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Rose Garden Community Celebrates Groundbreaking for Library Expansion

January 31, 2004 -

Residents of the Rose Garden community joined city and library officials today in celebrating groundbreaking for the construction of a 19,000 sq. ft., two-story facility replacing the original 6,805 sq. ft. library, which opened in 1960.

“This is a great day for the Rose Garden community as we celebrate the beginning of construction on a new library that will serve many generations of people of all ages,” stated Vice-Mayor Pat Dando. “ The new Rose Garden library is a legacy to the community made possible by voters throughout San José who supported passage of the November 2000 branch library bond measure.” Speaking on behalf of Mayor Ron Gonzales, Dando shared his disappointment in not being able to join the celebration and conveyed his thanks to the community for passage of the $212 million bond, enabling the City of San José to provide new and better branch libraries in virtually every neighborhood by the year 2010.

District 6 Council Representative Ken Yeager was also on hand to join the celebration. Citing his previous tenure as President of the Friends of the Rose Garden Library, Yeager said, “The Library has always enjoyed the full support of the community. The fact that it is so often jam-packed in the afternoons and evenings illustrates its importance as a focal point for community activity. Finally,” he continued, “we’ll have a library facility that will enable everyone in the area to take advantage of the many books, materials and resources that the library has to offer."

The new library, which will be built on the original site at 1580 Naglee Avenue, will have the look and feel of an upscale bookstore. Highlights include an Internet Café, Community Living Room with a fireplace, Technology Lab, Group and Quiet Study Areas, and a Community Room that will accommodate 80 persons, as well as significantly more space for seating, collections and computers. A ground floor parking garage will increase available parking from 8 to 34 spaces.

Library Commissioner Mark Pettinger sounded the one somber note, reminding listeners of the imminent sunset of the Library Assessment District, which has funded more than 70% of new materials acquisitions over the past nine-plus years. He concluded saying, “what goes on inside the new library is just as important as the library itself."

The formal ceremony concluded with a choral presentation by the St. Martin of Tours Bengal Choir, which included a unique arrangement of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” featuring solos by 11-year-old Anne Marie Evans. The audience then dispersed to inscribe “dream rocks,” which will later be incorporated into the foundation of the library.

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