Spacious Ramona Library Is Now Open

Members of the public joined County Supervisor Dianne Jacob and County officials Tuesday to celebrate the grand opening of the new Ramona Library, a solar-panel-crowned building in the center of town destined to become a cherished hub of culture and community.

"This beautiful new library is the start of a thrilling new chapter for Ramona," said Supervisor Jacob, who represents the people of Ramona on the Board of Supervisors. "The hard work and collaboration between the community and the County have finally turned the dream of a new library into a reality," Jacob said.

Over 21,000 square feet — and four times as big as the old building — the Tuscan and Southwestern-style Ramona Community Library is an inviting sanctuary with cozy lounge seating and a fireplace. With special spaces including a teen area, a children's space and read-aloud room, community meeting rooms, a homework and tutoring center, and a Poet's Patio for live performances, the library will serve diverse patrons.

"We're so excited to open this rich community center for learning, working and meaningful entertainment in the middle of Ramona," County Library Director José Aponte said.

Public-use computers and free wireless service provide library visitors internet access. Automated checkout stations make it easy to borrow one of the San Diego County Library system's 33 million books, DVDs and CDs.

A model of green building, the new library is expected to become the only library in the County to achieve Gold LEED certification, an international standard for sustainable design. Three solar panels on the roof cover some 5,000 square feet and will produce about 20 percent of the energy the library needs. Inside, patrons can track the library's energy consumption and production on a digital display.

C.W. Driver, Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects, and Manuel Oncina Architects were the library's design-build team. The project cost about $11.6 million, with $966,000 contributed by the Friends of the Ramona Library.

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