Before you say, “Oh boring,” and stop reading, let me ameliorate your ennui. Plus this is only two minutes, if that, of your life.
The downtown library is well worth a field trip all by itself. First, it’s a beautiful building, gorgeously reimagined from a 1906 bank to library. We don’t see this kind of architecture and interiors in any place new.
Second, there is SO much to explore. Starting with, no surprise, books – over 380,000 of them (as of last October). Yeah, I counted them as I browsed. Life's too short, alas. There’s always rotating art of all different kinds in the back on the first floor.
The Grand Reading Room is on the third floor, inundated with references and magazines. There’s offices and meeting rooms you can sign up for – free. They offer a huge variety of services both on-line and in person: I could check my blood pressure if I wanted. Get a free notary's stamp. Register to vote and get a new passport, too. Who knew?
Third, the coffee/snack shop is really good. Parking is free for an hour if you get your garage ticket validated inside the library beside the check-out machine up front.
Fourth, they offer all kinds of programs on varied topics from Medicare to the uses of goats (July 17th) to family story times, a library book group, teen activities days, and movies. Such movies – free, in the “vault room” with seating for 28 film aficionados – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (July 16), The Peanut Butter Falcon (July 18th) and many, many more.
But, whatever you do, go to the rooftop garden area (which could use some additional care to be honest but at least it's green) and get a totally different view of Kansas City. Or play giant chess up there. Or eat lunch. Or learn from the educational panels. Or go July 20th (yep, this coming Saturday) on the guided tour of the library. You can sign up (quickly) here: https://kclibrary.org/calendar/guided-tour-central-library-2 but they have such tours every month-- plus, you’ll see from where we lifted our headline photo. Speaking of photos, check out the masterpiece slide show below.
If you live in KCMO, you pay some taxes for the library. We think it’s a valued resource, well worth it! You can get to it via the streetcar (short uphill walk however). Go visit it, no matter where you live. It's a treasure.
You are right! Who knew!! Thank you
Bev