CENTRAL LAKE, MI – The look of a librarian has power; stern or supportive, it carries weight.
Mary Loper’s looks come through sculptural red glasses, which have a divination power of their own.
Women often zoom in close for a better look.
But men — some not all, tend to look away, she says.
“Afraid of a strong, confident woman?” I guess.
“I think that’s right,” she says, “That always tells me ‘I wouldn’t want to know you anyway.’”
Mary is one of the many delightful librarians I encounter in my travels, especially in the summer when I have to hide for the hotter part of the day. Since I have work to do anyway, a cool (and free!) office with WiFi and bathrooms is exactly what an itinerant blogger needs.
The one here in Central Lake is especially lovely. I ate my lunch outside on the shaded patio, which was surrounded by an eye-popping garden to my left and, to my right, a grassy area punctuated by lush oak and pine. (And yes, the WiFi reaches!)
The best part of working at a library, though, is often the librarians. Smart, often funny and usually women, they are welcoming, knowledgeable and efficient. A salve for all the yahoos we cannot always avoid on the road.
I convinced Mary and the library’s assistant director, Clara Tice, to give us some restaurant recco’s from the area:
I thought we were done, but each had one more to add:
Recreate my visit to Central Lake, MI Library:
| Saturday | 10AM–3PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 10AM–6PM |
| Tuesday | 10AM–6PM |
| Wednesday | 10AM–6PM |
| Thursday | 10AM–6PM |
| Friday | 10AM–6PM |
Information current as of 7-19
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