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By Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
While children eagerly filed into a magic show in a room behind her, Ann MacFate, Director of the Needham Free Public Library, wistfully looked at a monitor displaying black and white photographs. One by one, she quietly reflected on their significance as they appeared and faded. On this, the 100th Anniversary of the Library, one could not begrudge her nostalgia.
“I’ve been here a long time. I’ve been here for every change to the old building. I’ve seen everything, I guess,” said Ms. MacFate.
The Needham Free Public Library celebrated its centennial with a bang on Saturday, hosting a day of events that included a shadow puppet show, chamber music concert and magic show, among other things. While the smiling children coming in and out of the building suggested a fresh-faced future, it was a future that sat comfortably with the past.
“Libraries change to meet the needs of people,” said MacFate, acknowledging the new developments - like computers and wireless internet - that have become de rigueur for all libraries these days.
“You can use the computers, yes. They’re ancillary devices to what we do,” she smiled. “But to my way of thinking - my old-fashioned way of thinking - the book is still the most important part of the library.”
The vociferous children waiting to see Alejandro’s Olde Tyme Magik Showe highlighted another change: libraries are no longer completely silent.
“That’s probably one of the biggest changes. Libraries have quiet places, but they’re not overall quiet - we don’t go around shushing any longer,” said MacFate.
While change seems to have been a constant since the Needham Free Public Library opened in its current location in 1916, it was also evident that the most important things have stayed the same.
“The children who come in here are even more enthusiastic - or just as enthusiastic - as children in former generations. And they’re still reading books, too! The little kids go out with an armload of books.”
“Libraries are live places,” she said. “They’re not dead storage places for books. They’re live places for ideas, and the books contain the ideas.” Behind her, some young children squealed with delight as they viewed a display case. “They’re timeless.”
