Aug9

nature library.

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All libraries are good libraries – but there’s one that just opened near Denver that’s as much of a destination for nature lovers as it is for book lovers. Called the Anythink Nature Library, the 15-acre campus is home to a calming darkroom, a nature lab, an indoor-outdoor cafe, gardens, a mud pit, and a mile-long loop trail (as well as plenty of books, of course).

According to the website, it’s the nation’s first public nature library, with a mission to “help people of all ages discover their connection to the natural world.” The building itself is a testament to that vision, as it features hundreds of solar panels, bird-safe glass, and geothermal heating and cooling.

Patrons are invited to check out hammocks, telescopes, tents, and other experience kits dubbed “TryIts” so people can explore the outdoors without having to spend on pricey gear. “Public libraries have always evolved alongside the needs of their communities,” Mark Fink, executive director of Anythink Libraries, said in a statement. “The Nature Library represents the next evolution: a place where books, nature, science, and community come together to inspire curiosity and connection.” Take a look around the grounds.

‘there is no greater beauty or charm than what we find in nature.’

-todd romano

 

 

 

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source credits: Anythink Nature Library, nicenews

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68 responses »

  5. About 1 hour away from us but near enough to the metro area to hopefully encourage people/families in the city environment to check out and explore outdoor opportunities. I hope they are working with Denver Public Schools to get the word out as well.

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  16. I love this so much, Beth. Libraries are important third spaces in their communities and I love the idea of more libraries maximizing the use of their outdoor spaces as learning spaces too.

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  17. I love what Ab said about the importance of libraries as essential third spaces and this library! Wow! I have a dear friend who just moved to a suburb of Denver — not far from this fabulous library….I’ll be asking her about this! I bet she’s been there and forgot to tell me! Thank you, Beth! 💝💝💝

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  18. That’s a “destination library.” I’d go to Denver just for the nature (library). I think finally, as humans are so inundated with tech, they are appreciating the beauty and necessity (for our souls and sanity, and for the Earth) of Nature.

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    • me too! yes, the Anythink Nature Library in Thornton, Colorado is completely free to use. There are no membership fees, and any Colorado resident can sign up for a free library card to check out items and use its public resources. – denver gazette

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  28. From your post on children’s gardens back in 2024 which is no longer or at least temporarily not accepting comments…

    Finding two good quotes in one day. Not bad at all. Found this one after finding “There are no gardening mistakes. Only experiments.” Not sure which one I like best !

    “why try to explain miracles to your children when you can have them plant a garden?”

    -*janet kilburn phillips

    Thanks beth !

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