With quiet, secluded study rooms, comfy seating arrangements, and tons of new technology to use, the newly renovated Hastings Public Library seems like a completely different building.
Both teachers and students at Hastings High School have already experienced what the library has to offer in the short amount of time it has been open to the public.
Faye Friesen, HHS librarian, has experienced the library first hand by being on the Library Board. Friesen believes the library has potential to help students in areas beyond what the high school library can do.
“I think that it’s going to serve everybody really well, especially high school students because [the high school library] isn’t open in the evenings and now they’re going to have a good place to go that’s open in the evenings,” Friesen said.
Along with the library’s benefits to students looking for a place to study, it also helps out kids at HHS find books that aren’t offered directly in the school selection.
Friesen continues with, “We have a cooperative agreement with the public library. If we don’t have a book, I call over there and they send a book over. If we don’t have a resource, they’ll do that for us too.”
Many students have taken ahold of new opportunities the renovated library has to offer. One of these students is junior Carlos Quintana, an officer of the school debate team. He and the team have utilized the secluded environment to better prepare for rounds.
“The study rooms have allowed our debate team be able to get better and expand our study time to do better at tournaments,” Quintana said.
In addition to Hastings natives enjoying the new library, Lilly Mueller-Rettstatt, an exchange student from Germany, has also taken advantage of the many opportunities the Library has to offer.
“I came with a friend to study and after it, we checked out a book,” Mueller-Rettstatt said, “I like the modern style from the library and I like that there are not only books also movies.”
She also goes on and compares the library here to ones back at home.
“[They] are very similar because it’s the system and has the same inventory,” Mueller-Rettstatt said.
With all of these new things the present library now has, it’s hard to think about how it was before. So many memories from the past library stick with the people of Hastings. Some things just can’t be replaced. The staircase was a staple of the Hastings Public Library and sophomore Meredith Brandt reflects on it.
“I like a lot of things about the library now, but I miss the old grand staircase,” Brandt said.
In addition to sentimental reasons for missing the library, there are some that have more specific reasons. Quintana reminisces on the, “microwave to pop popcorn.”
While some miss the library, others see how much the library needed a renovation. Friesen believes it was in dire need of an update.
“I just think it didn’t have a good use of space; it was very outdated. They needed to update their collection and stuff, which they have done now,” Friesen said.
Altogether, the library has met the needs of the community of Hastings. Plenty of people appreciate the update they have provided and are looking forward to see what else it has to offer.
