President's Message ...

Well, we’re almost there! Our beautiful new library is expected to open on November 14th.

In addition to the new library building and the community hall, just down the hill from the library
and right next to the indoor garage, will be a wonderful new Book Room for the Friends to sell our “gently used” books. Already, many Friends are busy preparing plans for this Book Room move, which will be a major operation for us.

It will be so exciting to move into this new environment with its beautiful artwork. In 2008, the
Lafayette Public Art Committee, working with the Oakland Museum of California, put out a widespread request soliciting proposals from artists.

Out of 80 applications received for the outdoor plaza corridor and 55 for the children’s activity deck, the final pool of artists narrowed to 11 who were asked to prepare site-specific proposals of artworks.

Each finalist received “assumptions” regarding the projects, such as needing to meet City codes and requirements; to reflect and complementing the surrounding area; and to be sustainable, durable and resistant to vandalism, among others.

Each artist prepared one or two boards illustrating ideas for the artwork in each area. These boards were displayed for several weeks in the current library. Viewers indicated preferences on provided comment cards, information that was later considered during the final meetings of the art selection process.

The artist picked for the library’s outdoor corridor artwork is Brian Groggin of San Francisco. Brian proposed a towering sculpture resembling a stack of books, the last of which is open, its loose pages suspended from a network of cables, so that the pages appear to float off the stack and spread throughout the plaza leading to the front entrance. His sculpture is whimsical while
also being serious art.

Kana Tanaka is the artist chosen for the children’s activity deck project. Her artwork uses colored disks suspended from an overhead trellis, casting shadows that show the symbols from the periodic table.

Optical lenses placed along the outer deck walls create opportunities for children to see each other through the “looking glass.” This proposal was clearly the most interesting and insightful in a subtle, child-friendly way.

Lafayette will be fortunate to have sculptures of such artistic excellence, innovation, creativity
and originality.

Just like our new library.
~ Lois Lane

Librarians's Corner...

What exciting times we’re in!

Library staff are plotting and planning the big move with just 6 short months to go! Here’s just a sampling of what we’re working on:

• Taking inventory of every book shelf and piece of furniture in the old library to offer to other County libraries and departments when we move.
• Measuring the linear feet of books plus estimating the number of boxes we’ll need to pack
  up office and other supplies for the movers.
• Ordering the “Opening Day Collection” of adult, teen and children books. (Money for this is coming from the City and Friends to expand and enhance our current collection.)
• Creating a timeline for what we need to accomplish after the furniture and shelves are installed in the new library– no mean feat with all of the technology and thousands of books
  to be checked, processed and shelved in an orderly and quick fashion.
• Planning exciting, fun programs in the new library for everyone.
  

And we’re doing all of this between Story Times, the Summer Reading Program, and other events in the library.

We can’t wait and we know you’re excited too.

Together, we’re going to make our new library the best in the country!
~ Susan Weaver

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