Avalon Village Public Library

The Avalon Village Public Library serves not only as a library and media center, but also as a general community center. In addition to a vast selection of books and magazines, they also have performance space with an open-mic night every week, class space with an ever-changing variety of educational opportunities from art classes to zumba.

Purpose / Function

The building is, and has always been, a library first and foremost. It houses a collection of over 12,000 titles, and manages some 75 different magazines, mostly on history, archaeology, the arts, crafts, music; very little pop culture content, and most educational and evergreen.

In contemporary times, it also serves as a community and recreation center. It is equipped with many areas for specialized activities. Almost every social activity that takes place in the village takes place at the library.

One of the most popular features of the library is the collection of musical instruments available for loan. Villagers in good standing -- that is, those who don't have any past-due notices -- can borrow an instrument and an instructor to teach them to play! Some arrive with their own instruments, of course. But a lot of people take up music once they get here. They miss the radio.

Another popular feature is the history tower. Many of the dead like to gather there, discussing the viewpoints of the books against their own memories of events. It's one of the few social gatherings where the living are...not exactly unwelcome, but certainly not encouraged. It's rather like teens and grandparents mixing, not something that naturally happens, and uncomfortable for all involved.

Alterations

Over the centuries, the interior of the building has been radically modernized, while the original stone exterior remains intact. There is a fitness center complete with weight machines, treadmills, bikes, and other exercise equipment. There is a pool, a jacuzzi, and a sauna. There are several 'general purpose' rooms of varying sizes, and a ballroom that is used for whole-village events.

Deep in the basement, in the very center of the building, just before the stairs down into the catacombs, is the village's only computer. It has to be kept as far as possible from the electromagnetic interferance of the dead villagers. There in the cold earth and stone, it's lonely dial-up connection is just about the only out-going communication available.

History

Built by the original Jesuit missionaries who settled the village, it was the second community constrction. (The church itself was, of course, the first.) Its purpose was, and still is, as a repository of knowledge. One of the purposes of the mission in the area was to record the stories and histories of native Indian tribes who had been displaced by colonization of the northeast.

Founding Date

Cornerstone reads 1718

Type

Library

Parent Location

Avalon, Indiana

Owning Organization

Guiding Circle