The New Walnut Creek Library

On July 17, Walnut Creek got a new library.  It was a day of hoopla and civic pride – along with puppet shows, face painting, demonstrations and exhibits.

But I wanted to wait until the fanfare and back-patting had died down to see exactly what kind of library they had gotten.   

The old one – a tiny little “schoolhouse” looking structure located across the street from the Walnut Creek Police Station and City Hall – had done its best to serve this thriving community since the early 60’s, but was long past its prime.

The population of Walnut Creek has grown nearly seven-fold since the little “Park Place” library location first opened.  What’s more, today’s libraries have much greater demands placed upon them than they did in that simpler time.

The old Walnut Creek library was so cramped that they had to get rid of a book to add a new one!

In addition to size problems, there were seismic, noise and access problems as well.  Basically, it was time.

But my question was always: “What kind of library fits into the needs of today’s community?”

All over California and the nation, cities and counties are facing budgetary constraints.  Library attendance overall is down as a percentage of population.  In the old days, people got almost all of their educational information from libraries – today they have to compete with computers, the Internet, and an array of mediums that deliver information to your door, without having to set foot into a library.

On the Monday after the Grand Opening, I decided to see for myself.

I have been watching the new structure take shape as it was being built – a mix of old and new.  Brick, brushed metal, and glass.  Kind of “civic traditional meets deco”.  But I had not noticed how small the old building was until I walked up to the new one.   

Four main entrances take you immediately into a multi-media playground, and judging by the visitors of literally (pun intended) all ages, playing was definitely going on!

Young children with attendant mothers were looking at books, typing on the computers, and generally being well-behaved (they must put something into the air filtration system!).

Young adults – both high school and college-aged – were combing the shelves and using the computer work stations.  Seniors, too!  All able to navigate the ample aisles without bumping into others and generally acting like this was The Place To Be on a sunny Walnut Creek morning!

As for my concern that the library would be built on a shoe-string, or that it would be obsolete or irrelevant the day it opened – that was quickly dispelled.

It is full of books, newspapers, computers, exhibits, and roving attendants eager to help you find what you need – that you would expect – but there is also a Lindsay Wildlife corner, a bookstore, a Business and Careers Center, and several sections devoted to a particular age or book genre or another.

This information extravaganza is surrounded by artworks – many from such accomplished local artists as Guy Diehl, gracefully displayed and easily accessible to all visitors.  All this is wrapped by its own artful two-story structure and placed aside a lovely park setting in the center of town!

If you judge a library by the number of attendees and their ability to utilize the collection of works within its confines, this new library must be considered a success.

I hope – and this is my hope for all libraries in all communities – it continues to attract and interact with its population.

Even on the sunniest days, it is not too bad to find yourself wandering around inside an interesting place with a lot to do and learn.

Visit the Walnut Creek Library website.

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