Construction crews expand Turlock Public Library as non-profit requests donations
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, construction of the Turlock Public Library is still on track for completion in early 2021 and a non-profit organization is planning ways to enhance the facility.
While crews renovated the existing interior and laid down the concrete foundation to expand the 52-year-old building, the Friends of the Turlock Public Library last week started a fundraiser for various technology upgrades and additional furnishings.
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors allocated about $12.8 million for the project, but the fundraiser with a goal of $1 million can cover the costs of courtyard seating and interactive tables – educational, digital-touch stations – said Pat Portwood, presidents of the Friends. As crews put up framework in the coming weeks, Portwood said the organization will continue calling and video conferencing with groups and individuals interested in investing in the new library, which community members began advocating for in 2016.
“In this doom and gloom right now, it is truly one of the most positive things happening,” Portwood said.
Construction began in May after a three- to four week-delay to demolition, said Patricia Hill Thomas, project manager and the county’s chief operations officer. The county waited for the state to release construction guidelines, Hill Thomas said, such as wearing masks and social distancing. Around noon Friday, all the Roebbelen Contracting workers on site wore face coverings as they hammered wooden boards and moved dirt with a loader.
The demolition delay did not push back expectations to finish the project around February or March 2021 because contractors completed more design planning, she said. Besides holding a meeting about ceiling finishes and interior improvements last week, Hill Thomas said the design is complete. The county decided to do all the construction work at once and close the library before the pandemic, so Hill Thomas said the subsequent closure of all libraries is coincidental.
Although the Friends of the Turlock Public Library holds an annual book sale that typically raises $7,000, Portwood said the current campaign named the 2020 Focusing on the Future of the Turlock Library is its largest fundraiser since its founding in 1993. Funds not spent prior to the reopening will be saved for future library needs, Portwood said. As construction continues, the organization is working closely with the county, deciding whether to request infrastructure to accommodate an interactive wall or whether to buy an additional 3D printer if the county furnishes one.
“The excitement, creativity and energy of the Turlock community about their library is awesome,” Hill Thomas said. “It just makes it all the more exciting to make these kind of improvements.”
Once completed, the expansion will double the branch’s interior space and add a courtyard connected to a community room with a kitchenette, Portwood said. The room was identified as a priority in community meetings, Portwood said, and she hopes the public can rent the space outside of library hours.
For more information or to donate to the fundraiser, email friendsofturlocklibrary2020@gmail.com. Updates on the construction can be found on the Stanislaus County Library website.
This story was originally published August 11, 2020 at 4:00 AM with the headline "Construction crews expand Turlock Public Library as non-profit requests donations."
