Library purchase in the books

County gives final OK to buying building; expected to take 2 years to open

By Kathe Tanner and Bert Etling

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F inal, formal, unanimous approval by county supervisors of purchase of a new building on Oct. 27 means the doors to a new home for the Cambria Library could open in two years.

“It was a great day for Cambria!” exulted Greg Fitzgerald, campaign manager for Friends of the Cambria Library’s drive for the new building.

Buying the 5,800-square-foot building and property at 1043 Main St., across from the Veterans Memorial Building, will more than double the 90-plus-year-old library’s current 2,300 square feet at 900 Main St.

How you can help

• Donations are needed before work can begin on making a new building at 1043 Main St. suitable for use as a library. For details, go to the Web site for the Friends of the Cambria Library nonprofit organization, or call Greg Fitzgerald at 440-2309.

• Buy books, CDs and videos at the book sale from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St. A $3-a-bag sale begins at 11: 30 a.m. Saturday.

On the Web:

Friends of the Cambria Library: www.cambriafol.org San Luis Obispo City/County Library: www.slolibrary.org

In the 26 years since it moved there in 1981, the free information hub has become one of the busiest per capita libraries in the county. More than 4,700 cardholders check out some 10,000 books, DVDS, CDs, and audio books each month.

Also busy are the library’s computer terminals and wi-fi service, both used for Internet access.

The new space will bring it up to national standards for square-footage per resident.

First, though, the Friends of the Cambria Library need to raise about $1.25 million.

The community and the nonprofit group are to share library costs 50-50 with the county.

The county will pay about $2.8 million of the total project cost, estimated at $4.5 million. The new library will need office facilities, lighting, interior walls, shelving and more.

The Friends has already given the county $140,000, and has another $160,000 in the new library fund.

In 2005, the Friends group and the county jointly purchased a vacant 18,500- square-foot site on Cornwall Street at Hillcrest Drive.

The nonprofit will be credited with $259,000 invested in the Cornwall site and half the appraised value of the current library.

The Friends group is working on a fundraising drive and expects to announce the first events soon.

The public can take a look inside the new building during an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 7.

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