On May 16, the City of Monrovia celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Monrovia Public Library building.
The 28,000-square foot library held its grand opening on May 16, 2009. Placed in the heart of our community, the building is a welcoming space where our youth, adults and families gather to enjoy enriched experiences.
Originally conceived in 1895, the Monrovia Public Library was founded by a group of Monrovia women and was located in a room in the Granite Bank building. Throughout the century, as the collection of books expanded, the Library relocated and the building was reconstructed multiple times.
In 1997, it was clear that Monrovia had outgrown the small, outdated building. For more than a decade, Monrovians worked with the State to fund a modern library. When the State failed to fund the project after three separate attempts, Monrovians rolled up their sleeves, started over, and did it themselves. In March 2007, overwhelming voter approval of a bond provided the City with $16 million to fund the project and construction began later that year.
The new Monrovia Public Library building is Silver LEEDS certified to be environmentally friendly, and boasts adult, child and teen areas, a large community room, a heritage room and expanded technology. Year round, the Monrovia Public Library holds hundreds of events. In the Adult Services area, the Heritage Room hosts adults participating in Speak Easy, a program for non-native English speakers to learn in a friendly and relaxed environment. Additionally, the Veterans Resource Center is dedicated to assisting local veterans and their families by connecting them to benefits and resources they have earned through their years of service. Lastly, the Youth Services section offers regular Makerspace and SciLab programming, all designed for children.
The Monrovia Public Library building’s 10th Anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year through the sharing of fun tidbits and stories about the Library. To follow along with the celebration, those interested are encouraged to visit the website at www.monroviapubliclibrary.org, follow the Monrovia Public Library on Instagram at www.instagram.com/monrovialibrary or like the Library on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MonroviaLibrary.
- Brad Haugaard
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