Los Banos library remains busy with new programs targeting young adults, children
Since most of us are reading text messages more than books, many people think public libraries are now irrelevant. That is not true in Los Banos, where the public library is thriving more than ever.
In recent months the Los Banos Branch of the Merced County Library (1312 S. Seventh St. in Pacheco Park) has been issuing more than 100 new library cards per month. And more programs for children, teens and adults are being offered — with excellent turnouts.
This spring the library is open every Wednesday evening until 8 p.m., and, with the daylight savings time going into effect this weekend, even more Los Banosans will be taking advantage of the extended hours — especially as the library offers additional programs in the evening for young people and adults.
Meanwhile, the Los Banos library has a new full-time person behind the circulation desk to help Nola Ramirez provide service to the ever-increasing number of patrons. Alondra Lara, a resident of Los Banos and mother of children who enjoy reading, is eager, like Nola, to provide friendly service to people of all ages, from kids to senior citizens.
More and more books, for both children and adults, are being added to the collection each month, thanks to businesses in Los Banos like Ross Dress for Less and Anderson Homes providing regular monetary donations to the local library.
Additional books are coming into the library via a new state program called Zip Books, which allows patrons to order books not in the library collection, receive them at home in their mail and, after reading, take them to the library to be shelved. Since June 2019 more than 120 books have been added to the Los Banos library thanks to Zip, with more coming every month.
According to the latest data, more people use the library in Los Banos than any other branch in Merced County, with the exception of the main branch in Merced.
The Los Banos library is also being used for a variety of other purposes besides checking out books, although many people continue to select books on the shelves and order books not in Los Banos from other libraries through an extensive inter-library loan consortium.
Computers in the library are used often and by many people as a source of information and job opportunities. And a veterans’ service center provides local veterans with a wide variety of information and contacts.
Children’s reading hours, in both English and Spanish, popular with small children and their parents, are being offered more frequently.
And more free programs are being scheduled for kids of all ages. In the past several months, thanks to the Ross donation, the programs in Los Banos have included Scrooge, Python Ron, Wild Child Bubble Adventures, magician Tim Mannix and ventriloquist Tony Borders. In addition, new interactive toys were added to the library’s sensory interactive program.
A new young person’s spring reading program, called “Cover to Cover” will start March 7 and run to April 18, in which kids ages 4 through 12 earn a free hamburger from In-N-Out for every five books read, up to three total.
Los Banos is also part of Merced County’s adult “Common Read” program for the book “The Sun Does Shine” by Anthony Ray Hinton, a story of survival within America’s criminal justice system. Los Banos’ discussion will be March 25 at 6:30 p.m. and will be led by a member of the Merced County District Attorney’s office.
Free copies of the book are now available at the Los Banos branch (one per family).
The Los Banos branch has also received extensive support and encouragement from the County Library Director, Amy Taylor, and her staff. Amy believes that everyone throughout the county deserves the best service the library can provide.
All of these factors have contributed to making the public library the place to be in Los Banos. And if anyone has forgotten how important a public library is to a community, the recent tragic loss of the Porterville public library is a stark reminder.
According to Nola Ramirez, “With the support of Amy and her staff and the help of the friends of the Los Banos Library, we will continue to offer more programs and provide more books and services for the people of Los Banos.”
Two additional notes: On March 17 the City of Los Banos will hold its second public forum on the development of the updated Parks Master Plan. The Tuesday evening forum, from 5:30 to 7 in the Los Banos Community Center (645 Seventh Street), is open to all.
The first forum, in January, was well attended, with many ideas and suggestions coming from Los Banos residents. The city is looking for additional feedback and input as it presents some preliminary ideas for what the master plan, to be completed later this year, might look like.
The Los Banos Rotary Crab Feed on March 27 is fast approaching. Tickets are still available from all local Rotarians for this popular community fund-raiser, which traditionally sells out. Anyone interested in tickets can call Rotarian Gene Lieb at (209) 704-3831.
John Spevak wrote this for the Los Banos Enterprise. His email is john.spevak@gmail.com.
