 Library of Congress Reading Room I never tire of visiting Washington, D.C. There is so much to see and do, and the city is constantly growing and changing. Each time I visit, there are new monuments and museums to explore. The city is a delight for lovers of history, architecture, art, science, and museums. There is truly something for everyone. As a book lover, there are four places I highly recommend to my fellow bibliophiles. 1. The Library of Congress The Library of Congress isn’t just the world’s largest library, it’s a museum and archive housed in a spectacularly beautiful building. See books from Thomas Jefferson’s personal collection, view a Gutenberg Bible that was one of the first books ever produced by a printing press, get your reader’s card and step into the spectacular Reading Room, and marvel at the architecture. The library hosts special events and exhibits, so there is always something new to discover.   2. Planet Word The Planet Word museum focuses on the intricacies and joys of words, languages, and books. Even the inside of the elevator has a bookish theme. The interactive exhibits keep visitors of all ages engaged, and the gift shop is equally delightful. Visiting Planet Word is a fantastic experience sure to please any lover of language and literature. 
3. The DAR Library and Museum Connected to Constitution Hall, which is Washington, D.C.'s largest concert hall, the DAR Library and Museum is a lovely place to spend time. The library specializes in genealogy and history. When I visited the museum, there was a special “Jane Austen’s World” exhibit featuring clothing and accessories of Austen’s time period. There was also a display case featuring a gown and shoes worn by Marian Anderson. The Anderson exhibit was right inside the door and stopped me in my tracks. I was awestruck by this display that captured such an important part of Civil Rights history.  
  4. Folger Shakespeare Library Fans of the Bard won’t want to miss a trip to Folger Shakespeare Library, which features museum exhibits, a gorgeous reading room, and a literary-themed cafe. There is also a performance space where plays are performed. 
Anytime I travel, I make a point to look for libraries, bookstores, and any literary-themed locales that I can visit. Washington, D.C. is full of wondrous possibilities, and I always leave enriched, enlightened, and looking forward to my next visit.
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Sterling Jr./Sr. High School Library, Sterling, KS, was awarded a $20,000 Libraries Transform Grant from the South Central Kansas Library System. The grant, along with matching funds from the district, was used to update the library space. According to librarian Amy Brownlee, “our vision was to transform our dated 1980s library into a 21st century learning commons to provide space for innovation and collaboration and to facilitate our mission of equipping students as lifelong learners who solve problems, achieve and grow.” Grant funds were used to purchase tables and chairs on wheels to facilitate flexible seating arrangements. The project also included new carpet and paint as well as expanded wall shelving that eliminated three large freestanding bookcases and opened up the library space and showcased the library’s genre-based, fully browseable fiction collection. The library received new carpet and paint after flooding in 2002 but otherwise had not been updated since being built in 1985. The need for flexible furniture had been evident for years but was especially noticeable since the library began hosting monthly school board meetings a number of years ago. The large, heavy tables and chairs were not conducive to being rearranged, yet they were moved every month. “A fixture update will enhance the space’s ability to host an increased number of events,” said principal Phil Bressler. “We foresee the space being used primarily by students, but also by adults in the form of meetings and planning sessions. The library reconfiguration and update will enable us to meet important needs.” The update was an 18-month process beginning with planning the new library space and preparing the application. After being notified of the grant award, vendors were contacted and orders were placed. In May, all the books and furnishings were packed and moved out and renovations began. Books were moved back into the “new and improved” space in August just in time for the beginning of school. “We were able to invite the community to an Open House event in September to coincide with the first school board meeting taking place in the newly updated space,” Brownlee said.  Sterling’s grant application was chosen on the basis of meeting the Libraries Transform grant program’s key objectives, which are to:
1) Increase awareness and support for transforming the local library. 2) Further the perception of the library as essential to the community. 3) Energize library advocates to influence local, state and national decision-makers. The project increased the library’s visibility and usefulness to the community and shared in these key messages: 1) Libraries transform lives. 2) Libraries transform communities. 3) Libraries are community centers for lifelong learning. 4) Libraries are a smart investment. The updated library space has already been used dozens of times for such activities as: staff training and meetings; instruction, cooperative learning, and testing; “Apply Day” facilitated by the school counselor where seniors were walked through the college application process; student work on Individual Plans of Study; parent and club meetings; resume preparation and mock interviews, and much more. The competitive grant application was written by librarian Amy Brownlee with support from library assistant Michelle Miller. “The Libraries Transform Grant was a catalyst to get administrator buy-in to spend capital outlay funds to update the library,” Brownlee said. “I first heard about the grant opportunity in 2019 and have been speaking with administrators since then, working on finding a year when they would prioritize a library update in their budget plans. Without the matching grant from SCKLS, I don't know when or if this project ever would have happened for us. This grant was truly transformative for USD 376.” Throughout her 25+ years with the district, Brownlee has secured more than 70 grants for USD 376 totaling over $90,000. “I appreciate the time and energy Mrs. Brownlee spends on getting funding to keep our library programs top notch,” said superintendent Jim Goracke. One of the grant requirements is employing a certified librarian like Brownlee. In a letter to the grant selection committee, Principal Bressler wrote: “Despite many of our peer school districts cutting these positions, we see the library and our professional staff as a key cog in the learning process.” This project is funded in part by the South Central Kansas Library System. SCKLS serves 144 participating public libraries, school districts, academic libraries and special libraries in 12 counties. The mission of the South Central Kansas Library System is to assist member libraries to provide excellent service to their communities. |
Amy BrownleeLibrarian, reading teacher, presenter. Archives
February 2026
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