Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 66 During forest fire season, the Darby community residents stop by the library windows to check out the notices and maps indicat- ing where fires are still raging and what ones are under control. Both in Valier and Darby the librarians know that there are chil- dren who are too old for babysitters and too young for after-school sports but also have parents who work. "It was time to step in to fill the void by providing a 'safe center' for the children at no charge," said Cathy Brandvold, Valier librarian. Boulder Library has a program titled "Where in the World is the Library" that showcases a hand puppet named Hemmingway the Mouse. "When patrons leave for a worldwide trip, they take Hemmingway with them and take photos of themselves and Hemmingway at travel sites, such as the Antarctica, Ka- zakhstan, and Galapagos Islands. When they return, they put up photographs and souvenirs, so visitors to the library can guess the travelers' destination. en a travelogue with ethnic food for the audi- ence to sample is held about a week after the display goes up. "e children learn geography this way, but the adults enjoy the travelogue and food too," said Jodi Smiley, Boulder librarian. "Our library is packed on Sunday afternoon," said Smiley. "Families drive to town for church, eat lunch at a restaurant, and then spend the afternoon at the library." All of the librarians help citizens fill out forms. "I have signed patrons up for Social Security and Medicare and helped with divorce paperwork and parenting plans. Our patrons see the ads on television that encourage indi- viduals to go to the local library for help, and that is why we see them," said Schreiber. Small town libraries aren't to be dismissed. eir librarians can show patrons how to have access to world information through the Montana Library System, and if you need a hug, visit the Harlow- ton Library. Kathleen Schreiber frequently gives out Montana hugs to anyone who stops by. The Liberty County Library is also a hardware store. Quilt depicting Boulder Library's history Kids play Maze and Hexbots. www.distinctlymontana.com/library181 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL Used bookstore on Darby's Main Street L I B E R T Y C O U N T Y H A R L O W T O N A Hutterite woman browses the Christian book section

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