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Council proclaims Arbor Day; Library Advisory Committee presents 2024 annual report and updates on restored hours and programs
Summary
City issued an Arbor Day proclamation for April 19, and the Library Advisory Committee presented its 2024 annual report describing restored library hours, new StoryWalk and Zoom booth pilots, and facility enhancements funded by the San Ramon Library Foundation.
The San Ramon City Council on April 8 issued a proclamation declaring April 19, 2025 as Arbor Day in San Ramon and received the Library Advisory Committee's 2024 annual report, which summarized program activity, performance metrics and two-year goals.
Steve Cox, Parks and Community Services supervisor and staff liaison to the Library Advisory Committee, introduced Cindy Alpert, the committee vice chair, who presented the committee's report. Alpert outlined the committee's charge (advisory liaison to county-run library services), its membership and seven 2024 goals. She reported the committee's assessment that additional city funding helped the San Ramon Library achieve measurable service standards. "The hours have been fully restored," Alpert said, noting the city-funded restoration added "16 additional hours at San Ramon and 6 at Doherty Valley." She said the committee will continue to monitor performance metrics and collaborate with Contra Costa County Library staff on service enhancements.
Alpert described program innovations in 2024: the StoryWalk series in Central Park (books mounted on laminated panels for outdoor family reading), movable wheeled bookshelves at Doherty Station Library that allow meeting rooms to expand for high-attendance children's programs (funded in part by the Library Foundation), and a planned pilot installation of two "Zoom booths" at the San Ramon Library for private remote-meeting use. City staff and committee members said the library foundation helped fund the Zoom booths and movable shelving.
The council also heard a presentation from Gary Savelle, Public Works supervisor and city certified arborist, and adopted a proclamation noting San Ramon's Tree City USA designation activities and the April 19 planting of a native valley oak at Forest Home Farm. "Our actions tonight represent a commitment to our community, our environment, and more importantly, to future generations," Savelle said while accepting the proclamation.
Councilmembers praised the advisory committee and foundation. Questions from councilors focused on outreach and operational details: whether meeting-room reservations could be managed online (staff said county library policy currently favors first-come, first-served walk-up availability but will bring feedback back to county managers), how StoryWalk selections rotate (seasonally) and how 3D-printing and LinkedIn-Learning resources are being used by patrons.
No formal council action beyond issuing the Arbor Day proclamation and receiving the advisory report was recorded at the meeting. Staff noted an upcoming below-market-rate housing orientation and additional library events scheduled in April.
What residents should know: Arbor Day activities will be held April 19 at Forest Home Farm; library hours restored with additional weekend/weekday hours funded by the city; community members can follow the Library Advisory Committee reports and the city website for StoryWalk and Zoom-booth availability.
