The City of San Ramon and the San Ramon Library community have been actively working on the process of an updated the main San Ramon Library facility for many years. The City has been looking at ways to update the existing facility to make it more inviting, spacious, and usable for the population for all ages. In 2014, the City formed a San Ramon Library Working Group, comprised of City staff, County Library staff, City Council members, members of the San Ramon Library Commission, members of the San Ramon Parks and Recreation Board, Foundation members, and an architectural firm. This group has spent the last year developing plans for a 3,500 square foot expansion of the second floor and a complete remodel of the first floor. Major improvements and changes will include a new technology zone, teen space, and Jazz listening rooms on the second floor, as well as an expandable community room through roll-top doors opening into the public space. The first floor will feature an updated Children's space, a dedicated Foundation sale area, and newly created study rooms. The City of San Ramon allocated $4.24 million to the main phase of the construction process in May 2015.
In order to complete the project, the Library will need to close for approximately eighteen months. Although the schedule could change as the project moves forward, the current timeline anticipates that the main San Ramon Library will be closed from August 17, 2015 through February 28, 2017.
Due to the closure, San Ramon Library staff will be deployed to cover vacant positions at other community libraries. Some staff will be redeployed for additional coverage at the Dougherty Station Library, also located within the City of San Ramon; staff at the Dougherty Station Library will also be staffing, on a rotational basis, the small outlet Library planned for the San Ramon Community Center. Resulting salary savings are estimated to be approximately $496,883 over the full 18-month period. These operational savings will be spent to benefit library services in San Ramon in a way agreed to by the County Librarian and the City of San Ramon. Possibilities include funding additional open hours once the library reopens, enhancing the collections or purchasing furniture or equipment for the San Ramon Library.
In the past, operational savings resulting from closed libraries have been used to benefit library services in that community, most recently in Walnut Creek and Martinez.
The City of San Ramon has allocated $4.24 million towards the expansion and renovation process; if not approved, the renovation process would be unable to move forward and the City's funding towards the effort will be stalled.
The newly expanded and renovated Library will feature a larger children's area with additional programming spaces, computers, and seating.