CRISS CHRONICLES 13
Despite the cold, it’s been a lovely winter at KANEKO! Coffee and tea have been consumed at amazing rates, mostly by patrons hunkered down with immense tomes of poetry and archival research materials.
stops for a brief moment to consider the rack of tiles set out in front of a Scrabble board. He played every day this week and wants to see what other patrons have contributed to the game. Finding a spot to play “THORNY” on a double-word score spot, he continues on to his table and removes his winter gear. Unpacking the laptop and papers he needs for the day consumes only a moment and then, he’s ready for the hot coffee with two sugars and a glass of water. Ah, perfect. The next six hours are spent refilling the cups and typing away, occasionally stopping to chat with other familiar faces that have filtered in throughout the day.
I’ve found that despite interest in the library, very few know what goes on here in the wilds of downtown Omaha, so let me give you a glimpse of the KANEKO-UNO Library: As a patron enters the library, he shuffles the snow and sand from their feet while greeting the staff. En route to his favorite spot, he
More and more, our patrons are turning into regulars here at KANEKO-UNO Library. They have favorite tables and sofas or drinks. They ask the staff for help with formatting documents and where to find books on textile design. They build elaborate Lego homes for a plastic alligator named Sylvester. They pull the Scrabble board between a group of three or four and play a quick round as a
study break. Overall, we couldn’t be happier and more excited about the future of this creative space that UNO and KANEKO have created. Well, perhaps we’d be more excited to see you there too. Some of our current excitement stems from a new endeavor- a book club. Titled “The Curiosity Review,” this book club focuses on books that encourage creativity and assuage curiosity. Rather than concentrating on a certain type of book- fiction or non-fiction- we aim to survey a wide variety of titles and disciplines. The first book is The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. Future plans involve non-fiction books relating neuroscience and art, fiction books about future worlds, and even a graphic novel! If you’re interested in joining the book club, it’s not too late! Simply pick up a copy of The Casual Vacancy, read it, and meet up with us Wednesday, March 13th at 6pm at KANEKO-UNO Library. Wine and snacks will be provided if you come with questions and thoughts about the little British village of Pagford. - Lindsey Bailie
Vol. 3 Issue 2