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New
and renovated library openings around the state
Bond
Act Library Openings
Monterey
Park Bruggemeyer Library
Community
members wait excitedly for Monterey Park
Bruggemeyer Library
opening day.
(Photo courtesy -- Monterey Park Bruggemeyer
Library)
The
newly renovated and expanded Monterey Park
Bruggemeyer Library in the City of Monterey
Park opened on Saturday, September 9, 2006.
The library, located in a dramatically
diverse community that has 61.5% Asian and 28.9%
Hispanic populations, includes more than 340 user
seats, 90 technology stations, collections in
Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Spanish languages,
and expanded areas where children and teens
can get homework assistance.
For
complete details about the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library
construction project, please visit their
page on the OLC
website.
Hesperia
Branch Library
Opening
day crowds at the Hesperia Branch Library.
(Photo courtesy -- Hisperia Branch Library)
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Families
enjoying the pre-school picture book area at
the
Hesperia Branch Library.
(Photo courtesy -- Hisperia Branch Library)
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Hesperia
Branch Library, a branch of the San
Bernardino County Library, was officially
opened on Saturday, October 14, 2006. The
new 20,000 square foot facility provides more
resources and services for children and youth (73%
of the residents live in households with
children). The library features a fireside
reading area, a community room that supports
multi-media events, and a computer center with 20
personal computers where members of the community
can receive training. For complete details
about the Hesperia Branch Library construction
project, please visit their
page on the OLC
website.
Castroville
Library
The
new library is located in a new 2-acre California
Mission-Style Plaza
in
Castroville.
(Photo courtesy -- Monterey County Library)
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Opening
Day crowds gathered at the long awaited
new Andy Ausonio Library in Castroville.
(Photo courtesy -- Monterey County Library) |
Castroville
Library (Andy Ausonio Library), a branch of the Monterey
County Library, held its grand opening on
Saturday, September 29, 2006. In addition to
housing the 9,163 square foot library, the
plaza also includes a 4,900 square foot Family
Resource Center that houses the Monterey County's
Head Start Program. In 1863 Don Manuel Castro, one
of the community's founders, donated the land on
which the buildings sit. The creation of the
plaza fulfills a 142-year old promise to establish
a central gathering place for families in the
community.
For
complete details about the Castroville Library
construction project, please visit their
page on the OLC
website.
Hercules
Library
Brightly
colored furniture and balloons greeted opening
day crowds
at the
new Hercules Library.
(Photo
courtesy -- Contra Costa County Library.
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The
local community celebrates the opening of
the new Hercules Library.
(Photo
courtesy -- Contra Costa County
Library.
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Hercules
Library, the newest addition to the Contra
Costa County Library, held its grand
opening on Saturday, November 11, 2006. The 21,500
square foot library includes state-of-the-art
technology, a computer/homework center for
children and teens, and a fireplace area for
relaxed reading. Hercules also has a
Children's Story Cone, Children's Garden, and a
Teen Center. For complete details about the
Hercules Library construction project, please
visit their
page on the OLC
website.
Alameda
Free Library
Opening
day crowds at the Alameda Free Library enjoying
their new library.
(Photo courtesy -- Alameda Free Library)
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Ribbon
cutting ceremony and the grand opening of the new
Alameda Free Library.
(Photo courtesy -- Alameda Free Library) |
On
Thursday, November 2, 2006, the new Alameda Free
Library was officially opened. The new
47,500 square foot building replaces the city's
1903 Carnegie Library, and includes seating for
590 people, public meeting rooms, a 20 seat
computer lab, 75 public computers, a cafe, and
special spaces for quiet reading for teens, family
literacy activities, homework assistance, and
children's programs. For complete details about
the Alameda Free Library construction project.
please visit their page on the OLC
website.
Locally
funded library openings
Some
California libraries have resourcefully raised
locally, all funds for constructing or renovating
library facilities in their communities. If you
know of a library construction or renovation
project in your area, please email
CSL Connection Editor Sarah Dalton and we
will include a profile of that library in an
upcoming issue of CSL Connection.
Carmichael
Library
A
colorful reading tower and a hanging metal
sculpture in Kids' Place in the newly expanded
Carmichael Library will be put to good use for
children's programs.
(Photo courtesy -- Jon Torkelson)
The
newly remodeled Carmichael Library, a branch of Sacramento
Public Library, opened on September 17 much to
the delight of the Carmichael community.
The new facility, designed by Noll and Tam
Architects of Berkeley, has been expanded to
20,690 square feet and cost $6.8 million, the
funding for which came from California Tobacco
Litigation Settlement Funds provided by the County
of Sacramento and the Sacramento County Library
Fund.
The
new Carmichael Library is a light-infused
environment enhanced with open ceilings and
expanded windows.
The Adult Reading Area, surrounded by floor
to ceiling windows, looks out to a beautifully
landscaped patio.
The Computer Center has 24 workstations,
allowing the library to offer computer classes for
customers of all ages.
The
Carmichael Library Kids’ Place includes spaces
appealing to children and their caregivers.
It boasts an acoustically enhanced
naturally lit reading tower conducive to story
times in which a metal sculpture, “Autograph”
by Chico artist Sheri Simons, hangs. The Kids’
Place has six computers, including two with
early-literacy software and learning games for
children, eight years and younger.
An interactive LeapPad and LeapBooks
learning system helps children develop language,
reading, and other critical skills, through
electronic books and special touch pens. The
Kids’ Place also has a cozy “Ready to Read”
space for families to share stories with toddlers
and pre-school children.
The
Carmichael Library’s Teens@ gives teens a space
designed just for them.
The teen area includes diner-style booths,
colorful and comfortable curl up-and-read chairs,
innovative computer tables, and a large plasma
television.
The
new Carmichael Library has a community meeting
room, self check-out machines, new furnishings for
the updated, bright and spacious interior, a
special Persian Collection, 42 public access
computer terminals, nearly 8,000 new books, and a
multitude of improvements in customer requested,
on-site, and online services.
For
more information about the Carmichael Library
contact project manager Lois Ross at (916)
264-2709.
Palos
Verdes Library District Teen Annex
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Kids
like "hanging out" in new Teen
Annex.
(Photo
courtesy -- Palos Verdes Library District) |
The
Palos Verdes
Library District opened a Teen Annex at its
Peninsula Center Library branch September 2006.
The
Teen Annex was funded through a partnership of the
Palos Verdes
Library District (PVLD); the
Peninsula Friends of the Library; donors to PVLD; and
Freedom4U, a Palos Verdes-based non-profit
organization focused on creative arts, leadership
and community service that promotes these healthy
and safe options to local teens.
Palos
Verdes Teen Annex is a supervised space for
students in grades 6 – 12. Young customers have
access to games, computers, and other sources of
information and entertainment in the Annex.
On weekend afternoons and evenings
Freedom4U staff and volunteers at the Annex host
social events such as unplugged music, jazz,
improv, drama, life skills workshops, mentoring
programs, and guest lectures.
The
Annex’s more than 500 popular paperback titles
reflect teen requests, bestseller lists, American
Library Association recommended reading lists as
well as local school reading lists. The Annex also
offers youth over 25 magazines covering sports,
fashion, gaming, entertainment, world events and
hobbies as well as over 100 graphic novels.
For
more information about the Teen Annex at the Palos
Verdes Peninsula Center Library branch, please
call 310-377-9584, x600 or check out the
library’s website at www.pvld.org.
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