After months of waiting … and setting up shop at the nearby Teen Center, the Riverbank Library has reopened to the public.
A special Saturday morning celebration, Jan. 17, saw a huge crowd gather outside the facility on Santa Fe Street for some speeches, presentation of proclamations and certificates, as well as a ribbon cutting before the doors officially reopened.
Serving as emcee for the event was Stanislaus County Library Director Sarah Dentan.
“This is something that we have been looking forward to for quite some time,” Dentan said in welcoming the crowd, which braved some chilly temperatures and lingering fog for the 10 a.m. ceremony.
“Just to give you a little bit of history, Riverbank has had library services for more than a hundred years,” she explained. “The first library in Riverbank opened in 1921. That was a Carnegie Library and it still exists; it currently houses the (Riverbank) Museum and History Society.”
She added that the current library building at 3442 Santa Fe has been in use since 1978 when the Riverbank library joined the county library system.
Dentan offered introductions of some county officials in attendance as well as Riverbank Chamber of Commerce representatives and city leaders, including Riverbank City Council member Stacy Call, who presented some congratulatory certificates on behalf of Stanislaus County District 1 Supervisor Buck Condit and State Assemblyman Heath Flora. Dentan also noted many members of the ‘facilities’ team at the county library system who helped in a myriad of ways during the lengthy remodeling and improvement project at the Riverbank branch.
“Most importantly we have our staff here, our Riverbank staff who have been working in the background, who have been working in the pop up, who are really, really excited to welcome you back into your library, which is also their library,” Dentan said.
Following the brief ceremony, Dentan and Riverbank Library supervisor Maria Solis joined forces to cut the ribbon, using a pair of oversized scissors.
Once the ribbon was cut, the doors were opened and people came in to check out all the new furnishings, the freshened-up look, new items and to share in the joy of having their own library open and operating once again.
“Words can’t express how excited I am,” said Solis, as she prepared to present a Storytime for a room full of youngsters. “We moved everything around, hoping to make it better, we made the children’s area more inviting I think, so hopefully everybody likes it.”
There were lots of people checking out books, asking about new services, and spending time meeting and greeting friends as well as the library staffers.
Then there was time for a number of commemorative photos, with library staff, the Mayor and city council members joining in, all happy to be part of the festive reopening.
There was also coffee and hot chocolate for attendees and library officials expressed their thanks to the City of Riverbank for use of the ‘pop up’ space at the Teen Center during the closure, as well as to patrons for their patience and understanding.
