Almaden Resident
Cover Story
Photograph by Vicki Thompson
Overview: Residents check out the new library's information area during a fundraising event at the Almaden Branch Library and Community Center a week before the official grand opening. The new building boasts 64,740 square feet.
A Novel Approach
Almaden Branch Library and Community Center is a first in San Jose
By Sarah Holcomb
After more than two years without a neighborhood library or a community center, Almaden Valley finally has both-- this time under one roof.
The Almaden Branch Library and Community Center is set to open May 13 in a new 64,740-square-foot, two-story building. One side features a gymnasium, fitness center and classrooms; the other boasts a library with a fireplace and technology room among its amenities. Co-managed by San Jose Public Library and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, the $17.5 million joint facility, approved by voters in 2000, is the first of its kind in San Jose.
A unique opportunity
What began as a move to combine operations under one roof to save money has turned into an unprecedented partnership among the library system, recreation department and the community.
"This building provides a fun and unique opportunity to collaborate," said Cathy Noonan, recreation supervisor for the facility.
Long before its planned opening, a partnership for programming between the recreation and library staff was already in the works. Head librarian Pam Crider and recreation program specialist Steve Ryan have been collaborating on an after-school program. Through their efforts, the elementary and middle school children who come to the center after school will be able to participate in recreational activities and then work on homework with tutors in the homework center, which the library secured a grant to fund.
"Kids need a place to go that is safe and inviting," Ryan said. "We want the kids to be successful on both sides and build their confidence. Once they're confident, they can do anything."
Noonan said when she contacted Crider to make sure the youth recreation programs didn't conflict with the story-time program in the library, she was surprised when Crider encouraged her to schedule the youth activities at the same time. That way, the children could enjoy both programs in the same trip to the center, Crider told her.
"The new facility offers new opportunities, and that's what I'm most excited about," Crider said.
Crider and Noonan aren't the only ones eager about the new facility. Volunteers on both sides of the building have been bustling with excitement about working together.
A commemorative T-shirt created by the Friends of the Almaden Library organization and the Almaden Senior Association is the first symbol of the two sides joining forces.
With permission from the artist, the T-shirt sports an image of one of the murals hanging in the new community room.
"We wanted to set the tone for this joint facility since we're going to be bunk buddies for the next 30 years," said Friends of the Almaden Library president Edna Sewill. "This is the first in the city, so we wanted to start off on the right foot."
Jerry Clodius, president of the Almaden Senior Association, said many of the people in the two groups know each other but hadn't worked on a project together.
"That's what makes it exciting. I've known Edna for years, and now we're joint presidents of our organizations," Clodius said. "It gives it a new dimension that we're very happy with."
While the recreation staff at the community center is interested in working with the library staff, it is also excited to finally have all of the recreation programs in the same space.
"Right now we're spread out," said Torie O'Reilly, gerontology program specialist. "Now we can bring everything under one roof, and our staff is more accessible and our services are more accessible."
The center boasts four classrooms on the upper level as well as a computer room and a cooking room, which is the first of its kind in the city.
"The programming possibilities are endless," Noonan said. "It's just a matter of us focusing on one thing at a time to get it off the ground."
Crider is looking forward to more programs in the library as well. The new library is nearly double the size of the former one and includes a children's story-time area, a teen room and a living room complete with a fireplace.
While the grand opening is May 13, both sides say they will move gradually into the new building.
"Customers will see empty shelves," Crider said. "When you build a library that is supposed to last 30 years, you don't want to fill it to the brim. We need to leave space for growth."
The recreation side won't be completely filled right away, either. The senior programs will move the week after the opening, and the teens won't move in until June.
"That will give us a chance to ease into it," Noonan said.
With a larger building and the same number of people to run it, the staff knows there are challenges ahead. In true Almaden spirit, volunteers with the Friends of the Almaden Library and the Almaden Senior Association are ready and willing to help.
Crider said the staffing challenges were in the minds of the library designers from the beginning.
Taking ownership
"They designed it with a lot more patron empowerment features so they can help themselves, but we'll still be here for direction and assistance," Crider said.
These features include self-checkout machines and online services that enable patrons to pay fees online and peruse databases from remote locations.
Sewill and other Friends of the Almaden Library volunteers will be available to pick up where the staff leaves off.
The recreation staff will feel the growing pains as well.
"We'd always like to have more staff, and I think there will be a tremendous demand from the community," Noonan said. "But the resources haven't grown with the size of the building."
This lack of resources may mean programs will take longer to get started.
"Just because we have this great big facility doesn't mean we'll have programs overflowing out the doors right out of the gate. We'll have to work slowly toward more programs and better programs," Ryan said. "Hopefully they're patient with us or we're able to secure some funding for extra staff."
Noonan said the department has been working with District 10 Councilwoman Nancy Pyle as she prepares for the upcoming budget discussions at city hall.
"That's one of the problems of going through growing pains in the city of San Jose," Pyle said. "This will be brought up at the city budget sessions."
The Almaden community, however, isn't waiting for the city to give the library or recreation department more funding. There has been an outpouring of donations from the community.
"There is an awful lot of work to be done. Clearly the facility won't be completed when it opens and there will be some growing pains, but we'll manage it and make it happen," said Don House, treasurer of the Almaden Senior Association and SeniorNet organizer.
Noonan said seniors from the Almaden Senior Association have volunteered to work at the information desk in the main lobby of the center, which will relieve the city staff from some clerical duties.
"Right now the staff is just stretched awfully thin; we feel for them," Clodius said.
Whether it's staffing the information desk or helping with cleanup after activities, the seniors are ready to set an example for other community members.
"The community needs to take ownership for the center and clean up after themselves," said Bev Temkin, who has been training docents to give tours of the facility. "That's the only way we're going to maintain the pristine condition."
Community support in the way of donations has also been a large step to making the facility a success.
"When we concluded this campaign, it was our most successful branch campaign to date," said Mary McLane, executive director of the San Jose Public Library Foundation. She said the community has donated $165,000.
"We are close to 400 donors, and right now the money is still coming in," she said. "It's quite a thrill."
A gathering place
The Almaden Branch Library and Community Center will house many activities, but in the grand scheme of things, it will fill a void in the community, volunteers and staff agree.
"Part of it represents a community gathering place where the community can have activities--not just the seniors, but a combination of all ages," Don House said. "The combination represents our area, really."
Pyle said the city had that thought in mind in the design process as well and cited the indoor and outdoor café area as an example.
"We put a lot of emphasis on a gathering place because that is missing in Almaden," Pyle said.
With recreation and library programs, the facility will bring the active residents of Almaden Valley to one place and expose them to different programs.
"We're looking forward to the traffic," Noonan said, explaining that residents walk past the recreation facilities to get to the library. "People who had never been in the community center will get to see this one on their way to the library. They will gain awareness of all the different things going on."
Even before the grand opening, the facility has already served as a gathering place for community meetings, Almaden Senior Association meetings and a central drop-off location for materials for the opening day.
The facility could also serve as a permanent meeting location for nomadic community groups such as the Almaden Valley Community Association.
After years of waiting, residents are anxious for the center to open.
"The community has been so fantastic," Noonan said. "You can really feel the excitement in the community; they're eager to do more."
Temkin said she is most excited about the community room because it will allow all seniors who are interested to attend parties and events. When the senior association was located at the Almaden Winery Community Center, the group had to limit the number of participants in events and parties.
However, some folks are so excited they can't decide what part of the building they're most excited about.
House and his wife, Phyllis, have been involved with the new center since the beginning stages. They contributed to community discussions regarding the center itself, as well as the public art for the building.
While House is in charge of the SeniorNet program and is happy about the larger computer room, he said he's just as excited for the whole thing.
"It's like tasting the cake after you baked the cake--including the frosting," he said. "It is big, it is fun and it's a reflection of the community itself. It's hard not to get excited about it."
Opening day events planned
for Almaden Branch Library
The new Almaden Branch Library and Community Center, 6445 Camden Ave., will open to the public on May 13 at 11 a.m. with a dedication ceremony followed by opening day activities until 2 p.m.
The free community celebration will feature local entertainment, children's activities and facility tours. Below is a list of planned activities:
* 10:45-11 a.m.--Music performance, Castillero Middle School
*11-11:30 a.m.--Grand Opening Ceremony
In the Library
*11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.--"Meet Conroy Cougar"-Visit the Library's mascot / Children's area
* 2:30-3:15 p.m.--"Storytime with Mr. K"
* 11: 30 a.m.-2 p.m.--Arts & crafts/Tiny Town Area
* 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.--Castillero Jazz Band/Outside
* 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.--Pioneer Choir/Community Room
* 12:30-1 p.m.--Leland Chamber Choir/Community Room
* 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dance Studio- Dance Kids & Camp Carter Demonstrations
Gymnasium- Drop-in basketball
Play yard- parachute games
Room 2-guitar & photography demonstrations
Room 3-open studio demonstration
Room 4-face painting
SeniorNet Room-SeniorNet program presentation
Tinytown Room A- Play time
Tinytown Room B- Coloring tables
Tinytown Room C - Button-making
Q & A sessions with the artists
* 12:30 p.m. Courtyard-Artist Lisa Reinertson, Ohlone Woman (bronze sculpture ~ work in progress)
* 1 p.m. Community Room-Artists Evans & Brown, Almaden Valley (mural)
* 1:30 p.m. Lobby-Artist Ray King, Spectral Cloud (lobby ceiling sculpture)
For more information, call 408.793.4188.
