#imagesofamerica

[ozma914]

The old library's gone now

When I was a teen I didn't exactly have the happiest home life. As a result, and being an insatiable reader, I spent as much time as I could at the Noble County Library. It was only about a four block walk from our house, and from the library's front windows was a great view of the Noble County Courthouse. It was very much my home away from home for several years.

It's gone now.

Well, the building is gone. The library moved in 1995, to a place that's a lot easier to navigate for both patrons and employees. About 35 years ago a member of the Library Board took me to the basement of the oldest part of the old library, and showed me cracks spreading through the concrete. He told me the original library was designed to have shelves around the exterior walls, with a central circulation desk. Now, with shelves all across the rooms, it held more weight then it was designed for.

Not to mention it was too small, and laid out in three different levels. When the library moved, the Noble County Prosecutor's Office took up the space, but to me it will always be a library. Well, would. Now I have a brick.

I spent hours going through old books and microfilms there, researching our book Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights: A Century or So With the Albion Fire Department. Then I returned the favor, putting the library itself into Images of America: Albion and Noble County. Between them, I fed both my reading habit and my writing ambitions with volume after volume from the place.

In the photo above you can see the original structure in back, and the 1968 addition in front. The original, built in 1917, was thanks to a $10,000 Carnegie Foundation grant--Andrew Carnegie's money built a lot of early libraries.

In the photo below, which I got from the Old Jail Museum--on the same block--is the Carnegie Library before the addition went up.

In elementary school my favorite part of the week was when the bookmobile showed up and we would file through, picking out something to read. The bookmobile also came from the Noble County Public Library, which had a garage built on the back to house it.

Just for the heck of it here's one of the bookmobiles, in a photo given to me by Ellen McBride. This one, I assume, was before my time--I recall the one we went to being more like a large van.

 Anyway, the Noble County Library is still operating with three branches, and going strong. The original is being replaced by a Noble County Government building. I can't deny the practicality of most government offices being centralized into two buildings, with the resulting savings in utilities, upkeep, and communications. I might even end up working there myself, if my writing career doesn't allow me to retire by then.

But I'm gonna miss what was there.

 http://markrhunter.com/ https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

[escondidolibrary]

It’s Throwback Thursday! Did you know we have a ton of these wonderful Images of America volumes in our Pioneer Room? . Come browse these beautiful books and learn more about Southern California history! . #escolibrary #escondidolibrary #pioneerroom #throwbackthursday #archives #localhistory #southerncalifornia #escondidoca #community #librariesofinstagram #imagesofamerica https://www.instagram.com/p/B2CxivXnCmb/?igshid=650xgbhhk56f

[gexydaf]

Lego Librarian is getting a small collection of Images of America books. She only has them for places she has been and she reads them. And on her most recent jaunt she picked up two more. Jefferson County and Port Townsend. The Jefferson County book she picked up at Imprint Bookstore in Port Angeles. #indiebookstores #imprintbookstore #legolibrarian #legolibrarianexplores #imagesofamerica #portangeles (at Imprint Bookstore and The Writers' Workshoppe) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTJDYtIHx-4/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mikkiyu]

NY⚾️ #nyc #newyork #newyorkcity #🇺🇸 #usa #america #seeyourcity #⛪️ #lumix #뉴욕 #manhattan #explore #explorenyc #snapshot #ignyc #travelphotography #imagesofamerica #yankees #yankeestadium #stadium #bronx #baseball #⚾️ (at Yankee Stadium)

[thepandaphotographerr]

Bokeh of Madison / sigma 18-35 F1.8 Art / Sony Alpha A77II / @sigmaphoto •••••••••••••••••••• #justgoshoot #addict #bokeh_addicts #rsa_streetview #night_captures #wisconsinlife #sonygallery #imagesofamerica #colorful_shots #bluehour #cityscape #wisconsinights #thepandaphotographer #explorephotography #photograph #lifeofaphotographer #madisonwi #photooftheday #cityscapesnyc #nightphotography #bokehlicious #bokeh #bokeh_shotz #bokeh_kings (Wisconsin State Capitol) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bri3Y9ZBr76/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10myilqscy1ur

[imaginerding]

Loving the #ImagesofAmerica #book on @cedarpoint

[fatrabbitky]

Lots of regional history on the shelves! These books are $9 each. All in nice shape. #thingswehave #fatrabbitky #imagesofamerica #legendarylocals #louisville #kentucky #louisvilleslugger (at Fat Rabbit Thrift & Vintage)

[natejordon]

Click above to listen to an interview with me about my book Images of America: Harrison on KUAF "Ozarks at Large" - an NPR affiliate.

[ozma914]

Images of America: Albion and Noble County on sale

Looks like all the Arcadia Publishing Images of America books, including Images of America: Albion and Noble County, are on sale for the holiday weekend!

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467114516

40% off, at least there on the publisher's website; I haven't checked around elsewhere, and it appears to be the paperback version. Still, that makes it $13.19, which is pretty darned good for all those photos and all that history. And hey: If you live near Albion, Michigan or Albion, New York, they also have Images of America books on sale.

Emily and I worked hard on this project, and we're justifiably proud of it. It may not be as amazing as that one time when I did yard work without getting injured, but it's pretty darned close.

http://markrhunter.com/ https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

[mikkiyu]

Morning at the museum🏛 #architecturephotography #architecture #architecturelovers #nyc #newyork #newyorkcity #🇺🇸 #usa #america #seeyourcity #⛪️ #lumix #뉴욕 #manhattan #explore #explorenyc #snapshot #ignyc #travelphotography #imagesofamerica #upperwestside #americanmuseumofnaturalhistory #museum (at American Museum of Natural History)

[ozma914]

Had a nice moment the other day when I walked into The Kendallville CVS pharmacy and found one of our books for sale. I didn’t realize Images of America: Albion and Noble County was still available at a brick and mortar store! The best place to find all our books is on our website at www.markrhunter.com. #books #publishing #writingcommunity #writing #imagesofamerica #imagesofamericabooks #albionindiana #history #photography #noblecounty (at Kendallville, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJyQ4jDlVqG/?igshid=z610fde5ldvp

[mikkiyu]

👩‍🌾 #nyc #newyork #newyorkcity #🇺🇸 #usa #america #seeyourcity #lumix #뉴욕 #manhattan #explore #explorenyc #snapshot #travelphotography #imagesofamerica #nycpulse #nycphotographer #ignyc #chelsea #chelseamarket #streetart #market #nyc🗽 (at Chelsea Market)

[mikkiyu]

Reflection #nyc #newyork #newyorkcity #🇺🇸 #usa #america #seeyourcity #snapchat #manhattan #explore #explorenyc #travel #travelblogger #travelphotography #imagesofamerica #nyc🗽#shotoniphone #themetropolitanmuseumofart #reflection (at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

[ozma914]

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A post shared by Mark R Hunter (@ozma914)

A hardcover addition of one of our books! #publishing #books #bookstagram #bookshelf #imagesofAmerica #arcadiapublishing #albion #indiana #nonfiction (at Albion, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqanJrAFjjf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=al8t8y9t6sv4

[ozma914]

Found our book, Albion and Noble County, still for sale at the Glenbrook Barnes and Noble in Fort Wayne! One benefit of a big publisher. #bookstore #barnesandnoble #books #history #arcadiapublishing #imagesofamerica