Announcements

Public Input Meeting for South Suburban Branch
December 10, 2011

Please join the members of the Library Foundation and Klamath County Library officials who are seeking input for the planning process of the future branch of the South Suburban library.

The meeting will take place Saturday, December 10th at 10:00 a.m. at Mia & Pia's Pizzeria & Brew House, 3545 Summers Lane, Klamath Falls. There will be a question and answer opportunity about the timeline for the relocation, the costs and benefits of the move, and goals for improving library services, such as access, open hours, electronic resources, and outreach to youth and seniors.

Ken Masten, Library Foundation Chair, and Al Switzer, Library Board Chair, will be present to explain the Library District short term and long range hopes and dreams. The Library Foundation is working to raise money for the remodel by writing grants and seeking individual sponsors, such as the Facebook Challenge which generates income from sponsors who pledge a dollar amount for each Facebook "like" the library receives before March 19th, 2012.

The library will be moving from the Town and Country Shopping Center to the corner meeting hall that is now used by the Salvation Army for a Food Bank. The move will not happen until the Food Bank has found a new location and the building has been remodeled. The hope is to move the South Suburban library to the new location by the end of 2013.

Comments in written form can be made addressed to: Andy Swanson, Klamath County Library, 126 S. Third St. Klamath Falls, OR 97601. For more information, please call the main library at 541-882-8894.

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Youth program at Bonanza Bonanza Addition Campaign Our plan for the Bonanza Branch is to build a 1,900 square foot addition to the existing 900 square foot community center. The community center and the branch library now share the same space. Note: The new Bonanza Branch addition opened in October 2010! The additional space for the Bonanza branch will allow for better use through four additional internet stations provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Also, a branch area separate from the community meeting area will make the branch more accessible to adults and youth. Unlike most branch libraries, the Bonanza branch has been used as much by youth as by adults. The Library Foundation has set as its goal raising $135,000 through fundraising, individual donors, and grant writing. The project has already received a bequest of $120,000. Another $120,000 has been allocated from the Library reserve, and the Park Board will provide the land/building space at no cost. If you would like to donate, please see our Brochure and Pledge Form.

The Children's Addition Children's Addition Opens! The efforts of our first Library Legacy Capital Campaign paid off, as the children's addition to the Main Library had its grand opening on April 18, 2009! See a few pictures from the event on our library website.

View of the Children's Area Addition Children's Addition Groundbreaking Klamath County Library and the Library Foundation hosted the groundbreaking celebration on Saturday, July 26th at 10:00 a.m. at the 3rd Street entrance to the downtown library. The children’s area at the northeast end of the building will be enlarged to include the current courtyard adding a 1,200 square foot space for children's reading programs. The design of the addition incorporates a light tower in the corner which will illuminate the area to create an updated, inspiring environment for children. The estimated cost for the addition is $800,000. Nearly all of this money has been raised through grants and fundraising by the library Foundation. The Ford Family Foundation approved an award of $120,000 toward our capital project. The Kid’s Creation Giving Tree ceramic leaf project organized by Betsy Neuman has contributed $2000 to the construction by having children paint ceramic leaves to hang on a tree wall display which will soon be installed. Commissioners and Library Board members Al Switzer, John Elliott, and Bill Brown joined in the groundbreaking celebration. Three "Bob-the-Builder" child volunteers helped begin the excavation. “This will be a functional and exciting space for the whole community, especially for young readers!” says Andy Swanson, library Director. Visit the Library Website for images from the ceremony.