Babcock Library

A library
built
of stones
The Babcock Library is on the top floor of a unusual looking stone building called the Knowlton Memorial Hall. The hall was built in 1923 and was a gift of Charles Knowlton in memory of his father and other relatives.
Instead of blocks of huge granite or brownstone this building was constructive of round field stones. Nobody I asked really knew where the stones came from but I suspect they were just pulled from the many local rivers.
The building is divided into two parts with the library being on the second floor and the large memorial hall on the first. The hall is very well used with all kind of programs from wine tasting, puppet shows and town meetings. Having the hall right downstairs certainly makes it convenient for the library.
The Babcock Library is smaller than it first looks but is very clean and well organized. As with many libraries it has some unusual but pleasant chairs and tables to relax on and several different small rooms to spread out in.
The library has everything you would expect, with a nice section for kids and a good local history department. The librarian was friendly and helpful, especially considering she was trying to help several other people all at once.
A different looking type of library but one that is useful and efficient. After leaving the inside of the library one of the nice things to do is just slowly walk around the whole structure and admire the stonework. If those stones could talk I bet they would tell quite a story.