Thank you Joyce Atkinson, Jeanne Boyd (posthumously) and Diana Bauer for dreaming big and making the hope of a library in Clayton a reality over 30 years ago. These women, with the help of the Clayton Branch of the AAUW (American Association of University Women) decide in 1989 that the Clayton community needed to build a library. They formed a steering committee made up of many organizations across the community and in July of that year formed the Clayton Community Library Foundation, created to raise money for the project.
Over the next five years fundraising takes place, including book sales, crab feeds, and a multitude of grant applications resulting in one large grant of $2.8 million from Prop 85 in 1991. A groundbreaking ceremony happened on March 12, 1994, and later that year, the City approved $542,000 for book collection. After all of the demanding work, extraordinary vision and determination, on March 4, 1995, the Clayton Community Library opens its doors.
It is because of the efforts of these three women and lots of other volunteers and donors who supported the library then and continue to do so today, that we celebrate 30 Years of the Clayton Community Library this month.
Today the library is testament to the community and visited by thousands of people a year who will find, besides a vast assortment of books and publications, a variety of activities and classes including Tai Chi, Chair Yoga and Meditation, Story Time for children, Art Classes and Teen events, Book Clubs and so much more.
To coincide with the 30th Anniversary of the library, the City will be embarking on a refresh project later this year that will include new paint, carpeting, improved lighting, furniture and other design elements and CCLF is hoping to have some celebratory events throughout the year to commemorate the anniversary. Also, save the date for the next Book Sale, on May 17 and 18 (May 16 for members only).
The Clayton Community Library stands as a testament to the strength, commitment and caring that so many of our residents perform day in and day out to make our community a better place. Thank you Joyce, Jeanne and Diana for being shining examples of that.
Other City News
Each month the City is awarding an Unsung Hero Award to someone making a significant difference in our community. We honored Linda Pinder for the month of January and Paul Jordan for the month of February. For March, we will be honoring Joyce Atkinson, Jeanne Boyd (posthumously) and Diana Bauer. If you have suggestions about future Unsung Heroes, please feel free to contact me at 925.673.7324 or kimt@claytonca.gov.