DARIEN, Conn. When Irene hit and the power went out all over town, many turned to the Darien Library for help. Since the storm, the library's usage has more than doubled and it has extended its hours. The library is providing a place for people to check their email, surf the web or have a light to read by.
"I think it's great that they've stayed open," Diane Farrell said as she sat in the Children's Library with her daughter Alyssa. "It's a great resource for the town."
Alyssa said it's been tough without electricity, and she hasn't had much to do. She can play with her dog or with her iPod, but "I don't have any place to charge it," she said.
Library Director Louise Berry said, "It's been crazy. I've never seen more people in the Darien Library than I have the past two days."
The library extended its hours during a big storm in March 2010, and staffers decided to do it again. "People really needed a place to go," Berry said. They bought 24 additional power strips and brought chairs and tables up from the basement and people's offices. They tried to make as much room as possible for the additional guests.
Berry said about 40 people met up in the entrance Monday night, just standing around and chatting. "I think after any natural disaster, people just want to gather and talk about it. And that's what's makes this such a great place, is that people were able to gather and discuss with their neighbors. That's very comforting."
The library will be open until 10:30 p.m. through Thursday, when it will resume to its regular hours. It will be closed on Labor Day.
Have you visited the Library while you didn't have power? Tell us what you did there in the comments below, on Facebook and on Twitter.
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