Guest editorial: Grant continues to move Placer Library forward

I was honored to serve as the Placer County Board of Supervisors chairman in 2023. It was a fast-paced year that consisted of 36 board meetings and board workshops, including four in April, four in July and five in November. Board members also serve on several boards, including the Placer County Transportation Agency, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Placer County Local Agency Formation Commission and Placer Conservation District among several others. I was pleased to attend the 50th anniversary of the Placer County Library in Auburn. It is the library I have visited myself for 50 years. Past Library Directors Susan Hildreth, Elaine Reed and Mark Parker were in attendance as well as retired Librarian Jane Mispley, who began her career at the Auburn Placer County Library in 1963. The Placer Historical Society presented a posthumous award to the recently deceased historian and 35-year Librarian Karri Samson, which was accepted by her sister, Betsy Samson Andrews. Now, after 50 years, the Auburn Library has been awarded a $4,900,000 maintenance and modernization grant from the California State Library Building Forward: Library Infrastructure Grant Program that requires a dollar-to-dollar match by the county, which was met by $3,900,000 General Fund and $1,000,000 library reserves contributions. The total cost of the project is $9,802,070. The entire process for assessment, permitting and bidding are targeted to be done by February 2025 and construction will need to be complete by March 31, 2026. Because this is a State of California grant, staff must ensure all the work meets state requirements. To accommodate the renovations, Library Services administrative staff will be moving to a 6,500-square-foot office space at 2521 Warren Drive in Rocklin. Library administration staff includes a management team and a materials management team that handles daily shipping and receiving services supporting the entire county library system from the Auburn Library. The current offices are insufficient due to lack of space for staff meetings and storage of materials. The Rocklin location will provide efficient services to all county libraries. It is my great hope these improved library facilities will lead Placer County forward to meeting the goal of the 2022 Placer County Library Services Study to have our libraries open seven days a week.