Elisabeth Duvall Library Associate. Photo by Catherine Stachowiak
The Kern River Valley Branch Library of the Kern County Library system was the topic when library associate Elisabeth Duvall recently spoke at a luncheon. The Kern Valley Exchange Club invited Duvall to share at its Thursday, August 22 meeting, which Paradise Cove Lodge hosted.
Duvall said that library was rewarded an infrastructure grant. Because of this the branch located in Lake Isabella will be closed for six months to replace their flooring, add security, change out the bookshelves and modernize. The closure will begin Tuesday October 1 and will run through March 31, 2025.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12pm to 4pm the library will have a canopy in the parking lot where people can still order books, pick up books, children can pick up to-go crafts. And the library will still have books to browse. The library will also be going out to the schools doing story times during the closure.
The library will continue to provide free wi fi 24/7, available during the closure, and accessible in the parking lot. At KernCountyLibrary.org the public can still access the library catalog databases. The book drop will still be available during the closure. The contact number for the library during the closure will be (661) 868-0701. https://kerncountylibrary.org/
Duvall told the group, “We have been around for many years and we offer a lot of resources to the community.”
She talked about what the local library offers including 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.
“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. We’re now open 41 hours a week. We’re open Tuesdays through Saturdays.” She said, “We also have been able to increase our programming. So for example this past June and July we offered over 200 programs to the community, including a program called Lunch at the Library where we gave free meals to children to (age) 18.”
The library has also been able to increase staff because of Measure K according to Duvall. There used to be only one full time staff member and one part time staff person. Yet now the library employs three full time and three part time staff members.
During library upgrades, staff will not become unemployed. Duvall said, “We are still going to be employed. So one day a week we will be commuting to Bakersfield.”
