Date:            March 13, 2006
Contact:       Katherine Mielke
Phone:         (949) 717-3816
E-mail:         kmielke@city.newport-beach.ca.us                             

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Photo by Joe Mozdzen

Mariners Library Sets Opening Date for April 20

Newport Beach, CA (March 9, 2006) – The Newport Beach Public Library Board of Trustees and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District have announced that Grand Opening Ceremonies for the new Donna and John Crean Mariners Branch Library will be held on Thursday, April 20 with the Library opening for regular service on Friday, April 21.

Residents are invited to join Newport Beach city, school, and library officials, along with Mariners Elementary School students, for the ribbon-cutting ceremonies which will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 20 at the new Library location, 1300 Irvine Avenue, adjacent to Mariners Elementary School.  Following the ceremonies the Library will be open for tours and viewing only.  Tours will also be available on Friday, April 21 when the Library opens for regular service from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.  In addition to tours of the new library, Friday’s celebration will include storytelling, children’s crafts and other activities held throughout the day.

The new 15,000 square-foot Donna and John Crean Mariners Branch Library will be a joint-use facility serving both the school and the community.  It will house a collection of over 50,000 items, and provide a comfortable, state-of-the-art facility for residents and students to read, study, research, use computers, and enjoy special programs.

Designed by Thirtieth Street Architects of Newport Beach, it is more than twice the size of the Mariners Branch Library that it replaces and includes a separate Kids Room with its own unique entrance, computer center, and storytime room. A portion of the Kids Room will be dedicated exclusively to Mariners Elementary School during school hours. Other features of the Library include high ceilings and lots of windows to allow natural lighting, quick access to new books, magazines, music and movies, a special teen resource area, a computer center, self-serve checkout machines as well as a fully-manned customer service desk, wireless Internet access throughout, and the Vincent Jorgensen Room with a study center for after school and community programs.

For more information on the new Donna and John Crean Mariners Branch Library, visit the Newport Beach Public Library’s website at www.newportbeachlibrary.org or call (949) 717-3800.

 

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