LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 31 At Motel 6 they leave the light on for you. At Mountainside Library it comes on and goes off automatically, at all times of day and night. There are no employees, so more often than not there's no one there. Patrons take out and return books on their own under the site's unique honor system. Nestled beneath tall hemlocks and white pines, the quaint Victorian building houses more than 6,000 titles that have entertained, educated and allowed Lake George residents and visitors alike to explore the world since 1894. Mountainside was founded by historian and novelist Edward Eggleston (1837-1902), an Indiana native who moved to Dunham's Bay in the mid-19th century and saw books as a way to help people endure long, bleak Adirondack winters. It started with his personal collec- tion of 300 classics from Shakespeare to The Pathfind- er by James Fenimore Cooper. A complete list of his books is found on a wall inside the library. A building to house Eggleston's collection wasn't constructed until 1904, two years after his passing, on land donated by his son-in-law, Elwyn Seelye, with fi- nancial help from industrialist Andrew Carnegie whose philanthropy supported hundreds of libraries around the world. In 2021, Mountainside Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its historical significance and continued service to the community. "We have such a fan base, people love this library," Linda Long said. "A lot of times people don't know what they want or sometimes people are stuck in one genre, hesitant to try something else. One time a cou- ple came in and was going to take out two books each. I got him started on a series. He left with six, and she left with four because I said, 'Oh, but wait. Have you read this? '" Long is president of Friends of Mountainside Library, which manages the non-profit entity, located at 3090 Route 9L just west of Dunham's Bay. Hardcover, paperback, and audio books (plus DVDs) run the gamut, everything from presidential biog- raphies to fictional treats such as an Agatha Chris- tie mystery, a Louis L'Amour western, a Tom Clancy thriller or one of Robert B. Parker's can't-put-it-down detective novels. "Sometimes we need fantasy, a good escape," Friends Treasurer Sue Sargent said. Mountainside's all-volunteer staff keeps people coming back by staying abreast of new titles and doing its best to provide current bestsellers. It has the en- tire Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series by New York Times best-selling author Louise Penny. "We can't wait for number 20, The Black Wolf," Long said. "It's coming out in October." There's also a Children's Nook with an extensive selection for young readers. New book purchases, attractive landscaping and building upkeep such as new front porch flooring and handrails are made possible entirely with donated funds and sweat equity. "That's how this library is able to sustain itself — the generosity of a lot of volunteers," Long said. There's no heat or running water so overhead is min- imal. The main expenses are for internet, electricity, insurance and outdoor porta-potty rentals from March to October. But unexpected, hefty costs occasionally strain the budget. Mountainside Library was previously open 24-hours per day. But to keep insurance intact, its carrier re- cently required new front and rear doors with auto- matic locks to keep the building secure at night, with a $10,000 price tag. The new hours, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., still give people plenty of time to find something new and exciting to broaden their horizons. The library sometimes circu- lates more than 100 books on summer weekends. In return for their dedication, commitment, and public service, the Friends ask one thing from library users: Please! Don't drop off boxes full of old books be- cause the building can't hold them all and culling them is a great deal of painstaking work. Top: Mountainside Librar y's unique honor system for checking out books allows it to have extended hours. Photo credit: Paul Post Bottom: The nonprofit Friends of Mountainside Librar y run the site, located at 3090 Route 9L, just west of Dunham's Bay in the town of Lake George. Photo credit: Paul Post

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