Family finds plenty to do at brand new Clearfield library

CLEARFIELD, Utah — Going anywhere with six children under the age of 11 would be quite a challenge for anyone, but when Andrea Thomas says the word “library” to her family, everyone quickly gets on the same page.

“My kids love coming to the library,” she said while sitting at one of the kid tables. “Anywhere else they might say, ‘Oh, do we have to go?’ But they love the library.”

They especially love the brand-new Clearfield Library

After nearly four years of planning, Davis County’s newest library held its grand opening last week.

“This is for the public, right? This is taxpayer dollars. So, we sure try very hard to make sure when we do it, we do it right,” said Davis County Library Director Josh Johnson.

For the new Clearfield Library, doing it right means things like 3D printers, where people can print plastic items, as well as meeting room spaces and a mini studio to record and edit videos for social media-type projects.

 

 

The views of Clearfield and Antelope Island are nice, too, and part of the overall architectural feel of the new building.

“I can’t tell you the number of hours the staff has put into this,” said Johnson. “I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve said, ‘Is this the right way to go?'”

Of course, there are still plenty of computers and plenty of books.

And even though many of us already have all the information we could want on the phones in our pockets, there’s still something about going to a library to read and research.

“I don’t know. Having an actual book in hand is just beautiful,” said Thomas.

It’s the experience she wants for her children.

“The internet is great, but at my kids’ ages … I think that having the books is better,” she said. “I love that they can look at the books and learn. With a cell phone or something, it is so easy to get distracted.”

So, they’ll keep coming to the library.

Lots of people will.

Not only to see what’s new but to also have that old-fashioned feeling of sitting back and reading a good book.

“I love it here,” said Thomas. “It’s like coming to heaven outside of your home.”