Listen up: Library to open

Roseville's new Martha Riley Community Library will open its doors to the public Monday morning with little fanfare.

City Librarian Dianne Bish warned that things may not be so quiet inside the 31,000- square-foot building, however.

"We're expecting this library to be a little noisier than the others," Bish said. "Situations and lifestyles have changed a lot, and we want to make the library more like your living room. ... It's a little more inviting, I think."

A grand-opening celebration will be held early next year for the $10.85 million building, which also will house a utility education center, meeting rooms and a public access television studio.

The two-story library is named after former City Councilwoman Martha Riley, an active member of the Friends of the Roseville Library who helped kick-start construction.

Located in west Roseville at Mahany Park on Pleasant Grove Boulevard, the city's newest library will have the same regular hours as the downtown and Maidu branches.

With an emphasis on the environment and technology, the Riley Library will feature a life-size replica of an oak tree in the children's section. "There are some cute little lights in the tree to make it sparkle a bit, some of which look like birds and insects," Bish said.

Another destination spot – the teen section – has an area sectioned off by Erector-set-like columns and see-through netting. Flat-screen television sets will be mounted on the columns to show educational programs, music, movies and even computer games.

In addition to $600,000 in books and media materials, Bish said the new library will have at least 30 computers for public Internet access.

With more students working together on projects, libraries today are noisier than some people may remember.

Patrons who want a more traditional library setting to read or study will have a special quiet zone on the second floor overlooking Mahany Park.

"We're going to make it a cell phone-free area," Bish said.

The library also will feature displays, such as the inner workings of the elevator and heating and cooling systems, Bish said.

The building was built following environmentally friendly guidelines that conserve water and energy and reduce waste sent to a landfill.

"We wanted to make the library as educational as possible," Bish said. "We're going to explain to people what it means to have a 'green' building."

Officials are waiting to hear whether the new building will qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, Roseville Central Services Director Bill Stephens said.

If successful, it will be the city's first LEED-certified building, according to Stephens.

Meanwhile, a holiday cocktail party will be held at the new facility on Saturday to raise money for Roseville public libraries.

Proceeds will go toward adaptive technology equipment to help people with disabilities use library resources, and to purchase new bookmobile.

Tickets are $39 a person.

For more information, call (916) 774-5221.

About the writer:

• Call The Bee's Jennifer K. Morita, (916) 773-7388.