By Nisah Allauddin

Have you ever walked into a random building just to see what was there? 

This past fall, I got my driver’s license, and in the interest of exploring independently, I wanted to go to a coffee shop my friend had raved about. I had originally driven to Hopewell to get coffee at Guncotton Coffee and Co., but I got carried away with my new freedom and began to explore. I walked out of the coffee shop towards my car, passing a store specializing in honey and a tacky colored thrift store. Neither of them looked appealing enough to invite me inside, so I ended up walking back to my car. However, as I crossed the parking lot from the opposite end, I noticed a tall, refined building, the Hopewell Appomattox Regional Library. I was intrigued by the way it stood out from its surroundings, looking more polished than the old, small, and decayed buildings nearby. The library is truly a hidden gem in Hopewell, a smaller city with mostly modest buildings. 

If you were to ask some kids at Collegiate, they might not know what Hopewell is. When I asked my classmates in my physics class if they knew where Hopewell was, they replied with, “What’s that?” Hopewell is a quiet and simple city northeast of Petersburg and southeast of Chester. Its population consists of only 23,140, and the city spans a mere 10.38 square miles of land. Hopewell is built just off of the James and Appomattox Rivers and is the second-oldest English settlement to be built in the United States.

The boat in the children’s section of the library.

Once I stepped inside the library, I was stunned by how modern and airy it was. The architecture was  dazzling; a few long lights dangle from the ceiling, a boat-shaped structure in the middle of the children’s section, and a broad staircase that leads to the second floor. There were also impressive accents to the library, with its grand windows and the sails that attach to the ceiling from the boat. The library altogether was elevated when I saw all the books it had. Row after row, the amount of books honestly seemed endless. 

I enjoyed sitting on the second floor and looking at the rest of the city. The view shows a sleepy city, but with the trees changing in autumn, it was inspiring. On my first visit, I spent my time by myself studying on the second floor by a vast window, unbothered by anyone. Since that day, I have returned to sit by the window with the entire library and the city view in my sight, and usually I have all of the library to myself.

View of library from the second floor.

On occasion, a few people come into the library, and I have met some local visitors. On my second visit, I met two young men who asked me, “What’s it like actually going to college?” I was shocked by this question, and I let out a small laugh because I am not in college: I am just a high school student studying for my AP biology test. Nevertheless, the two strangers were comfortable enough to ask me such a question. Their approach got me thinking: Where else are two people going to feel comfortable enough to ask me what college is like? 

Later on this visit, I talked with one of the librarians and looked for the book It Ends with Us, by Colleen Hoover, an extremely popular book on the internet. On Pinterest, I saw comments about her books, and I saw many girls my age reading it too. As a reader, I thought, Why don’t I read this popular romance? I searched around for it but couldn’t find it. I eventually asked the librarian. It turns out that this hidden library had a whole section on the side dedicated to books that are  “New Romances” and “Too Hot to Handle,” and this section has all of Hoover’s latest books. When the librarian showed me this section, it occurred to me that this library was-up-to date and extremely organized.

While the library isn’t usually a busy place, I’ve come to believe there is a wonderful community that uses this facility. I was surprised when I saw two friendly police officers chatting and drinking hot coffee outside the library. I also noticed that there was a potluck party one Sunday. I did not join the picnic, but I saw several old women and one of the librarians gather in the back room on the first floor and have a potluck. This community, while I am not a part of it, appears friendly and welcoming to me. The library makes me feel safe, and it seems like a hidden utopia. 

Everywhere I go in Richmond or Chester, people pass by each other, and sometimes people pretend they don’t see each other and turn the other way to avoid an awkward encounter. Mostly everywhere I go, people see lots of other teenagers, so I fit in with the rest of the crowd. With the limited people who visit the Hopewell Library, I am usually one of the only teens, yet, ironically, this library has become one of the places I feel most at home. The Hopewell Library gives me both a sense of independence and community.

All photos courtesy of Hopewell Appomattox Regional Library.