New Elk Grove Library to open this Monday

Elk Grove Community Invited to Dec. 6 Elk Grove Library Grand Opening Celebration

Press relase from City of Elk Grove

Elk Grove, CA – Elk Grove residents are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Elk Grove Library. The community is invited to celebrate the library branch’s grand opening from 9:3a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, December 6, at the new location of 8900 Elk Grove Boulevard.

The family festivities will include formal dedication remarks at 10 a.m., with a ribbon cutting ceremony to immediately follow. Local musicians will perform, including Toby Johnson Middle School Band, Jay Roberts Swingtime Orchestra and Ensemble, Sacramento Recorder Society’s Sine Nomine Ensemble, and lyric soprano Leslie Sandefur who will sing the National Anthem at the opening dedication. Family entertainment will feature Bosco the Magician, balloon artists, and face painters. Cupcakes and finger foods from Old Town Elk Grove restaurants will be available, while supplies last.

Since the former Elk Grove Library site closed on October 12, branch staff members have been busily moving books and materials to the new building two blocks away. The new 13,785-square-foot, city-owned, two-story building includes a group study room, a teen space, a community meeting room with an 80-seat capacity, 52 public-access computers, and a collection of thousands of books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs, and other materials. The new branch will also feature a new electronic system that displays RFID technology to speed the return processing of checked-out books and other materials.

"This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a gathering place for our community and enrich the lives of our residents and future generations," said Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis. "This beautiful new library will unite the Elk Grove community under one roof-- families, children, seniors, and students alike."

The City of Elk Grove purchased the shell building to replace the current leased facility for the Elk Grove Library in late 2006. In March 2007, the city contracted with Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning to develop interior improvement construction documents for the new library facility. In October 2007, schematic design documents were reviewed and approved by the project team, consisting of City of Elk Grove staff, library staff, and Group 4. In November 2007, the Elk Grove City Council approved a ten-year lease agreement with the Sacramento Public Library Authority to staff and operate the library.

“This is the first time in Elk Grove Library’s 100-year history the library branch will be housed within its own stand-alone facility. This is a marvelous building, generously purchased by the City of Elk Grove, which the library will provide greater information resources that at any previous Elk Grove library location,” stated Alison B. Landers, Sacramento Public Library’s Deputy Director of Public Services.

Starting December 8, the library’s open hours will be Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5p.m., until January 31, 2009. A new open schedule will commence February 1.

For more information call the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920 or visit
www.saclibrary.org.