Want to see something fabulous? Take a look at the Sunnyvale Library of the Future Web page (libraryofthefuture.inSunnyvale.com) and glance at the photos associated with an event held here at the Library yesterday. You’ll see the Future Business Leaders of America of Homestead High School; the Sunnyvale Mayor, the Honorable Otto Lee; and Sunnyvale Vice Mayor, the Honorable Tony Spitaleri. The occasion is the presentation of a check of over $4,500 for the Sunnyvale Public Library from the Future Business Leaders of America!

This is our first donation specifically for the Sunnyvale Library of the Future. I love that a project designed to meet future and current community needs is coming from our future leaders. (Really, they’re leaders already, aren’t they?)

Remember the fundraising effort I described a few months ago when the FBLA arranged the 1st Annual Fremont Union High School District Teachers’ Dodgeball Tournament? Well, this check represents the proceeds from that tournament. And, there will be more money from the students’ gift wrapping efforts at Borders Bookstore! This is all from their belief that the Sunnyvale Library of the Future is a worthwhile project that is important to the future youth and other members of this community.

These young leaders, including their teacher/advisor, the ever-youthful Mr. Byron Lee, are so professional, dedicated, smart, and enthusiastic! Their “can do” attitude is inspiring to me and all of the team members working on the library project.

Thanks again, FBLA for believing in our future library, and for doing what you can to bring it to reality!!!

There’s a commercial on television that shows the wife in the foreground talking about the wonders of a new telecommunications system they now have at home. She calmly talks about how much money the family is saving and how easy the system was to install. Unbeknownst to her and embarrassingly, her husband is so happy with the system, he’s in the background dancing away to a song – “Woo-who, woo-who-who, Woo-who, woo-who-who!”

Well, I feel like doing that same dance!

We went to Council last night to deliver the Sunnyvale Library of the Future Study and Strategy and presented the recommendations developed by Anderson Brulé and City staff. Council had questions, and our choices were certainly challenged but in the end, the recommendations were accepted unanimously with an addition of one more goal the Council felt would be important as an indication of the quality of library services for the community.

So, we are officially examining options for a new library and a branch. What progress! Great work team, and thanks so much! We have our work cut out for us.

“Woo-who, woo-who-who! Woo-who, woo-who-who!"

Stay tuned...

Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope that you had a wonderful holiday season. Sorry for the silence on this Blog over the last few weeks. However, silence does not mean that there was a lack of activity...

The end of the year is often dedicated to gift giving and expressions of appreciation, and so it was at Sunnyvale Public Library, too. The Board of Library Trustees had their annual Customer Appreciation Day on December 2nd. Board members were at the Library to offer refreshments and converse with patrons about the Library’s services and the Sunnyvale Library of the Future.

Along with the wonderful generosity of the Friends of the Library and people who donate books and funds for miscellaneous items, the Library also received some special donations during this period. Susan and Sam Shankle donated a beautiful display case in memory of their parents, Sam and Rose Marie Shankle. The display case is located near the fireplace and coordinates well with the new Library Marketplace area. Please take a moment to read the Library’s newsletter article on the Shankle’s donation and the funny, heartwarming story told to us by Susan’s husband Paul Pittinger, about the “protest” he and his brother Frank lodged at their local library during their youth.
















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The unveiling of the display case donated by the Shankle family. From left to right: Paul Pittenger, Tami Shankle, Sam Shankle, Pat Mc Caw, Susan Shankle, and Pat Howard
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The Library also received an anonymous donation of $10,000 for children’s books and programs through the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program. We are so grateful to the generosity of the person that recommended our library and to the donors of the endowment program. As we continue to plan for the future, such donations help us stay current, showcase library materials, and enhance services in support of the community.

Through the valiant efforts on the part of all parties involved, the draft study of the Sunnyvale Library of the Future is now complete and will be reviewed by the Board of Library Trustees on Monday, January 8, 2007 in the Library Program Room at 7:00 p.m. We are very proud of this report. In my personal opinion, the report is informative and the findings are interesting. Kudos to Anderson Brulé Architects, and our Library and City of Sunnyvale team members for a job well done!

We hope that you will be able to join us at the Board of Library Trustees meeting to hear the results of the study firsthand. An additional and very important opportunity to hear a discussion of the study and recommendations to move forward will occur at the Sunnyvale City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 23, 2007. In the meantime, please feel free to call the Library or email me for more information or to provide your input.

Here’s hoping for a wonderful, prosperous New Year for all!