New Wellton Library prepared for Saturday opening

In less than a year, the new Wellton Library has gone from just plans on paper to a finished home for books, computer resources and knowledge in the growing town.

Construction is complete on the library and it is ready for its grand opening at 9 a.m. Saturday at 28790 San Jose Ave. There will be a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and remarks by town and county officials.

Ground broke on the project in July 2007, but for branch manager Judy Reynolds and her staff, this is the final chapter after years of studies, planning meetings, architectural designs and construction. Now they are ready to open up the doors to all of Wellton.

"It's been quite exciting and has moved pretty fast," Reynolds said. "We are the first."

The Wellton branch is the first of eight Yuma County Library District projects to be completed. It was funded by $2.3 million out of the $57.3 million bond passed by county voters in 2005.

The library is 8,500 square feet, about double the size of the old location next to Wellton Elementary School.

Though it is only a block away from the former library, the expanded Wellton branch is a world apart in technology and community space.

It features upgraded computer features, an expanded community meeting room and youth areas and a self-checkout machine.

"The community was very involved since the first study concerning our needs," Reynolds said. "I hope the public comes out."



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Sarah Reynolds can be reached at
sreynolds@yumasun.com or 539-6847.

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ONGOING LIBRARY BOND PROJECT TIME LINE:

-Dateland and Roll branch libraries. Approximately $114,000 in bond money was put into technological enhancements such as electronic resource kiosks in the school media centers. All improvements have been finished.

-May 17, 2008: Grand opening of the Wellton Branch Library, a $2.3-million, 8,500-square foot facility

-July 2008: Target date for completion of renovations on the Heritage Branch at the former Main Library site. The project, budgeted at $3.6 million, will expand the building to 22,605 square feet and update the facility, which last underwent major expansion in 1965.

-August 2008: Target date for completion of the Foothills Branch Library, a 22,000 square-foot library 10 times the size of the current facility. It cost $6 million.

-October 2008: Target date for completion of the Somerton Branch expansion, a $2.7 million project that will bring the library to more than 13,000 square feet.

-2008: San Luis Library construction is tentatively scheduled to begin this year. It will be a new $9.7-million library, more than 30,000 square feet in size.

-Spring 2009: Target date for completion of the new Main Library, a $28-million, 80,000-square foot project, and the San Luis Branch Library.