Friends of the Libraries: Master plan for libraries is important

Money that was earmarked for a master plan for Costa Mesa’s Library Services has instead been used to supplement Orange County funds for repairing the roof of the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library.

When money is tight, I can understand this. However, getting something written down determining how important our city thinks library services are, and how we are going to get them, seems pretty important to me.

After all, we have a master plan of bike trails, a master plan for Fairview Park, and a number of other similar plans. A library system, like a school system, is an important piece of a city’s infrastructure and therefore needs to be planned.

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At the Donald Dungan Library

Orange County Parks will present “Nocturnal Nightlife” at 11 a.m. Monday in the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library’s community room. This informative children’s program is free to attend and all children and their families are welcome.

At 2 p.m. on June 21, children and their families are invited to visit the library and play with its large collection of Duplos in the community room. For those of you who are not familiar with this toy, Duplo bricks are twice the length, height and width of traditional Lego bricks and are easier to handle. They are designed for children aged 1 1/2 to 5 years old. This event is free to attend and all children and their families are welcome.

Fantastic Patrick, juggler and unicyclist, will perform at 11 am. This fun program is not to be missed. Children and families are invited to attend this free program.

At 2 p.m. June 26, children and their families are encouraged to attend a free program of patriotic crafts and stories.

Fun and Games at the library. Children and families are encouraged to come to Library Game Day. This free program begins at 2 p.m. June 28 in the community room.

The Mystery Book Club meets at 6:30 p.m. in the community room. The book club is free and anyone can join. “Murder is Binding” by Lorna Bartlett will be discussed on June 26. This is the first of six books in the author’s Booktown Mystery series.

This author also writes a psychological suspense series (the Jeff Resnick Mysteries) under the name L. L. Bartlett, and other mysteries and short stories using the name Lorraine Bartlett.

For those of you planning overseas trips or travel to Canada or Mexico, remember that your passport needs can be taken care of at the Donald Dungan Library. Walk-in service is available from 3 to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

If you need an appointment, schedule one from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The service is friendly, and you can sit and read a book or magazine, maybe even use a computer while you wait.

And you can know that the money earned from this service goes toward supporting Costa Mesa’s three Orange County Public Library branches. Call (949) 646-8845 for more details on programs and events at the Dungan Library.

And look forward to the upcoming book sale on July 14 and 15 on the patio at the library. The Donald Dungan Library is at 1855 Park Ave.

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At the Mesa Verde Library

On Wednesdays, it’s Pajama Storytime day at Mesa Verde Library, 2969 Mesa Verde Drive East, Costa Mesa. All children and their families are welcome to join the group at 7 p.m. for a lively mixture of songs and stories. Call (714) 546-5274 for more information.

The Friends’ of the Costa Mesa Libraries bookstore behind the Mesa Verde Library has thousands of books at prices ranging mostly from 50 cents to $1 each. You should be able to find a title and author you want here – whether you want a classic, or a just-published volume. There is a great children’s section for summer reading. The bookstore is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

There is also a large selection of “collectible” books at higher prices. Some of them are prized for their age, condition, author, etc. If you have been looking for “that certain book,” perhaps you might find it there.

MARY ELLEN GODDARD produced this column on behalf of the Friends of Costa Mesa Libraries, the Costa Mesa Library Foundation and the three Costa Mesa branches of the Orange County Public Libraries.