely could not do that. I wonder if Teton struggles with similar issues?

Ironically, this was the first library where I was felt self conscious about the noise I was making, first with getting set up (all those cords clicking and clacking, plugging stuff in, starting up my computer). The DVD drive makes a bit of a racket at first, whirring and churning, which I usually ignore, but it was SO QUIET, I had to take out the CD...which was, and I shit you not my friends my pals, the CD for Rollercoaster Tycoon 2. YAAAAAAAS. Ask me how awesome my summer was, bro.

Anyway, it was a great library for relaxation and focus. Almost every single patron I witnessed was there for serious business, laptops open next to notebooks and library books, pens and pencils at the ready. It was awesome. Not to say there weren't just readers--there were--but it reminded me more of a college library than any of my other destinations have thus far.