Community’s wish list

Tom Panas & resident at the ECLF booth at the worldOne 4th of July Festival © 2013 El Cerrito Library Foundation
Tom Panas & resident at the ECLF booth at the worldOne 4th of July Festival © 2013 El Cerrito Library Foundation

At our table at the worldOne 4th of July Festival (2012 & 2013) community event ECLF asked residents what they wanted to see at their library.

Facility (other than location)

  • Café (8)
  • Cybercafe where people could gather, read and work (3)
  • More consistent hours of operation; more weekend hours; more evening hours (5)
  • More computers (10)
  • Desks/cubicles with electrical outlets and wifi (8)
  • (including recommendation for reservations)
  • A hi-tech learning center; media center for online research (2)
  • Meeting spaces/school activity center (4)
  • A community center for people of all ages (2)
  • Center of mentoring and tutoring
  • Bigger library like Richmond Main
  • More places to sit and browse/read
  • More space (4)
  • Huge TV an Cliford DVD’s (Yuri and Anja)
  • Club space
  • A garden with reading seats (2)
  • More inviting kids’ reading area (2)
  • Fish tank in the kids’ section
  • Upgrade the library
  • I’d love to see a couple small to medium meeting rooms in our new library (2)
  • A library conductive to reading/studying. It may be in the existing building or whatever current tax revenue can support.
  • A larger facility
  • Facility for organizing and hosting themed conversation for small groups (10 max).
  • DOG friendly (3)
  • Bigger kids area
  • Well lit work areas (3)
  • Additional parking (2)
  • Listen to CDs or watch movies
  • Outdoor reading area
  • Public community meeting rooms (3)
  • Quieter floors (3)
  • Wifi (6)
  • A reading room
  • Rooftop garden
  • Coffee snack bar (w/elevator)
  • Open atrium
  • Natural light (3)
  • LEEDS/Green (2)
  • Different areas for different users: kids’ area with little tables and open carpet for sitting on the floor; study/computer areas; separate reading area, and a conference room
  • Tool library!
  • More plugs for laptops, please!
  • A museum space in library

Location

  • Library and Sr. Center next to Community Center
  • — Build on Portola JH site and enlarge (2)
  • Any new library should be in the same location. The current location is perfect.
  • New library in old Safeway! (2)
  • Please keep the library in the same location – rebuild is ok – don’t move it.
  • Kensington library is closer. It would be better to have a new El Cerrito Library. I would like to see some science books in the library
  • Drive up book return
  • Better decoration out front
  • Outdoor reading nooks

Collection

  • More audio books (3)
  • More Chinese books
  • More Spanish children’s books
  • More help in Spanish
  • More e-books (4)
  • More newer books on site
  • Bigger sci-fi section
  • Get ride of old text/research books. Replace with new ideas.
  • More DVDs (2)
  • Genealogy section with a genealogy specialist
  • More science books
  • Comic books (2)

Events

  • — Storytime for kids in Spanish/English (2)
  • More small children’s activities
  • More programs
  • Field trips
  • Bring writers to read and share their work
  • Science experiments
  • Have Spanish and Japanese story times and activities

Other

  • Whatever we decide to put in the new library doesn’t worry me—we just need to build the new library NOW!
  • Books are good!
  • Libraries are very essential for all ages! Go for it!
  • There’s nothing like holding a book in your hand and escaping into the world of imagination.
  • Knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving classes
  • Hot tub
  • Chose your own adventure
  • I want ice cream and candy at the library
  • Build adjacent to playground to encourage young and developing readings and families
  • A comfortable and a large community room where we can hold interesting programs about the history of El Cerrito and West County
  • Fair trade coffee shop on site and office/work corners & tables