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Berryessa Community Celebrates Grand Opening of New Library

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March 12, 2005 -

Berryessa neighborhood residents gathered Saturday to celebrate the opening of the new and three-times-larger Berryessa Branch Library, replacing the original 8,637 sq. ft branch that opened in 1968. The 26,000 square foot facility designed by Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc. (South San Francisco, CA) and constructed by Centric/DBS Construction (San Francisco, CA) has over 109,000 items in its collection, excluding periodicals.

"The residents of San José voted to increase our investment in learning and discovery and this is a concrete result that is both beautiful and functional," said Councilmember Chuck Reed. "The Berryessa Library has long been an important part of our library system and it has served us well. We have now made it a whole lot bigger. With the community's support it will be a whole lot better."

Berryessa Branch Library is the third library to be completed under the $212 million library branch bond program approved by voters in November 2000, though its development ran parallel to that of Tully Community Branch Library, which opened late January, this year. The library worked with the design team to achieve its vision for dynamic spaces and experiences that addressed the needs and preferences of the local community.

"It is both a joy and a rare privilege to see these library projects take shape, knowing that they will be enjoyed by so many for years to come,” said San José Public Library Director Jane Light. “By the time we are finished, every neighborhood in San José will have a library that was designed with the 21st century user in mind."

The new library features:

The library’s design takes full advantage of the beautiful views of the hills, park, and the fountains in the pond. The project incorporated green design principles and was completed $1.1 million under budget at a total project cost of $9.7 million.

Joe Saxe, a 1994 graduate of San José State University and a well-respected illustrator for magazine, book and business clients, created a mural and two themed window boxes for the library. This is the first public art commission for Saxe, currently a resident of Oakland, Calif.

The new library is located adjacent to Noble Park. Its proximity to the old facility enabled a team of 153 community volunteers to completely move in and then check the shelf order of the library’s entire collection in 2.5 hours, saving the City several thousand dollars. Proposals for the use of the old building will be solicited later this spring.

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