By Jon Haupt
The time has finally arrived for the Healdsburg Regional Library to undergo its long-awaited modernization project. The staff are working diligently to prepare the building and collections for the impending project, but with all of the questions coming our way, I hope to answer some of them in this column.
For the rest of the week through Saturday, Aug. 31, we will offer services via the BiblioBus from 10am to 4pm at the 139 Piper St. location.
On Sunday and Monday, Sept. 1-2, the library will be closed for Labor Day. Books and DVDs can be returned via the book drop at 139 Piper St. We will pick up the remaining items on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and that book drop will be closed.
We hope everyone can take advantage of our Healdsburg Mini Library at the Community Center this year while the building on Piper Street is under construction. The Mini Library is set to open on Sept. 3 to offer most of the same services we provide normally, with the same hours as previously offered at Piper Street, seven days a week.
The extensive modernization project will take several months to complete—we are planning to reopen at 139 Piper St. in Spring 2025. In the meantime, we hope to see you around at the Mini Library: Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am to 8pm; Sunday, 1-5pm.
Mini Library
The Community Center is located at 1557 Healdsburg Ave. in the former Foss Creek Elementary School. This important city facility also houses Healdsburg Community Services as well as Corazón Healdsburg, Alliance Medical Center and YWCA’s Healdsburg Childcare Program. We are grateful to the City of Healdsburg for making space available for the library during this important project.
At the Mini Library, people will be able to pick up requests made through our catalog, in addition to accessing a limited browsing collection. Our newspapers and magazines will be available to read on comfortable seating. A few computers will be available for accessing the internet or printing documents, along with our usual copier/print station. Library staff will be on hand to help with borrowing and reference questions.
Continuing Library Programs
Our library programs will be limited for a few weeks, but we will still provide basic programming, largely from classrooms in the Community Center. For example, on Sept. 3, our Brown Bag Book Club will discuss Black Cake, by Charmaine Wilkerson, at noon in Room 4. Our new and popular Baby Cafe and Mama Circle will be offered each Monday at 10:30am in Room 4.
Starting in October, we plan to offer Storytimes and other children’s and family programming as well, including periodic Storytimes in the Park. In September, Miss Charity will focus on helping establish the new Mini Library as well as starting a new grant-funded program, Take Time To Read.
That program will feature monthly programs to encourage families to read together, connect with other families and develop their joy of reading for fun. The first such event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 11am at Byron Gibbs Park, and will include lunch, book giveaways, Read to a Dog and a special Storytime.
For more information, visit sonomalibrary.org/visit/librarymodernization.
