| Not
willing to give up, Fontana officials continued to persevere
through three funding rounds from the California Library
Construction Board. Dedication and determination paid
off when Fontana was finally awarded $14.9 million from
the state in order to build a new library.
“A lot of people came together to make this project
a reality. From City staff and school officials to elected
leaders at all levels of government and even students,
Fontana was finally able to demonstrate to the library
board that this community not only needed a new library,
but we needed it now,” said Mayor Mark Nuaimi.
City
staff went right to work once the news of the library
grant was received. Designs for a state-of-the-art library
are being completed and the City will soon enter into
a grant agreement with the California State Library
for the construction of the facility.
Once architectural plans are approved by the State,
the City will be able to begin construction on a modern
multi-level 92,500 square foot facility that will include
numerous amenities. City staff expects this process
to go smoothly and is expecting to break ground by the
Fall of 2005.
Earlier
this year the city’s branch library moved downtown to
a larger 20,000 square foot facility at the corner of
Nuevo and Valencia Avenues. Prior to that, Fontana’s
library was housed in a 40 year old building that was
only a 13,000 square foot facility. 
Even
though the City will be constructing the new library,
it will still be a part of the San Bernardino County
Library system.
The
Mayor and City Council wanted Fontana’s new library
to have everything that would foster educational excellence.
In addition, City leaders want this facility to stand
out as a magnificent and beautiful architectural element
in the Civic Center.
The design of the library is both traditional and contemporary,
capturing the warmth and detail of the Spanish Mission
architecture of old California with new materials, up-to-date
construction methods and innovative detailing expressive
of the best of modern California.
As patrons enter, the will notice a beautiful plaza
with a fountain. An attractive rotunda overlooking Sierra
Avenue will serve as a quiet reading area. The main
library will feature an impressive collection of more
than 141,000 books and publications including 7,500
reference items, 143 media resources and 198 periodical
subscriptions.
There will be special areas for a Children’s Library,
Homework Center, “Friends of the Library” book store,
Career Center, Meeting Rooms, Literacy Center, and a
Café. (Click on the picture below for a larger image.)
Over
250 computers (some bilingual) will be available and
all of them will be hooked-up to high-speed internet
service. The facility will also have a 350 seat auditorium
for meetings, lectures and special presentations. With
its landmark clock tower, the Fontana library will set
the standard for design of all future civic center projects
and downtown structures. This new library will be an
important architectural milestone, celebrating Fontana’s
past, present and future.
 The
Fontana Library and Resource Technology Center is expected
to be open by the end of 2007. “Fontana’s new library
will signify a wonderful new accomplishment for this
community. The project will represent another $36 million
investment into the downtown. This facility will serve
as a haven for learning and growing so that Fontana
residents of any age, any income level, or from any
background can prosper and achieve great things,” added
Mayor Nuaimi. |
