MENDOCINO Co., 4/3/23 — Laytonville celebrated the grand opening of the town’s new library branch on the last weekend in March with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, thanks to the help of several state and federal grants and the hard work of residents and the Long Valley Friends of the Library group organizing for nearly a decade to get the location open — including selling a Bookmobile, many book sales, and a temporary reading room.
The new Long Valley library branch is located at 44960 Hwy 101, Suite D, is currently open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and can be reached by calling 707-234-
6390. At the new branch, patrons can enjoy the use of wi-fi, two computers, and a “laptop bar,” along with a selection of reading, audio, and visual materials as part of the Mendocino County libraries.
The ribbon cutting and grand opening on Saturday, March 25, was attended by District 3 Supervisor John Haschak, Long Valley Friends of the Library members Shawn Haven and Jayma Shield-Spence, and library staff, including Branch Supervisor, Denise Jessie, Library Assistant Allison Wild, and Library Director Deb Fader Samson, along with many excited locals.
Here’s the official announcement from Mendocino County libraries:
On Saturday, March 25th the Laytonville Branch of the Mendocino County Library officially
Press release from the Mendocino County Cultural Services Agency.
opened to the public after years of planning. On hand were Long Valley Friends of the Library
Shawn Haven and Jayma Shield-Spence along with Branch Supervisor, Denise Jessie, Library
Assistant Allison Wild, and Library Director Deb Fader Samson.
Light refreshments were served and speeches by Shield-Spence and third district Supervisor
John Haschak were made. Laytonville residents excited to have their very own Mendocino
County Library branch turned out in support with at least eighty in attendance, many of whom
eagerly signed up for library cards and checked out books, DVDs, and other materials.
“The Friends of the Long Valley Library have been advocating for this new branch for a decade,”
reports Fader Samson, Library Director. “They persevered, library staff applied for grants, and
here we are! After delays due to supply shortages brought about by the pandemic and severe
weather, the Laytonville community can now enjoy what has been created on their behalf. We
look forward to adding story times and other programming in the future.”
The Laytonville storefront branch is located at 44960 Hwy 101, Suite D. Open hours are
Wednesdays 11 am – 4 pm, Thursdays 1 – 6 pm, and Saturdays 1 – 6 pm. Two public
computers are available along with free Wi-Fi and a laptop bar. The phone number is: 707-234-
6390.
This sixth branch of the County Library was made possible by the Friends of the Long Valley
Library, a grant from the USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, and the
Mendocino County Library. Fiberoptic internet connectivity was provided through a grant from
the California State Library, the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California, and
the Mendocino County Library.
For more information, please stop by the new branch or visit online at www.mendolibrary.org
or contact the Mendocino County Cultural Services Agency at 707-234-2872.
