Modesto Library closes for major renovation project. When will the doors open again?
The Modesto Library is closed for renovations and won’t be open again until summer 2026.
The renovation work — partly to remove asbestos from the I Street building — will temporarily disrupt library services.
Officials said the facility will feature enhancements and a better experience for patrons when it reopens. The official closure date was Nov. 30, but it took effect at the end of hours Wednesday because of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The library’s collection will not be available for holds for two to three months as staff members move the books and other materials to the Salida Library for protection. The asbestos that needs to be remediated is above the ceiling in the downtown library building and the county doesn’t want particles to rain down on the bookshelves.
Starting Jan. 6, the county system will operate an Express Library at 1002 10th St. at Tenth Street Place, the city-county government building in Modesto. The services will include picking up materials placed on hold, returns, printing, scanning and a small number of books. The hours will be Monday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The library collection includes books, as well as books on CD, magazines, newspapers, digital and online resources and audiobooks.
The main library collection won’t be in the public area of the Salida Library, but when the service resumes, items may be placed on hold and picked up at the Express Library at Tenth Street Place or a preferred location.
During the closure, families have been encouraged to check out the services and programs at the 13 branch locations in Stanislaus County. The Salida, Riverbank and Empire branches are within 11 miles of the downtown library.
Project includes long-awaited improvements
Modesto had 68,000 residents when the current library opened in 1971. As the city population more than tripled in the past 50-plus years, many renovations and improvements were deferred.
The $18.1 million modernization project will include heating and air conditioning, elevators, lighting, asbestos, wiring and other needs. The Friends of the Modesto Library Lifelong Legacy campaign has raised money for extra enhancements, such as a redesigned early-learning area and new furnishings.
Library officials have said more than 40 full-time library staff and 25 part-time employees will relocate to the Salida and Turlock libraries, while some will work at the Express Library in Modesto.
