What Gives Life to the Wild Ginger Library?
Libraries have long served as places of refuge from the world, where enlightenment and knowledge surround one in the form of books. They are a place to exercise our minds as thinking beings, and to contemplate the words of great authors within the comfort of a cozy, hushed building. Here, within the walls of brightly-colored book spines, is endless inspiration for those who take a moment to flip open the pages of a book (remember books?).
No, reading is not a dying art, but a way to let the imagination run free during the cold, winter months, or to acquire information for a graduate school project. Reading is a conversation with a much wiser friend, who knows all the right things to say, or the best hikes to try, interesting histories of a place, how-tos, and so forth. When was the last time you visited a library?
At the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center we have the Wild Ginger Library, nestled by the turquoise waters of Diablo Lake. In fact, Wild Ginger is arguably one of the most peaceful and beloved places on campus. Its mission is to help people of all ages learn about the literary and oral stories of the North Cascades. Wild Ginger brings people together around the power of the written and spoken word and supports the mission of the North Cascades Institute: to inspire and empower environmental stewardship for all through transformative experiences in nature.
Photo courtesy of Rick Allen
In essence, the history of the Wild Ginger Library began more than 10,000 years ago as Ice Age glaciers receded and the North Cascades’ first people ventured into local mountains and river valleys. After all, it’s the stories of this place – from Native legends and explorer journals to Beat poetry in fire lookouts – that give Wild Ginger its life.
More recently, the library took shape with design of the Learning Center in the late 1990s. Architects from The Henry Klein Partnership led staff members from the Institute, North Cascades National Park and Seattle City Light in detailing the needs of each building on campus. When the Learning Center opened in July 2005, the Wild Ginger Library – named, like other buildings on campus, for a local native plant – remained empty of books and materials.
Photo of empty shelves courtesy of Lara Swimmer
Initial books were made possible by a generous donation from Mac and Linda MacGregor. Dr. Fred Darvill, a Northwest writer, outdoorsman and lover of books, pledged significant support, and gifts from other individual donors soon followed. In addition, early in-kind donors of natural history books included University of Washington Press, Lone Pine Publishing, Sasquatch Books and the Mountaineer Books.
Photo courtesy of Marissa Bluestein
Oversight of the library is provided by Institute Staff and Graduate Students at the Learning Center. Today, Kira Taylor-Hoar serves as the Library and Office Graduate Assistant for her Work Study position. It is an opportunity for her to understand and improve a library that is used for graduate studies, as well as for environmental education; learn about research methods and cataloging systems; work with staff to develop book collections.
Photo courtesy of Marissa Bluestein
To understand more about the library and her job as the assistant, I’ve included an interview with Kira that reveals both the whimsical nature of her mind and the beauty of Wild Ginger.
Who uses the library?
Visitors, staff and graduate students all come by Wild Ginger for a place to study, for meetings, and to check out books or simply to relax. The big windows and high ceilings make the tiny room feel a lot bigger, and let in plenty of natural light. Chairs are placed under the awning outside, so on nice days you can read under the majestic tops of the surrounding mountains while lounging in an Adirondack chair.
Photo courtesy of Marissa Bluestein
What are three things you like about the librarian work study position?
Coming into the library on a cold December morning, I’m surprised to see light filtering in through the high windows. The sun doesn’t make it into too many buildings at the NCI campus in the winter, but as I write this I have a sunbeam shining right onto my desk. The building was built beautifully, with fabulous views. Peering out a window to my right I see the mountains rising into the clouds, a sprinkling of snow dotting these subalpine forests.
One thing that I wanted from my work study was to be able to spend time outside, and I never expected to be a librarian. But once I started working here I realized that I felt just as connected to the natural world in the library as I would outside. Plus, I get to make plenty of trips to the printer in the main office building, which means I get to breath fresh air frequently. The in-floor radiant heating doesn’t hurt for cold feets, either.
On days like this I have the library to myself, a quiet sanctuary of solitude. I am doing inventory, which takes a while pulling books off the shelves, entering them into the system, and then going back and doing it all over again, until I get through nearly 3,000 titles. You would think this boring, no? Ahh, but you see I have a trick up my sleeve. I have been listening to books on tape to make the time pass more easily. Lately I’ve been following some Hobbits across Middle Earth, delivering one particular ring to the fires of Mount Doom…while taking inventory. Other common tasks are cleaning, entering new books into the system, taking old books out, and checking in and re-shelving books people borrow.
Photo courtesy of Marissa Bluestein
When I’m not listening to books about little people, I’m reading some of the wonderful knowledge and tales this library has to offer. The periodicals, fiction, nonfiction, kids section, poetry…so much to read and so little time! I recently turned in Water: A Natural History, Yurts: Living in the Round, and Spell of the Sensuous. A natural history of water is a fascinating tale of hydrology in North America, told in narrative form to make it an easy read. Yurts are beautiful natural buildings and this book has some good tips on how to build and decorate your own. And Spell of the Sensuous is an excellent foray into the world of philosophy, science, and how we as human beings relate with the natural world through our senses.
Photo courtesy of Marissa Bluestein
I recently checked out a book of fiction, anticipating having time over winter break. It’s called The Cookbook Collector and it’s about two sisters who are total opposites but are bonded by blood and cooking. I haven’t gotten into it yet, but once I’ve finished all my readings for graduate classes, I’ll be sure to crack it open by the fire one of these blustery winter evenings.
History of Wild Ginger was obtained from the Library Guidelines of the Wild Ginger Library from March 27, 2006. The original vision of the library has been slightly modified to reflect the North Cascades Institute’s current mission.
(Top Photo) graduate student Kira Taylor-Hoar re-shelving a book borrowed; photo by Marissa Bluestein
So happy to see the Wild Ginger library in good hands and care. I enjoyed cataloging and keeping up the library in the first few years of the ELC, and my daughters spent many days sprawled on the rug and chairs reading and re-reading the books. It’s one of my favorite spots on the campus. Thanks for sharing about it today!
Thanks Christina for sharing your interest in and enjoyment of Wild Ginger! It sounds like you have many wonderful memories from that space.