GONZALES — The new location for the Gonzales Library will be having its grand opening Saturday, celebrating the addition of a more accessible and versatile space to the community.
The goal of the new location, which is part of Monterey County’s free library system, is to bring the community space closer to local schools and neighborhoods.
Formerly, the library was on the east side of Highway 101, meaning that students from local schools would have to cross the busy overpass to get there.
“That site served us well for many years and there were a lot of great memories and a lot of good community gathering and community spirit that happened there, but there had always been a discussion about expanding out,” said Christopher Gallegos, manager of the Gonzales Branch.
Now, the library is directly across from Gonzalez High School and adjacent to Fairview Middle School and La Gloria Elementary School.
“We’re a little more centralized in our new location,” Gallegos said.
The new location is not just about accessibility; the library is moving into a city-owned complex, the Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center, representing a merger of county and city resources that aims to provide a wider range of services.
“We’re part of something bigger. We’re essentially a part of an ecosystem now,” Gallegos said of the collaboration.
“We’re going to try to kind of synergize with them and see what kinds of things we can do to complement them as we open up,” Gallegos said.
Gallegos said this new public space will fill the lack he’s noticed in Gonzales of “third spaces,” that is, public gathering spaces apart from work or home.
“Libraries have always served that function,” Gallegos said.
“We’re small, we’re rural, we’re relatively close to Salinas but a lot of times people here…operate (within) the city. They operate with the businesses that are here and the services that are here,” Gallegos said. “There’s a lot of stuff happening out there… in Soledad and Salinas and the Peninsula, but what about Gonzalez?”
According to Gallegos, the Gonzales branch aims to follow the needs of the community, offering the public access not only to books, but to technological resources, like computers and 3D printing, and safe spaces for teens to gather.
“So essentially we have three components: We have the library, there’s a classroom which is called the Teen Innovation Center and then there’s also a Teen Lounge,” Gallegos said.
Gallegos said in the coming weeks the public can expect an increase in programs like storytime for kids, movie nights and live music, similar to existing summer programs, but all year round.
The new location also provides the public with easy access to walking paths and surrounding gardens.
The opening ceremony will feature live 3D printing demonstrations, interactive 3D pen activities, face painting, children’s activities and marine education activities presented by local non-profit Save the Whales.
The event is free to the public and will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m Saturday at 630 Fifth St., Gonzales. To find more information, visit eMCFL.org
Chris Hamilton is a California Local News fellow covering Salinas and the Salinas Valley for The Herald.
