Years ago, I was a fledgling freelance writer on a tight deadline writing a local history feature for an outdoor recreation magazine. After much research, I had finally tracked down a book that contained some very niche information I needed to complete the story. Trouble was, the book was housed at a library almost two hours away, it didn’t exist in a digital format, and my deadline was yesterday.
I explained my plight to the kind librarian on the phone, who spent the next 20 minutes reading aloud the chapter I desperately needed while I periodically asked her to repeat a sentence so I could take accurate notes.
My heart has been with libraries — and librarians — ever since.
This librarian was not deterred by the barriers to getting me this information. She found a way to share it and it felt so democratic. To me, this is such a perfect example of the power of our local libraries and the importance of public access to information of all kinds. But today libraries are not only conduits of information and resources, they are connectors of people and experiences.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Appleton Public Library Director Colleen Rortvedt for this month’s Personalities feature (pg. 14). She shares how the newly renovated library provides a blank canvas for a community mosaic of diverse people and ideas to flourish. She likens modern libraries to “experimental test kitchens” full of discovery, and it’s an apt description of the new facility that now anchors Appleton’s College North neighborhood.
I also highly recommend checking out this month’s construction feature (pg. 36) written by Associate Editor Kate Bruns. We took a slightly different approach to this month’s industry spotlight by highlighting the work of local photographer Graham Washatka, who is presenting a special “Women at Work” initiative focused on women in construction. Kate speaks with several of the women photographed for the project about their careers and both the joys and hardships of being the minority out in the field. It’s a powerful read and a visually impressive one to boot.
Speaking of great photography, at the end of the month we will be hosting Insight’s first-ever 40 Under 40 gallery show. Portraits of this year’s honorees will be on display at The Art Garage in Green Bay May 30–June 1. Special thanks to our photography sponsor Image Studios for their work capturing the personalities of this inspiring group. Watch for profiles of our 40 honorees in the June issue of Insight.
This issue is full of stories about building — from innovative public spaces to industry-leading brands like Bernatello’s Brew Pub Pizza. We hope it sparks a few ideas of your own.
