Everywhere You Look
When you visit our historic building and beautiful grounds, there will be lots to enjoy, no matter where you look! We've taken this opportunity to showcase some of the offerings and oddities you can expect to see.
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We look forward to you stopping by soon!
Cushioned Window Seats
The library has three cushioned window seats, with accompanying throw pillows, set into the building’s original hazelwood window ledges (which themselves are connected to the library’s original wall-hugging shelving).
Activity Boards
The side of the bookcase in the Children's corner has an Activity Board built into it. We have three interchangeable Activity Boards for kids to enjoy: a LEGO/Duplo baseplate board, a Felt board, and a Magnetic Board.
Spice of the Month
Our Spice of the Month program lets you take a home a premeasured portion of that month's spice, fascinating facts on the spice, and recipe suggestions!
Brew Station
What could be better than reading a book? Why, reading a book while drinking a hot cup of coffee, of course! The Etna Library’s Brew Station features coffee, tea, cider and hot chocolate k-cups… all in a ridiculous number of varieties.
Everything is free (and delicious)
Reading Garden
The Reading Garden at the Etna Library is the perfect place to relax with a great book. The garden features a collection of lilacs planted in memory of Nan and Allen King
Lloyd
Lloyd the Lovable Library Gargoyle is our unofficial mascot! Balanced above books; Perched above periodicals; Dangling above DVDs; Alighting above audio books... Look for Lloyd when you visit!
Board Game Closet
The library's Board Game Closet features games you can play at the library (such as chess, Chutes & Ladders, UNO, and Jenga), and a collection of jigsaw puzzles that you can take home.
Great Gatsby Lamp
There are many interesting items you can spot around the library. We have a dragon clock, a bespectacled fox busy reading, and this lamp made out of a real copy of The Great Gatsby.
Story Walk
Stretching into the meadows of Hayes Farm Park and the King Bird Sanctuary is the library's Story Walk, featuring colorful pages from a rotating display of children's picture books.
Dog Library
With the guiding principle of "Take a stick, leave a stick," the Dog Library offers 'circulating sticks,' balls and dog toys, and a water bowl. We also have treats inside for your furry friends!
Antique Clock
The library's clock was made by the Waterbury Clock Company and is a 67 regulator, a model first made in 1912. The timepiece is wound weekly by the librarian, now as it was a century ago.
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Inspiring Ceilings
When you stop by, make sure you look up! Both the library's original 1905 building and our 2014 addition have amazing ceilings!
Spinning Wheel
The library even has an antique spinning wheel on display. Unfortunately, it is (as of yet) unable to spin straw into gold...
I Spy Case
We have a rotating 'I Spy' Case where you can attempt to find every hidden object listed on a checklist to win a prize!
Librarians with... Cows?
Katarina Spencer served as Librarian from 1935-1953. This photograph of her standing next to a cow (still hanging above our Circulation Desk) speaks to the rich rural history of this area.
Toys
For children who visit the library and need a book-break, we have plenty of toys, including blocks, magnets, and dinosaurs.
History (you can sit at)
Many items in the library are the originals from when our building was built in 1905. Many of the shelves, the desk, and the table, have all been here for well over a hundred years.
Model Train
The library has its own model train trundling around 'Etna Grand Station.' We change the train cars every few months, so stop in to see what's new!
Beatrix Potter Characters
The Gentleman Fox and Jemima Puddle-Duck call the library their home. These story book characters brought to life were hand-crafted by Jameson W. Doig (1933-2019).
Seed Library
Each growing season, the library's Seed Library returns, with dozens of varieties of seeds to take for free. Find out if your thumb is green... or some entirely different color altogether!
Volunteer Wall of Fame
The library is fortunate to have many wonderful volunteers. Some of these amazing individuals are immortalized on our ever-expanding Volunteer Wall.
Comfy Chairs
When you stop in, stay for a while! We have a sofa, armchair, cushioned bench, and window seat that you'll feel right at home on!
Bears
The artist of the Etna Library's beautiful painting of a bear and her cub is Ken Pelton, a resident in Etna since 1943. The frame was made by Morris Hayes with boards from Ken’s mother’s 1860’s barn.
Friendly Librarians!
We're a small library with a small staff. That allows us to give everyone who walks through our doors personal attention. We strive to make our library as warm and welcoming as possible!