Remember When ~ My Childhood Library

This being the month when the first US public library was opened in 1833, and with a tap on the shoulder from the EtsyBloggers team, I have been thinking about my childhood public library which was established in 1939. It was located in the Downtown (always capitalized, you know!) area in my hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (And, no, I was NOT one of its first visitors!!)

Main entrance -- looked mammoth to me!

As I remember it, it was a vast expanse of books, card catalogs and librarians shushing me! But I got a good start on reading there and am now never without a book.

There was a special children's area where I would spend my time -- it was located downstairs which was not really a basement, and not really on the ground level. Somewhere in between.....

See the window? We were in the 'neither here nor there' region of the library! Really looks cozy, huh?

Do you remember the old card catalogs using the Dewey Decimal System? I pity the librarians who had to type up all those little cards with all those strings of numbers and letters!

And we checked out by writing our names on cards, one of which would go in the book, and the other for the library records. And I think my library card was orange!

Inside, with the librarian's counter to the left, Mr. Dewey Decimal to the right, and the spooky upstairs...

There were also these poles with newspapers draped over them and huge gigantic albums of various articles.
(So pre-internet!) 

Upstairs.....spooky..... 

I wasn't allowed up here until I was probably Jr High or so!

The architecture on this building was magnificent. 

Quite a change from today's!

This library memory is part of the EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival which is being hosted by Storybeader. One of the topics to choose from was to post about fond memories of your public library and reading. I immediately stepped back in time to my childhood library. 

Now, when I take Noli (age 5) to the library, it is such a vast difference in atmosphere and design. She has computers to play on and, when she's older, to do research on; comfy seating; games and stuffed animals to play with -- and nobody's shushing her!!

♥♥

I Guess I'm Just a Glutton for Punishment...

Hello and welcome to my new vintage blog!! As you might already know, I have another blog -- Magnolia Surprise -- where I blather on about my shops, my cutie-patootie granddaughter, my absolutely wonderful kitty, Oliver, and some other stuff usually themed from the amazing EtsyBloggers Team or, oh my goodness, from whatever catches my attention at the moment. Oh, and I also have a post each (and almost every) Wednesday that features other sellers with super-duper shops!

Anyway.....

I've wanted to put together a vintage blog that will not only feature vintage sellers, but also will be a look back in time in my life (and believe me when I say it's a loooong look back) that may tie in with stuff in my shops...or not, who knows ; )  I thought it would be fun to focus also on the history or funny/interesting facts about the vintage goodies that are in my shops. Even Oliver may make an appearance from time to time -- after all, he does like to check out my vintage stuff when something new comes in the door!

Sooo, I hope you will follow me and that this will be a fun place to linger a bit.  ♥♥♥  : )

This little cutie is my avatar and even shows up from time to time in my photos.

It was mine as a child....but more on that later! 

And, of course, I can't possibly leave you without a few more pictures, here are a few of my favorites from each of my shops!

1950s Dogwood Sugar Bowl and Creamer on Etsy

This belonged to my mother-in-law and I think it's just so very sweet!

Cory 2 Cup Glass Carafe on ArtFire

(There's that little stove again!)

Merry Mushroom Cast Iron Trivet on Zibbet

My shop is very new on Zibbet - I also want to open a Magnolia Surprise shop there, as well!

OK!! Well I hope you enjoyed your visit here and that you will return many more times! I hope you'll consider following -- it looks pretty lonely over there right now!!

♥♥