New and Replacement Equipment
Prior to Measure B, funding was not available to replace worn office equipment; equipment for facilities maintenance; purchase new equipment to house, preserve and secure collections; and improve the productivity of staff. Measure B has enabled the upgrade of equipment and furniture.
Library Facilities Maintenance and
Operations
To operate and maintain the current 32 Library buildings and three bookmobiles at the doubled hours of operation, appropriations for services, supplies and maintenance staff were increased. Refurbishing projects at these libraries are complete: Mendota and Sanger (1999), Fig Garden, Riverdale and Clovis (2002), Pinedale and Children's Room at the Central Library (2003), San Joaquin, Bear Mountain and exterior improvements and completion of teen spaces at the Central Library (2004), Mosqueda, Cedar-Clinton, Clovis, creation of teen spaces at Fig Garden and Reedley, and partial reconfiguration and improvements to all floors of the Central Library (2005), Kingsburg, Selma, Talking Book and Parlier (2007), Politi (2009), Gillis (2010).
New and Remodeled Libraries
Funding was used to work on projects identified in the Long Term Facilities
Plan of 1990. In February 2002 the Board of Supervisors adopted an updated long range facilities plan and five principles for selecting projects. The library rented larger facilities for Piedra, Kingsburg, and Sunnyside, and established a Literacy Services Center. The new Kerman Library opened in June 2002, and the new Caruthers Library opened in 2003. Laton underwent a major refurbishing in 2003, including replacing the foundation, new roof, addition of restrooms and handicap access. Land was purchased for a future library in Millerton New Town. The new Woodward Park Regional Library opened in 2004. A new library in Mendota and a new Senior Resource Center opened in 2005. A new library opened in Orange Cove in 2009. A new library opened in the West Fresno Regional Service Center in 2010. A site was identified and conceptual design completed for a new Central Library. Study is underway for new libraries for Mosqueda and in Clovis. A new library is scheduled to open in Tranquillity in 2011.
