My hometown library.
Set back from Main Street, Bushnell-Sage Library sits on 3.5 acres and is the most modern library I’ve photographed so far. It’s red cedar-shake and stone facade is only rivaled in beauty by the grounds surrounding it – a large lawn with trees, gardens, a playground, and sculptures.
Its exterior is uniquely memorable. I was particularly excited to spend time with and photograph the gothic-style details that I had noticed when visiting in the past. The building features a cathedralesque vestibule and is wrapped in ashlar stone on its bottom half, giving it a fortress or castle look at certain angles.
The interior has a homey feel with a carpeted floor, a sofa, and cozy upholstered chairs in the main reading room. Colorful art hanging from the ceiling and half finished puzzles create an immersive, inviting atmosphere that other libraries lack due to their stately and historical interiors.
My favorite space is the second floor. It feels more like an enclave or retreat, the way an attic has a more settling atmosphere than the rest of a home. It’s quiet and full of stacks, with a few desks at the far end being bathed in soft sunlight from the windows. I usually follow one particular floor-to-ceiling aisle of books to its terminus, sit on the floor in front of the photography section, and thumb through my favorite Ansel Adams books. When I’m there, everything else fades quietly to the background.
The first free public library in Sheffield was established in 1876 and the Bushnell-Sage Library is named for Alice B. Sage and Samuel Hopkins Bushnell, who left bequests of $10,000 and $25,000, respectively, in the 1920s. These gifts made it possible for Sheffield to build its first dedicated library building.
