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Public invited to weigh in on new library plans
Turlock library pic
The population of Turlock has more than doubled since the current Turlock Library was built in 1968. - photo by Journal file photo

Turlock residents will have an opportunity to voice their thoughts and any concerns over the plan to expand the Turlock Library at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 16.

Stanislaus County officials and architects from WRNS Studio will share with attendees the conceptual plans and renderings of the library expansion, which will now have to come in accordance with the increased prices of steel.

In a letter sent to the Friends of the Turlock Library, Stanislaus County Library Director Diane McDonald wrote, “Rising construction costs throughout the region present a challenge to meeting this goal while staying within the approved budget, and additional funding sources are being explored.”

The goal McDonald references is one to transform the dated facility on Minaret Avenue through “a community vision…into a design that captures the essential services and resources, all within an inspiring space that will meet the informational needs of residents now and into the future.”

An initial concept for the Turlock Library was to expand outward with a new building that would connect to the current facility, which would undergo a revamp. With the cost increases, a plan could now be to expand upward with a second story added to the current site.

The current Turlock Library was built in 1968, for a population of 30,000. The city’s population has more than doubled since that time, now more than 72,000. The current library facility has no dedicated meeting rooms or space for library programming, such as children’s Story Times and informational presentations for consumers.

The Turlock branch of the library has the second highest circulation rate, according to Turlock Librarian Diane Bartlett. In addition to meeting the needs of the Turlock community, it is also a regional library, meaning it supports the programs of four of the smaller libraries in the county.

The public meeting will be in Berg Hall at Covenant Village in Turlock, located at 2125 N. Olive Ave. Participants are asked to RSVP no later than Oct. 15 by calling the Library Administration Office at 558-7801 or emailing pboardrow@stanlibrary.org.