HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.1 - 1381 Naming of Dublin Library Room
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STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
DATE: April 4, 2017
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM:
Christopher L. Foss, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Naming of Dublin Library Room
Prepared by: Andrew Freeman Jr., Business Services Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will consider a request from the Alameda County Library to name the
recently completed Center for 21st Century Skills in the Dublin Library as the Virginia S.
Bennett Room.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Consider approval of the Virginia S. Bennett Room, as the name for the Center for 21st
Century Skills within the Dublin Library.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Costs will not exceed $2,000 and include name plates for the room and potential
signage installation. These costs will be paid from the City’s operating budget for Parks
and Community Services.
DESCRIPTION:
On February 21, 2017, the City Council asked Staff to bring back an item in response to
a request from the Alameda County Library to name the new Center for 21st Century
Skills at the Dublin Library after Virginia Bennett. The 1,400 square-foot library
expansion space was completed in 2016 and accepted by the City Council on January
10, 2017.
The Dublin Public Library opened in April 2003. The City owns the Library building and
through an operational agreement, started in October 2002, library related services are
provided by the Alameda County Library on behalf of the City. The Dublin Library is
open 51 hours per week with the City funding 23 hours and the Alameda County
funding 28 hours.
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Mrs. Virginia Smith Bennett (1909-2000) was Dublin Library’s first Children’s Librarian
and Branch Manager. Mrs. Bennett started her Dublin Library career in 1965. During
her 14 years of service in Dublin (1965 to 1979) she championed the gr owth of the
Library from the 2,240 square foot “Little Dublin” on Vomac Road to “Big Dublin,” a
6,200 square foot leased facility located on Village Parkway, to “Deluxe Dublin,” the first
permanent facility built on Amador Valley Boulevard. In addition to enhancing library
space for Dublin residents, Mrs. Bennett alongside the Friends of the Dublin Library
helped the passage of Measure N in 1974, which established a special tax to support
the construction of the library on Amador Valley Boulevard, which opened in 1979.
Through this change the Dublin Library’s volume of books, periodical and audio -visual
materials grew from 5,000 pieces housed at “Little Dublin” to 50,000 pieces at “Deluxe
Dublin.”
In 1977, Mrs. Bennett was named Dublin’s Citizen of t he Year. Mrs. Bennett’s
contributions leading to this award included the permanent library building on Amador
Valley Boulevard and her work on Dublin’s local history through the publishing of Dublin
Reflections. Mrs. Bennett was a founding member of the Dublin Historical Preservation
Association and a key supporter in preserving many of the historic properties located at
the Dublin Heritage Park.
The Alameda County Library and the Dublin Historical Preservation Association (DHPA)
fully support the proposal to name the room, the Virginia S. Bennett Room.
The 1,400 square-foot room merges traditional library services/programming with the
power of digital learning tools. The room is equipped with a video interfacing wall
promoting a wide range of new media applications, a sound system, and other
hardware such as laptops, wireless internet devices and an audio visual rack
management system supporting computer-based classes and other public-based
service opportunities. The Alameda County Library is responsible for policies and use
of the room and exhibit areas, including exhibits in the common areas.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.