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Apr 21, 2024

Bay library open to all — not just students

Aug 8, 2023 R. R. Branstrom | Daily PressLibrarian Mariel Carter uses a desktop video magnifier to enlarge an image of Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise,” which on the book’s page is only a couple inches

Aug 8, 2023

R. R. Branstrom | Daily PressLibrarian Mariel Carter uses a desktop video magnifier to enlarge an image of Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise,” which on the book’s page is only a couple inches tall. This viewer and other resources are available to the public at Bay College Library.

ESCANABA — The library at Bay College offers many resources to the public, not just students. To obtain a free library card to check out items from their collection, individuals must be 18 years old and reside in Delta or Dickinson County, but anyone is welcome to take advantage of the space and the material on the premises, whether it be the art collection, vinyl records, computers, study rooms, audio recordings and printed transcripts from “Project Pioneer,” puppets geared to teach values to children, magazines and newspapers, board games, chess set, jigsaw puzzles or — yes, books.

“A really important part of what libraries provide is open space for people to get together and think and talk or just be,” said Mariel Carter, the college librarian.

In front of a set of large windows looking out upon a courtyard of plant life, a partially-completed puzzle lays on a table surrounded by chairs. They always have one going, says Mariel, inviting people to sit and lock a few pieces into place. The courtyard is warm and green this time of year, but in the dreariness of winter, the sunlight streaming in through the large panes of glass is even more valuable.

In other pockets of the library are therapy lamps that can help with seasonal depression, too. A handful of ergonomic chairs in quasi-egg shapes are scattered near the back wall behind the bookshelves along another set of windows.

Tucked in a section near the DVDs and LPs is a collection of history unique to Delta County. In the 1970s, Edward Gillespie and Pearl Larsen collected first-hand accounts from over 90 individuals who experienced early life in Delta County. The recordings of those discussions, and the transcripts produced by Bay College, make up what is called “Project Pioneer.” It can be explored at the library itself, but interested people can also find the list of interviewees online and request a digitized transcript from Bay College Library at 906-217-4055 or [email protected].

The print media collection is largely academic, since the college is foremost for learning. But much of the content utilized as a method of continuing education for some can also be used to foster a hobby or satisfy an interest for another. A lot of the fiction is classic literature and children’s books that students who major in education use to structure lesson plans.

The Bay College Library has recently organized books that will be part of Michigan’s new K-12 curriculum on indigenous cultures and which teachers in the area are encouraged to check out.

Shelves near the circulation desk house career resource books that are useful for people trying to enter the workforce who seek guidance to help them compile a resume, write cover letters, prepare for taking the ASVAB, navigate job interviews, and otherwise further professional endeavors.

Board games in a corner near a row of computers that double as TVs to watch movies are great for families to use on rainy days, said Mariel. The library is open until 11 p.m., and while not available for lending out, the games are always accessible for use inside.

“I’m always surprised at how many people connect through chess,” Mariel said, citing the board standing at the ready as a great way for people to break the ice with one another and have a bit of fun.

Anyone interested in the library’s collection may peruse the online catalog at library.baycollege.edu.

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