Elected officials and library representatives address the capacity crowd at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, 5870 Atlantic Ave., during its inaugural event on Saturday, Sept. 10. Attendees were allowed into the library to access resources and participate in activities, such as arts and crafts and balloon animals. The facility includes 3-D printers, self checkout computers and various rooms to study.” captionposition=”bottom-left” lightbox=”on” floater=”on” floaterposition=”left” floaterdirection=”up”] [aesop_character name=”Denny Cristales” caption=”Editorial Assistant” align=”right” force_circle=”off”] When local residents look up at their newly opened library along Atlantic Avenue and see Michelle Obama’s name, they will see a symbol of diversity and opportunity— at least that’s the way some of Long Beach’s citizens felt this past Saturday.
The north Long Beach library, in honor of the First Lady, opened its doors to a mass crowd of its residents on Saturday, Sept. 10 in an inaugural event that featured the city’s elected officials and library representatives.
“This day is many, many years coming,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia at the event. “And, as you look around, you can just see the diversity of this community… it gets your heart a little warm.”
The library includes: a learning center, which provides access to computers and 3-D printers; quiet rooms for studying; meeting rooms; self-checkout computers; a story-time corner for children; various book sections for adults, teens and kids; and the ability to drop off books from other Long Beach libraries.
The Long Beach Public Library Foundation raised $1 million for the library— which includes donations from local residents, according to J.P. Shotwell, board president-elect of the foundation.
After officials cut the ribbon to symbolize the library’s inauguration, attendees were allowed into the building to access resources and participate in activities, such as arts and crafts and balloon animals.
Local resident Yeves Williams, who walked a few blocks to visit the library, was “impressed” with what she saw. She said giving kids access to learning allows them to pursue a higher education.
Williams’s interpretation of the facility, named after Obama, is that it provides minorities the hope that they too can accomplish anything. Williams, an African-American and first-generation immigrant, went to college and “came here to make a better life” — much like Obama did, she added.
“She became somebody,” Williams told the Signal Tribune. “Anyone can become somebody if you just work hard enough… And then you have someone that you know you can relate to. Someone that looks like you. Someone that was like me. Hard-working parents that wanted the best for their kids, and I do that for my children, my parents did it for me, and now other kids can have access to that same chance and that same dream.”
Williams asked some of the teens if they enjoyed the library and would consider using its resources willingly to study and learn. She said they all gave a resounding “yes.”
Volunteers of the Phi Beta Sigma Sorority were present, assisting individuals by answering questions and locating materials in the library. A member of the sorority, Lawyer Smith, said the group hopes to participate in library activities in the future, as well.
She praised the mass amount of activities the library has to offer. Smith said her personal favorite will be the story-time sessions— where she plans to take her 18-month-old granddaughter at least three to four times a week.
[aesop_image imgwidth=”500px” img=”http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-3.33.49-PM.png” credit=”Denny Cristales | Signal Tribune ” align=”left” lightbox=”on” caption=”The story-time sessions at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library are one of the many resources available to the youth. The aim of activities, such as story-time, are to engage kids at an early age to prepare them for higher education. ” captionposition=”left”] “There’s just so much that can happen and so much that can be provided for people from all generations, from all cultures and from all walks of life and all ages,” Smith said.
Aarona Pollard, an educator in the Long Beach Unified School District and volunteer with the sorority, saw a few of her students at the opening, and she said they were excited to have such a facility in the area.
Pollard, who has credentials in literature, couldn’t help but feel a little excited herself.
“I’m in my element,” she said. “I love books. I love reading. But, to be here and see this, to see people come and see this building serve a great purpose— and for a long time, it didn’t have much use— but, now, it’s turned into something that’s very useful for everyone, not just for people of this community— all over.”
Tonia Hill, pre-school director at Bethany School, was reflecting with Williams, her friend, about what the area at the library used to be— a heap of dirt with no purpose. Now, the facility can potentially serve pre-schoolers and prepare them to be “life learners.”
She said it’s safe for kids to attend after school, and the library has activities that are tangible for pre-school-to-12th-grade education.
“We spoke with some of the employees here. They are so excited,” Hill said. “They want to help the kids get their homework done, advance in technology. And that means a lot. My kids are in college. I wish they could have had this here… and for the people who are not financially sound, they can come here. There is no excuse for no education with such a state-of-the-art library here.”
David Hedden, who is a studio guide for the workspace at the library, is one of the employees who facilitates the advancement in technology that Hill mentioned.
Hedden assists by instructing students about utilizing 3-D printers and design software. The work also applies to the disciplines of robotics, prototyping and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related fields.
A whole range of equipment was on-hand, as many of the youth inside the work space were already preparing some unique projects of their own. Hedden said students use the 3-D projects in class to assist in presentations.
“3-D printing is really taking off, and it’s becoming more and more accessible to all people,” he said, adding that the printing services at the library are free, but there is a limit per month. “People are really excited because resources like this haven’t been available in this part of town… it’s providing a lot of access to opportunity to different knowledge bases, different skill sets and just resources in general.”
Hill, who commended the library’s approach to education, said it’s a place that draws interest for everybody. She added that having a woman like Obama serve as the symbol for opportunity is fitting.
“She can appeal to all audiences, to all nationalities,” Hill said. “It just feels good to have her face here.”
Garcia said it himself— it’s a place that serves to guide the future adults of the community.
“I know that this next generation of young people, when they enter this amazing place and look up and see Michelle Obama’s name on this building, they will also get the chance to look and learn about somebody that also represents them or looks like them or perhaps had a shared experience like they did, and that means something in the city of Long Beach,” Garcia said. “So, when we celebrate today, this library, we celebrate a woman, our First Lady, who has done incredible work for our country.”
