Jun 14, 2005

INFORMATION RELEASE   
Media Contact: Heather O'Connell
(239) 461-2924 or hoconnell@leegov.com

NEW LIBRARY OPENS SATURDAY

FORT MYERS, Fla., June 14, 2005 - The Lakes Regional Library opens Saturday, June 18 at 15290 Bass Road; located at the Northwest corner of Bass Road and Gladiolus Drive in Fort Myers.
 
This new library will be the largest library building in the Lee County Library System at 40,000 square feet. Lakes Regional Library replaces the Rutenberg Branch Library, a 7,000 square foot facility that had become the second-busiest in the county. That library, staffers say, was about the size of the new building's children's section.

Library Director, Cynthia Cobb said, "We're delighted to provide the community with a new facility that has the space, collection size, features and equipment needed to serve the growing population in the South Fort Myers area."
 
At the old library, there was no meeting room, so programs had to be held in the middle of the library or off-site. Now library-goers in this community can enjoy a meeting room with room for 180 people, a second conference room, a story room and puppet theater for children, quiet reading area, study rooms, and a young adult room.
 
Another big change is the number of computers. Rutenberg had 9. Lakes will have 75, most with Internet Access.
 
Other features in the $18.4 million project include room for a collection of up to 150,000 items including books, CDs, DVDS, audio and video tapes.  Technical Services Manager, Deb Czarnik says the Lee County Library System will also debut a collection of software programs for library patrons to check out and use in their home computers.
 
"There are programs for teens, children and adults. We're also introducing updated educational games on the computers in the children's section of Lakes Regional Library. Both the software collection and new games will be added to other library locations over the summer." Czarnik said.

The library will house the library system's first coffee area. It will be operated by the Friends of the Lakes Regional Library. There will also be bottled water (with several flavors available) in a vending machine in the Young Adult section.

Lee County is introducing the new library with a day full of activities:

County Commissioners will lead a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony that begins at 9 a.m. Following the ceremony, the library will open with full services and a number of programs and performances.

Musician Paul Rozmus will provide strolling entertainment until 10:30 a.m.

Rags to Riches will perform "Rapunzel" in Meeting Room A, starting at 10:30 a.m.

Eye FX Entertainment will perform Balloon Sculpting from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Popular Florida Satirist, Tim Dorsey (recently featured on 60 Minutes) will speak in Meeting Room A at 1:30 p.m. Dorsey is the author of "Orange Crush", "Triggerfish Twist", "Florida Roadkill" and many other titles.

A Magic Show by Christopher Oz begins at 3:30 p.m. in Meeting Room A.

Activities throughout the day include opportunities to Tour the Library with Friends of the Lakes Regional Library, meet storybook characters or color a mural in the story garden.

Although the new library features more than 250 parking spaces, the library has also teamed up with Lee Tran to offer a park and ride shuttle service from Heights Elementary throughout the day.
 
The new library will also have longer hours than its predecessor: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday -Thursday and 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

A map to the library and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the Lee County Library System's website at www.lee-county.com/library. The Lakes Regional Library page also features links to floor plans and exterior drawings.

For media inquiries, please contact Heather O'Connell at the phone number or e-mail address above.

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