Lisa and Sabrina from the Kern River Valley Branch Library ready to serve the public. Photos by Patrick Ray.
One of the valley’s favorite library associates, Elisabeth Duvall, recently announced to the public the bad news about our library’s closure. However there’s good news to go along with that bad news. The Kern River Valley Branch Library of the Kern County Library system has since been conducting pop-ups so the public can continue to enjoy the library’s services while it is closed for upgrades.
Pop-ups will be held at various strategic points including the library parking lot, the schools, and other areas.
Duvall said that library was rewarded an infrastructure grant. Because of this grant the branch located in Lake Isabella is closed for six months to replace their flooring, add security, change out the bookshelves and modernize. The closure began Tuesday, October 1, and will run through March 31, 2025.
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 12pm to 4pm the library will have a canopy in its parking lot so that the public can still order books and pick up books. Children will be able to pick up to-go crafts. And the still have books to browse at its pop up.
The library is going out to the schools to provide story times during the closure.
According to Duvall the library planned to continues providing free wi fi accessible in the parking lot. At KernCountyLibrary.org the public would still be able to access the catalog databases. The book drop is also still available during the closure. The contact number for the library during the closure is (661) 868-0701. https://kerncountylibrary.org/
Duvall reminded the public that the local library normally offers story times, a chess program, a sewing club, Pokemon events, art for both adults and teens, Dungeons and Dragons groups, irregular science, Slime events, guitar lessons, candle making, paint nights, and jewelry making events. “Everything we do is free. So that’s the great thing about the Kern County Library is we’re more than just books. We’re actually a community hub and we offer a lot.” Duvall said that the community could also use the library’s 3D printer and Cricket and supplies, which are all free.
Up until this temporary closure the funding has enabled the library to stay open 41 hours per week, Tuesdays through Saturdays. The funding has also helped the library to increase its programming. Duvall said that during last summer the branch offered over 200 programs to the community, including Lunch at the Library where the library gave free meals to children to (age) 18. “We are funded in many ways. One of the main ways we are funded right now is measure K. This for us has given us increased hours to the community,” said Duvall.
The library has also been able to increase staff because of Measure K. There used to be only one full time staff member and one part time staff person. Currently the library employs three full time and three part time staff members.
During library upgrades, staff is not unemployed. Duvall said, “We are still going to be employed. So one day a week we will be commuting to Bakersfield.”
