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New library's first year called 'astoundingly successful;' anniversary celebration slated for Saturday, Jan. 28

Over the past year, members of the Fallbrook community have enthusiastically embraced the new library facility that opened in early 2011.

“The new Fallbrook Library has been astoundingly successful throughout its first full year in operation, and has quickly become the community living room for the residents of Fallbrook,” said Jose Aponte, county library director. “Since the facility opened last January, library visits have doubled to approximately 30,000 each month.”

To celebrate its success, a first anniversary celebration will be held at the award-winning facilityon Sat., Jan. 28, and will feature many special events planned by volunteers with the Friends of the Fallbrook Library and library staff.

County Supervisor Bill Horn will address the crowd at 11 a.m., followed by a celebratory cake cutting at 11:30, music, fun activities for kids, tours of the facility, and more throughout the afternoon. (See schedule with this story)

Since its opening, the new Fallbrook Library has offered an expansive list of opportunities for all age groups that includes exercise classes, children’s activities, music concerts, and more.

“The biggest success, however, is that the staff at the Fallbrook Library are dedicated to building better lives for the residents of Fallbrook each and every day,” said Aponte.

“We are very excited about our first year anniversary,” said Fallbrook head librarian and branch manager Ceci Rincon. “This library has been a celebration of community which has brought many new people to visit. This year has been a journey of developing programs, providing new services, and building relationships and gaining support from the community.”

Rincon said it has been particularly satisfying for her to hear the comments made by library patrons in regards to the new opportunities.

“I read comments from the public who thank us for providing free fitness programs where they have been able to lose weight, stay fit, or have been able to reduce their stress levels,” said Rincon. “It is good to know how we have impacted people’s lives, not only on an intellectual level, but their physical health as well. People are moving in a positive direction in their health just by coming to the library.”

Positive feedback has been received from many other programs as well.

“We have been thanked for our First Grade at the Library program, where we provide free tutoring, and provide first graders with free books, book bags, and incentives,” said Rincon. “People love this library and we love serving them with creative programs and services. We put a lot of effort in knowing our community and what they love. We try to respond to their needs and interests.”

Art also has firm roots in this facility.

“We were able to feature six art shows in our first year, which brought people from all over San Diego County, Riverside and Los Angeles counties,” said Rincon.

Creating partnerships with various worthy organizations has been successful in the new library’s first year.

, for example, the Foundation for Women, which provides free classes and assistance to women entrepreneurs; the Fallbrook Food Pantry, where we will be conducting story time and providing library cards during food distributions; financial planning agencies that provide free workshops for people on topics including estate planning, financial planning and investments,” explained Rincon. “We’ve partnered with the local genealogy and knitters clubs and they also provide workshops on those topics to customers. This year, we offered first class concerts in an array of genres that have drawn capacity crowds.”

Aponte explained that the Fallbrook Library is the seventh busiest branch in the County library system, “with over 40,000 books, movies, and music checked out per month.”

Anniversary celebration planner Jean Benson, a volunteer with the Friends of the Fallbrook Library, said, “It was a proud day a year ago when the [new library] was opened to the public; Jan. 28 is a day to celebrate all that has been accomplished in this first year. The tearing down of the old library and the building of the new was a process that involved a collaboration of architects, builders, artists, and many, many community members, including a major role played by the Friends of the Fallbrook Library.”

The new Fallbrook Library was designed to be a standout, and it hasn’t disappointed.

“When we first started working on the new facility, we knew that we wanted something with sizzle and pop for this community,” said Aponte. “Since Fallbrook is an artists’ community, the library has permanent art installations designed by local artists woven into the building design, including gates, fences, walls, trellises, sculptures, etching plates, and wood crafting. I believe this is why the Fallbrook Library was featured in Library Journal’s Architectural issue with a picture of the undulating metal ‘artistic trellis’ roof, designed by local artist Chris Pardell. This is truly something singular, not just in the county, but in the nation!”

While the awards are gratifying, the base purpose of the facility has met all expectations in its first full year of operation.

“The people of Fallbrook love their new library and are using it well,” said Aponte.

Schedule of Events

for Fallbrook Library anniversary celebration, Sat. Jan. 28

11 to 11:30 a.m. – Fallbrook Library anniversary ceremony with County Supervisor Bill Horn

11:30 a.m. to noon – Celebratory cake cutting

Noon to 1 p.m. – Music concert featuring Ricky Ruis on guitar

1 to 2 p.m. – Face painting and visit from Sparkles the Clown

2 to 2:30 p.m. - Loteria game (Bingo)

2 to 3 p.m. - Teen Dance Dance Revolution

3 to 4 p.m. - Author Beverlee Harbour Gopp will read from her book “Choose Gratitude not Attitude even when Sh*t Hits the Fan”

4 to 4:30 p.m. – Ice cream treats

All Day: Art exhibit featuring the work of Igor Koutsenko

All Day: Bottom Shelf Bookstore sale – half off the price of fiction and children’s books. Proceeds benefit library programs, books, and more.

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