"Thousands of Cambrian neighborhood residents gathered Saturday to celebrate the opening of a new, larger community library. The design of the 28,000-square-foot facility - nearly three times larger than the original - incorporates what has become the standard blueprint for all new San José branch library construction.
The Cambrian Library features an Internet café, community living room with a fireplace, tech center, group and quiet study areas, and a community room that will accommodate 100 persons, as well as significantly more space for seating, collections and computers. The imposing, two-story structure, located near the corner of Hillsdale and Ross Avenues, maintains a high profile in the neighborhood making it very easy to locate. Free WiFi access will be available during library hours.
"Neighborhood by neighborhood, we’re building one of the finest urban library systems in the nation because of the strong support from our residents,” said San José Mayor Ron Gonzales. “I’m proud that we’re finally catching up with long-overdue investments to provide San Jose residents with the outstanding libraries they need for lifelong learning.”
The library worked with community representatives, Anderson Brulé Architects, and Bogard Construction, Inc., to achieve a vision of dynamic spaces and experiences that address the needs and preferences of local residents.
Public art by Andrea Myklebust and Stanton Sears enhances that vision. Designed as an integrated element of the stairway and balcony railings, the artwork Cambrian BeeLine employs narrative elements drawn from the natural and social histories of the area. It incorporates visual content that is meaningful to the community using the library. The illustration of locally-cultivated fruits in grid patterns refers not only to the agricultural history of orchards near the site, but also to the gathering and categorization of information as it occurs in a library. Pastoral imagery dominates the work, remembering and celebrating ways of life which have largely vanished from the area.
Themes of exploration and discovery are emphasized in a variety of ways. The repeated use of weaving (in representational forms, and in more abstract renderings of roadways and paths), is intended to suggest the complexity and organization of human knowledge. The work is comprised of twenty-one water-jet cut stainless steel panels with woven stainless steel wire mesh elements and approximately seventy-four, three-dimensional cast glass and bronze sculptures, some with gold leaf, mounted along its length. Each of the panels is unique, and is rolled to match the curves of the stair and second-floor balcony.
"I toured the new library and it is absolutely wonderful,” said Councilmember Judy Chirco. "From the computer room to the kid’s place, from the notable architecture to the public art, the new Cambrian Library is spectacular. I could hardly wait for the doors to open and the celebration to begin."
The new Cambrian Library replaces the original 10,126-square-foot library that had served the area on the same site since 1961. The new facility is the eighth library to be completed using funds from local bond measures approved in 2000 by San José voters. The Branch Library Bond Measure provides $212 million over 10 years dedicated to the construction of six new and 14 expanded libraries in San José.
"Cambrian is the fourth new library we’ve opened this year, yet each celebration is as exciting as the first knowing that residents in each neighborhood are gaining a wonderful facility that will serve their needs for many years to come,” said Library Director Jane Light. “The planned opening of our new Hillview Branch in early 2007 will put us close to the half-way mark in completing our capital investment program."
The library project was completed on-time and under-budget. The total project cost, including public art, was $13.4 million. Generous contributions from the local community helped to furnish the interior, providing furniture and equipment.
Following the dedication ceremony that included remarks from city and library officials, residents were able to explore the library and enjoy free entertainment and activities for kids." (
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