After six long months, the Newman branch of the Stanislaus County Library held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the re-opening of the newly remodeled building Saturday morning.
“We are excited to officially welcome everyone back to the Newman library after months of waiting for the renovations to complete,” Stanislaus County Library Operations Manager, Bryan Sontag, addressed the crowd. “A big thank you to the Newman Crows Landing Unified School District for giving the space for the pop-up library during the renovations to continue to provide services to this community,” he continued.
Doors officially opened last weekend as a soft opening leading up to Saturday’s celebration. “We wanted to ensure that the school kids had a place to go since school ended and we could provide a cooling place with the uptick in temperatures we saw last weekend,” Sontag noted.
Tammy Dunbar, staff assistant for Congressman Adam Gray, spoke to both her and Gray’s support of public libraries and the shared excitement of what a library brings to a community. “Reading is knowledge, reading is power, and everyone has a story to share,” Dunbar stated. “That is why projects like these are so important.”
As the ribbon was cut, cheers from the eager crowd rang about as families went inside. It is notably brighter with the new lighting fixtures and fresh carpet. Library veterans will notice the familiarity of the library as the layout is similar and books are located in their proper Dewey Decimal positions. Kids knew where to flock to play with blocks or log into a computer. Around 10:15 an exciting announcement was heard from the entrance, “Story time will begin shortly in the Community Room.” Parents and young ones eagerly found their way across the breezeway to the familiar carpet square awaiting to hear stories and sing songs. There was a noticeable quietness that fell upon the library as a few adults and teens clacked away on the computers, a group worked on the community puzzle table, and others discussed all the changes made inside and on the patio.
Laura Ferrell, Stanislaus County Library’s communication and marketing manager, pointed out some of the various improvements made to the library. “The infrastructure needs were addressed including the deficiencies to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) including the completely remodeled restrooms. Now there are two all-gender single stall ADA compliant restrooms which is a huge improvement from before. Among the other improvements like the ceiling over the patio, flooring, and lighting, it’s like a renewed life has been breathed into the space.”
Among those in attendance included local fifth grader, Falynn Wilkinson. “I like coming to the library with my little sister. She likes a variety of books and activities and she really likes story time.” Caleb Wilkinson, her father, added, “I like that it’s a place for all ages and families to come. It’s a wonderful place for the community that provides activities for kids who might not have any access at home. It’s great.” City Councilwoman Gisel Pimentel was present along with her family to see the new changes. “It’s great! We are so happy that it’s reopened for the Summer. Newman is lucky to have this space to meet, keep cool, read, and just come together as a community. I am grateful for all the work that went into renovating the space.”
Friends of the Newman Library welcomed guests at the entrance with refreshments and news of upcoming events. Board member Debbie Allen shared her excitement for the re-opening. “It’s wonderful to see all of these people excited about the reopening. There are more books, story time, and crafts; which adds to the enthusiasm of the library. On July 15 at 3:30, we have Cruisin Critters coming which is always a great show. It’s free too.” Board president Lauretta Ayers urged the need for more people to join them on the board. “We need people to join us in this great organization. There’s a spot for anyone who wants to help,” she encouraged. If you are interested, reach out to her directly at 209-324-3721 for more information.
Like free stuff? All are encouraged to join the Summer Reading Challenge by tracking 30 minutes of daily reading to earn virtual tickets to be entered into a prize drawing. Kids ages 0-17 and adults 18+ are encouraged to join the challenge and can find information on their website: https://stanislauslibrary.beanstack.com/reader365
Dust off your library card or come apply for a new one. There’s lots to “check out” at the library. Newman Library hours: Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 12 to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Newman Library is located at 1305 Kern St. To see a list of upcoming free events at the Newman Library, visit www.stanlibrary.org.
