MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The community of Middletown celebrated the long-awaited opening of its new library on Friday.
A grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration was held Friday afternoon at the new library, located at 21256 Washington St.
It replaces the Gibson Library, built and dedicated in 1930. That building was made possible through a donation from retired businessman and library enthusiast Chauncey W. Gibson, who offered to fund the construction on land donated by town residents. A new use for that building is still being considered.
The new library is housed in the same building as the town’s new senior center. The entire building is 12,210 square feet, with the library taking up 5,000 square feet, Eric Seely, deputy county administrative officer for special projects, told Lake County News during a recent interview.
He said the facility is “huge” compared to the old library, which Public Services Director Carolyn Chavez reported is 1,625 square feet.
In the 1990s the Library Advisory Board recommended the Board of Supervisors allocate money for a new library, county officials reported.
In 1999 the Board of Supervisors approved setting aside $50,000 of geothermal mitigation money for a new library.
Through the efforts of now-retired County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox, the county – with the board’s approval – saved a reported $3.1 million in geothermal funds and $500,000 in general fund money for a library building fund.
The county reported that a land swap in 2009 worked out between the county and the Middletown Unified School District brought the site of the new library under county ownership.
The last funding needed was provided by Indian gaming mitigation money in May 2009, a Community Block grant in May 2011 and a United State Department of Agricultural Rural Development grant in August 2011, the county reported.
The library also gets support from the Friends of the Middletown Gibson Library. That group reported that they’ve turned over $26,000 to the county for the library.
The group said County Library Susan Clayton has gradually used the funds she’s received from them to purchase library materials.
With the new library open, Clayton will soon be leaving Lake County. County Administrative Officer Matt Perry confirmed that she’s retiring, effective May 1.
For more information about the history of the Middletown Library, read Lake County history columnist Jan Cook’s account at http://bit.ly/123F2jy .
Elizabeth Larson contributed to this report.
Email John Lindblom at
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