By Gregg Wamsley
Checked Out
In many ways, 2026 has felt very long, even though we are just past the 10-month mark. The Hutchinson Public Library has been working through a major remodel of its basement, and the current commercial climate has really played havoc with the schedule (but we are seeing a bright light at the end of this tunnel).
In other ways, the year has flown by. It feels like just a few weeks ago since I stood, nervous and humbled, in front of the crowd at the final Talk20 this past January. For Talk20, I covered some of the history of the Library as a way to begin talking about and celebrating the Library’s 125th anniversary. I talked mostly about the giants on whose shoulders we stand on at the Library. At the risk of showing my bias, Hutchinson is very lucky to have the public library it has. The Library is as large, vibrant, and full of resources as it is because of the wisdom shown by generations of community leaders, staff, and patrons.
Public libraries are among the last places where a community’s residents can simply come and “be” with no expectation of spending money. The Library is a place of calm and of learning and of community building. 125 years is a g...