Lodi Public Library Foundation sets sights on new projects
It’s been nearly two weeks since the Lodi Public Library Foundation held its annual Art of Storytelling fundraiser, and while the exact numbers aren’t in, foundation officials said the group met its goal.
“Overall I thought it was a great success and it worked out very well. We did some new stuff this year,” Lodi Public Library Foundation President Sierra Brucia said. “We were able to showcase the construction of the Teen Scene. I thought it went very well.”
According to Brucia, the teen center is a million-dollar project and between the foundation, the city, the Friends of Lodi Public Library and the library’s board of trustees, the construction phase was only $15,000 short of being fully funded. The foundation’s recent fundraiser will make up that difference, Brucia said.
Moving forward the foundation will continue to assist the library in its work on the teen center and other capital projects it may pursue.
“It’s kind of what the library decides they’re looking at doing,” Brucia said. “I talked to the director a few times. I know he has a couple ideas of the projects he’d like to take on in the next 12 to 18 months.”
Brucia said the foundation is thankful for the community and its support of the library.
“It’s a lot of support for our library and what the library is trying to accomplish right now in being a destination center and cultural center for our community and seeing so much support for it is pretty rewarding,” he said.
According to Lodi Library Director Dean Gualco, construction on the teen center, which started in September, is on schedule and currently work is being done on the studio and the back patio. Construction on the center is expected to be completed by Jan. 11.
While everything is going according to plan, there still have been a few challenges with balancing regular library operations and construction work.
“The principal challenge has been parking because we have two fairly massive projects occurring simultaneously. Secondly, another challenge has been the lack of air conditioning but thankfully it hasn’t been too hot. All in all, it has been a fairly smooth process except for the parking issue,” he said.
The completion of the roof next week should free up about eight parking spaces.
Gualco said the library plans to rebuild the parking lot and add a new drainage system next year. The project is expected to cost about $80,000 to $100,000, and would be funded jointly by the city, library and library foundation. Work will most likely begin sometime after July, Gualco said. The library is also in the process of looking to build a storytime room for children and toddlers.
“The library’s principal goal is to continue to evolve and change to reflect the changing times and needs of our community,” Gualco said.