Books
graveyards
and
mysteries
The Chaplin Town Library is a small library but that's all right because Chaplin is a small town. Only about 12,000 volumes in the library and only about 2,200 people in the town. So the ratio of books to book lovers is actually very high.
The library was built in 1948 and then renovated in the year 2000 so it's actually one of the newer libraries in the state. It still has that cool small town feel with lots of colorful flowers, old benches and an ancient graveyard right next door. Even though it has all the modern amenities of a newer library, it never lets you forget that you are in a small new England town.
The people I met there were as friendly and congenial as I would expect in a small town and the librarian went out of her way to make us feel welcome. Told us to sit down and relax and everyone that came in the library seemed to want to talk to us and socialize. These small town libraries are a lot more than just places for books, at one time they were the way people stayed in touch and they still serve that purpose. E-mail is great but there is nothing like talking to a person face to face.
The new library is very pleasant and replaced the old William Ross library that was built way back in 1911. The previous library is still standing a ways down the street and nobody would tell me what it was used for now. Just shook their heads or laughed like it was a private joke. Hmmm.
Most small New England towns have mysteries. That's one of the things that makes visiting these out of the way places so cool. You never know what you are going to find. The new Chaplin Library is pretty cool but I suspect the much older Chapin Library just might be much, much, cooler still. read more