By Lori Donchak, City Councilwoman
Feeling the urge to read? May I invite you to visit our newly renovated San Clemente Library on Avenida Del Mar. Not only is the new library abuzz with folks of all ages, it’s a reinvigorated symbol of our civic pride, a true cornerstone of our community. What a great place to find resources, ideas and information.
Aug. 29 was the library’s official grand reopening and a true cause for celebration. Many people who attended were interviewed for the city’s Around Town program, which can be seen on the city of San Clemente YouTube page, and they gave the new library high marks. It’s clear the facility meets the needs and expectations of today’s San Clemente.
With nearly 5,000 square feet of additional space, the Orange County Public Libraries and the city of San Clemente were able to incorporate some useful new features into the 15,000-square-foot library, which includes the Friends of the Library Bookstore. The renovations incorporate much more than additional space, such as more computers, a webinar/computer training center, free Wi-Fi and electrical hookups for laptops, ADA and energy-efficient upgrades and distinct spaces for preschoolers, school-aged children, teens and adults—all topped off with new carpeting and furniture.
The best part? Just register for a free library card and all these resources are at your finger tips. One of the librarians can help you with the process or visit www.ocpl.org and become a card-carrying resident online. Did you know in a typical year our library hosts over 220,000 visitors? This is definitely the place to be.
Here are some fun facts courtesy of San Clemente Librarian Karen Wall that might behoove you to check out the library (library pun right there):
- 7 p.m. Oct. 8 is Pajama Storytime. Wear your jammies and bring your kids. And don’t miss pre-school storytime at 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday or Toddler story time on Mondays at 10:30 a.m.
- Have you heard of the After School Club? Check it out every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. It’s cool to be seen at the library.
- Most Popular DVDs this month: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone. Climbing the charts: Divergent based on V. Roth’s sci-fi best seller.
- Most Popular Book: Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (yes, there are copies in our library as of this writing or order a copy from the vast county system).
- Get ready to fall in love with Zinio—the online magazine subscription database with 1,200 choices. From The Economist to Organic Life, it’s right there in the eLibrary.
As part of your visit, be sure to stop by and see the new and improved Friends of the Library bookstore. And please say a big thanks to the volunteer at the front desk. without the generous support and contributions of the San Clemente Friends of the Library, the new library would not have been possible.
What’s your favorite feature of the library? Drop me an email—I’d like to hear from you: donchakl@san-clemente.org.
Lori Donchak was re-elected to City Council in 2014 and is the city’s liaison to San Clemente’s Orange County Library.
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