Winchester Library Re-Opens Its Doors

Never before had the simple act of walking into a library attracted so much attention.

The Winchester Public Library re-opened its doors Tuesday, just three days after 22-year-old Deane Kenny Stryker was murdered while sitting in the library's reading room, and one day after the arraignment of the alleged killer, Jeffrey Yao.

The scene in front of the 87-year-old library made it near impossible to enter the library unnoticed. Television stations from Channels 4, 5, 7, 10 along with NECN waited to film the first Winchester resident entering the library. But residents are clearly smarter than the average journalist and most went in a side door off the parking lot. Those residents who came with flowers for the memorial to Stryker were also asked if they would answer a few questions. Minus a camera on his shoulder, even an on-line journalist was asked if he knew Stryker.

A preschool story time, along with a women's discussion group, and an English at Large conversation, all scheduled for Tuesday, had already been canceled. The only event still on for Tuesday was a meeting at night with Girl Scout leaders to plan their annual camping trip.

Inside, everything was business-as-usual, including the empty reading room. The cameras weren't allowed inside. Wednesday the library opens at its usual time of 9:30 a.m.

Photos by Bob Holmes