McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:
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Subject:
Joan Chung
Wednesday, July 3, 2024 8:13 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Library
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To Whom It May Concern,
As an L.A. county resident I wanted to take a moment to share what an incredible impact the library made on our family. We were blessed to take two of our daughters to story time and had the privilege of watching their imaginations grow. They were captivated by AnnMarie and looked forward to this weekly outing. I urge you to continue to support the library and make it a safe, warm, welcoming place for young children as well as the young at heart.
Sincerely,
Joan Chung
17/5/2024
Item 11
From: Marlene
Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2024 9:47 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse <[email protected]> Subject: Central Library Retrofit support
I
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July, 2024
Dear Member of the Pasadena City Council
I am writing to convey my strong support for the Central Library Earthquake Retrofit and Building Repairs Project.
I am a lifelong resident of Pasadena and have used the Central Library for 80 years. It is an essential part of my life. The library is an institution that provides access to knowledge and learning, paving the way for personal and professional success. From job search assistance to educational workshops, the Central Library equips individuals with the tools they need to achieve their goals. Moreover, it serves as a platform for showcasing authors and thought leaders who inspire and influence future generations.
Investing in the structural integrity of the Central Library is not only a commitment to safety but also an investment in our community's future. The reopening of the library will continue to provide a space where dreams are nurtured and possibilities are realized. The proposed retrofit and improvements are essential and the modernization of the facility looks to our future.
I urge you to support this essential project!
Sincerely,
Marlene Decker
Sent from me to you (^
7/5/2024
Item 11
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:
Sent:
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Subject:
Robert Scott Decker
Thursday, July 4, 2024 10:14 AM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Library retrofit
Some people who received this message don't often get email fromLearn why this is important ^\] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. For more information about the Phish Alert Button view article "KB0010263" on the DolT portal.
City Council Representatives
I would like to take this opportunity to strongly support the pending bond issue to retrofit and upgrade of the main library. As a long time resident of Pasadena and a user of the main library and its branches, I believe it is critical to community that the library is restored to its former glory. The library is no longer simply a book depositary, it needs to be a modern information facility. The renovated library needs to provide information services to the city's residents. This requires that the retrofited facility be updated with modern technology and computer systems. Remember the "new main Library" will an important element in recruitingthe highest quality professionals to the city. Moreover, it will provide the city residents with some of the best services in the country, and I believe the city of Pasadena deserves such a library.
Sincerely,
Robert Decker
17/5/2024
Item 11
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Marilyn Zeronian
Friday, July 5, 2024 6:25 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Retrofitting main Pasadena library
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To whom it may concern, I am a resident of Pasadena for the past 60 years, have always been a fervent supporter of our Pasadena library. I am totally in favor of retrofitting, or doing whatever is needed, to reopen the main library. It is a valued part of our community.
Marilyn Zeronian
Sent from my iPad
1 7/8/2024
Item 11
RECEIVED
202UUL-8 AM 8: 05 JANET WHALEY
CITY CLERK Pasadena, CA 91 104-3558
CITY OF PASADENA
June 5, 2024
Dear Members of the Pasadena City Council,
1 am writing to express my enthusiastic support for the Central Library' Earthquake Retrofit and Building Repairs Project. Several years before the incorporation of our city, the Pasadena Library was important enough for residents to contribute to its funding. In the years since, the Central Library has become a cornerstone of our community and a vital gathering place for residents of all ages. Now this important resource for our city is summoning our support again to continue that legacy for future generations.
Of particular note, the Pasadena Public Library has an extensive Californiana and local history collection that provides researchers with a wealth of information on early California history and Pasadena's unique historical and cultural development. Housed in the Centennial Room at the Central Library, this special collection covers Pasadena's development from the founding of the San Gabriel Mission in 1771 to the establishment of the Indiana Colony in 1874 and through to the present. It includes books, magazines and newsletters, newspapers and news clippings, oral history transcripts, pamphlets, scrapbooks, yearbooks, city directories, historical maps, photographs, ephemera, city reports, and many other types of city documents.
Two months ago, I had the occasion to need access to the resources of the Centennial Room for an article I was writing about the dedication of the Soldiers' Statue in Memorial Park for the Pasadena Civil War Round Table. Through the invaluable assistance of Young Phong, the Local Histor)'- Librarian, I. was able to access critical documents, clippings and microfiche from the Centennial Room. With the help of Mr. Phong, who is now working from the Park Center Office Suite, I was able to get copies of the newspaper accounts of the dedication of the statue in 1906. The$e are the types of services which we took for granted when the Central Library was open. With its closure for the earthquake retrofit, it drives home the need for a safe and permanent home for these precious documents of our city's history.
The proposed retrofit and repairs are essential to ensure the safety and longevity of this beloved institution and will allow a place to house this treasured collection. I urge the City of Pasadena to prioritize the necessary' funding and resources to make this project a reality. The Central Library's reopening will symbolize our city's commitment to fostering a strong, vibrant community. It will harken back to the emphasis and importance our founding citizens placed on this institution, which is all the more necessary now.
Thank you for your attention to this crucial matter.
Sincerely,
^.^ toMl^
<Jan)et Whaley ^
7/8/2024
Item 11
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Raymond Boncato
Saturday, July 6, 2024 2:20 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Support Reopening of Central Libraey
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I am a 28-year resident/homeowner in Pasadena and I support the reopening of the Central Library.
I often utilize the different branches throughout the city, and have come to realize that the Central Library offered more opportunities and activities than the smaller branches.
I hope that the Central Library renovations can be completed soon so that the citizens of Pasadena can enjoy this historic building and the many programs that it hosted in the past.
Thank you for considering my endorsement for reopening the Central Library.
Raymond Boncato
Sent from my IPhone
17/8/2024
tern 11
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:
Sent:
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Subject:
Roberta Wilcox
Saturday, July 6, 2024 3:19 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Pasadena Library
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Asa member of Tuesday Musicale, we miss the library greatly. The Baptist church proved to be a good substitute, but we are very anxious to return to the Main library, I have been attending there for 70 years.
Roberta Wilcox, retired teacher, orchestra manager orchestra conductor and parent. 17/8/2024
Item 11
McMilIan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Monday, July 8, 2024 1 1:50 AM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Library Storytime
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To Whom It May Concern:
As a former teacher it was a blessing to be able to take my two granddaughters to weekly story time at the Pasadena library. We loved to sing, dance, and listen to stories together. This special time created many lasting memories for us. The library provides countless services to many people so I urge you to continue to provide the necessary funding to support our community.
Sincerely,
Janet Sciarra
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RECEIVED
2Q2UUL-8 PH 1: 07
CiTY CLERK
CITY OF PASADENA
LISTENDONATE
NEWS
Pasadena City Council considers
$195 million bond to bring
Central Library back to its former
glory
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Published Jul 6,2024 5:00 AM
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Pasadena's Central Library close to the time of its dedication. (Courtesy of Tim McDonald/ Department of Public Works City Council Presentation) I THIS ARTICLE>
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For being a home of books, the Pasadena Public Library has plenty of its own tales to tell, laying claim to a storied history.
It has been around since 1882 — four years before Pasadena even became a city. Nearly half a century later, the library moved into the Central Library building, the first building in Pasadena's iconic Civic Center that was dedicated on Lincoln's birthday. This7/8/2024 Item 11
distinguished history has earned The Central Library a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bond to fund renovation
City officials were forced to close Pasadena's Central Library in May 2021 after it was "red-tagged" for not meeting earthquake safety standards. The Pasadena City Council is now considering a $195 million bond measure to place on the November ballot that would fund the library's retrofit so that it can reopen to the public.
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Tim McDonald, director of Libraries and Information Services for Pasadena, said the retrofit design process is fully funded, but the city still needs to raise money for construction. Built over 100 years ago, the library is an "unreinforced masonry" building, meaning the brick is more likely to collapse in an earthquake.
Pasadena is special. For a city of our size to have the number of libraries that we have really speaks to the value that our community places on education and access to information," McDonald said.
What makes the Central Library different?
Pasadena has 10 additional branch libraries, but the Central Library remains the crown jewel.
"We do not have the capacity to offer the same level of service through our branch libraries alone," McDonald said. "There are programs and services that were offered at Central Library that we are not able to accommodate in those neighborhood branch libraries."
At a size of 135,000 square feet, the Central Library can hold hundreds of thousands of books. According to McDonald, after the building was red-tagged, they moved as many of the books as they could to the branch libraries, but the rest are now temporarily stored in a warehouse location. People can access the catalog online and order a book to be shipped to a branch location, but they can't browse the collection.
After the Central Library was closed, a committee of volunteers from different sectors of the community — city employees, nonprofit workers, media members, and library workers — was formed to see how the Central Library could be adapted while maintaining its historic character. McDonald said community engagement has played a huge role in developing the vision for the whole project.
"There is strong support to reopen the library and for a potential bond measure in November," McDonald said.
The redesign
Gruen Associates is leading the design of the renovation of the Central Library. Debra Gerod, a partner at the firm, said everyone on the design team has a personal connection to the library.
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Gerod said the retrofit design will mostly be to reinforce the building. There will also be a fire alarm and sprinkler system upgrade along with accessibility improvements.
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A rendering of the Central Library's potential courtyard improvements after construction under the recommended scope.
(Courtesy of Tim McDonald / Department of Public Works City Council Presentation) According to Gerod, the $195 million is for total project costs — it would cover not just construction but all other fees, like for furniture and project management.
"The bond measure is... the leading source of funding, but if the library remains unfunded, then the library will need to remain closed," Gerodsaid.
Beyond being a wealth of information, libraries are important spaces to escape the heat and access the internet among other resources, Gerod said.
McDonald added that the library's auditorium held over 500 programs in the year before the building was closed down. "We're not able to connect and bring people together in our branches on the scale that we were at the Central Library," McDonald said. "Even a hundred years ago, the people in Pasadena really valued the library services."
"[Libraries are] like a great equalizer," Gerod said. "They're open to everybody in the community, and I think that's why people are so emotionally attached to the library, because it doesn't really matter who you are."
McDonald said the Pasadena City Council will likely decide later in July whether the bond measure will be placed on the November ballot.
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