PRESS RELEASE
May 31, 2007

DEL MAR – County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price has awarded $200,000 in county funds to begin planning and construction of a major room edition to the historic Del Mar library located at 1309 Camino Del Mar.

The request by Slater-Price for funds was voted on and approved at the May 22nd meeting of the County Board of Supervisors. Despite many requests for funding throughout the region, the board voted with Slater-Price for the improvement to the library. Slater-Price’s district includes Del Mar.

“Library equipment and space are at a premium,” Slater-Price said. “When it is time to present a children’s program, librarians must displace other patrons who are reading or using the computers. They must also move furniture. Once the room addition is completed, the programs will be held concurrently.” 

Slater-Price’s legislation on the 22nd directed that the funds be awarded to the Friends of the Del Mar Library, a non-profit organization. The County Department of Finance keeps a close watch on the funds and monitors expenditures. Additionally, the county’s department of library services will oversee the construction project. A contractor and crew will be hired.

Slater-Price said library staff will work closely with Del Mar City Manager Lauraine Brekke-Esparza. Slater-Price pointed out that she partnered with the Friends of the Library and the Del Mar City Council on the expansion project. Former Councilman Jerry Finnell received unanimous approval for the variance needed to allow construction. The 460 square-foot patio/terrace that faces 10th Street will instead be a new enclosed room. The Friends will dedicate $50,000. The county will oversee construction.

County staff said architectural drawings and plans will be completed. At some point dirt will be leveled and new footings and foundation will be added. Staff said a contractor will avoid contact with the historic Torrey Pine on the property. The entire project will pass through the city planning department. Enclosing the patio will make it an integral part of the charming 4,700 square-foot historic building.  The extra 10 percent in space will be dedicated to children and other library programs, community meetings, and storage, with easy-to-clean surfaces.

Mindful of the historic value of the library, a pitched roof and wood casement windows will match the existing architecture. In a nod to the environment and energy savings, a retractable sky light will be installed.

The addition’s plans will include a sink, and heating/air-conditioning.  Entrance to the new room from the library will be through locking double doors. If structural criteria can be met, an additional door would open to the outside, so the room can be used when the library is closed. New double doors will muffle the sound of children’s programs.

The Del Mar City Council bought the historic 1914 St. James Church in 1993 and it was remodeled in October 1996. The Friends raised $500,000 for the renovation. Although it is a city library, librarians are county employees. Over 28,500 volumes and top of the line equipment come from the county library system. The library provides 12 computer stations with Internet access, and a wide variety of informational data bases. Through a new county program library patrons can access the resources of four area university libraries as well.

County staff said since the grand opening the Del Mar library has been popular. Last year customers checked out close to 75,000 items.  The Friends and other Del Mar residents volunteer time and donate money to the library. Residents enthusiastically attend programs, speakers’ bureau, and other library events.

Slater-Price, County Library Director Jose’ Aponte, Brekke-Esparza, Slater-Price’s Chief of Staff John Weil, and other staff met to begin planning for the library construction. The county has produced artist renderings and other conceptual drawings which Slater-Price said she would like to make available at the library for residents to view. Slater-Price, Aponte, Weil and Del Mar Friends President Pat Freeman completed a site visit weeks ago to review possibilities for the addition. Out of that meeting came the idea for the outside door, the sink for children’s after-project clean-up, and other user-friendly possibilities.