Library moves to new digs
The Costa Mesa Technology Branch Library reopened Tuesday in a new location that administrators hope will better accommodate users.
The branch is now in Fairview Court shopping center, 2263 Fairview Road, near Wilson Street.
The Technology Branch spent 11 years at 3303 Bristol St. before closing there April 13.
The new location, in the College Park neighborhood, is similar to its predecessor in most respects, though it is slightly larger at 2,200 square feet. It has about 25 public computers, two printers and a laptop station with outlet plug-ins.
Organizers said the branch is saving money by incorporating repurposed materials from other county libraries. The library also got a better rental rate at Fairview Court than it was getting at Bristol.
The Technology Branch complements Costa Mesa’s two other libraries — Donald Dungan, which is closed through July for renovation, and Mesa Verde — within the Orange County Public Libraries network.
“I think it’s a great move for the library system, and primarily for the community,” said Paula Bruce, assistant county librarian. “We were in a more business location before, and now being in a residential area, students and families will have more access to us.”
One of the computers is better equipped for projects and is available through a sign-up sheet.
The branch also has a small book collection — mostly children’s literature, periodicals and technology-related materials — as well as a small multimedia assortment containing music and movies.
The branch will continue to offer classes on computers and other subjects, such as digital photography. Its operating hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It is closed Sundays and Mondays.
Libraries still serve a community need, especially for families, even while many people take to the Internet for buying books and searching out information, said Mary Ellen Goddard, a board member with the Costa Mesa Library Foundation and Friends of the Costa Mesa Libraries.
“Libraries are for a multitude of services … and we still want to expand our other libraries,” Goddard said. “Maybe this is a harbinger of great things to come.”
