Make your opinions heard!

Have some ideas to share about our library's expansion and remodeling? Make your opinions heard!

Next week, on Thursday, Nov. 9th, a community workshop will be held to garner public input on desired changes and improvements for the San Juan Capistrano Regional Library construction project.

The city reports that: the workshop will be hosted by the city and Costa Mesa-based Carrier Johnson architectural firm as part of a city plan to revamp our 24-year-old architecturally renowned library for residents and future generations to come.

The city awarded a contract to the firm in August to work with the Michael Graves Company on a "space-needs" evaluation and possible expansion. The workshop will give you the opportunity to provide input on what changes or improvements you would like to see in the library. Such feedback will be a major factor in helping to shape a proposed design for the expansion project.

Michael Graves, an award-winning architect, designed the scenic 12,898-square foot library known for its distinctive postmodern design in the early 1980s.

The Graves' expansion was envisioned extending along the west side of the library with access and views to its interior courtyard, home to the popular Multicultural Arts Series. The library space study will look at areas for a homework center/computer lab; magazine lounge; young adults; storage; additional work stations; and such. To meet programming needs, other areas within the facility might be reconfigured.

The workshop will be help from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the La Sala Room, accessible from our library courtyard.

For more information, contact Economic Development Manager Douglas Dumhart at 949.443.6316.

Become a Friend . . .

The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library is a dynamic non-profit group dedicated to supporting our library and its mission. The Friends sponsor our Multicultural Art Music Events, Architectural Walks of the city, the foreign film series, and operate the Mollie Burke Bookstore featuring used and new books for sale across the library courtyard.

Did you know if you join the Friends, you can enjoy such perks as discounts in the Mollie Burke Bookstore and free attendance to our foreign film series? More importantly, by becoming a Friend of the Library, you are helping to keep our library materials, services, and programs especially valuable and exciting to our community.

For more information about the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library, call the bookstore at 949.493.2688.

Also, if you are interested in becoming a Friends volunteer (to work in the bookstore or help out with Friends' programs), please fill out an application and submit it to the Mollie Burke Bookstore, located in the courtyard of our library.

Check 'em out: Recommendations for October

With the convenience of being able to listen to “talking books” (books on compact disc, playaway, cassette, etc.) while driving, working out, completing errands and household chores, or while otherwise too busily engaged to sit down and read, it is little wonder that these are amongst the most highly circulating items in our library.

There are also now over 700 downloadable e-audiobooks accessible from the OCPL website, 150 of which are always available—no delay ever! After simply downloading the free Overdrive Media Console, you can instantly enjoy listening to the digital audio books on your computer. You can even burn them onto a CD or transfer them to a compatible MP3 player to listen to wherever!

From the always available collection of e-audiobooks, we recommend the following:

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October Events Calendar

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