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Marin County outlines $9.5 million vision and near‑term refreshes for Novato libraries funded by Measure B
Summary
Marin County Free Library staff told the council that short‑term refreshes at South Novato ($320,000) and Novato Boulevard ($525,000) branches will occur in 2026 and that a longer‑range capital project for Nevada Boulevard is budgeted at $9.5 million with design continuing into 2027 and construction into 2028; staff said closures will be staged and the bookmobile and partnerships used to maintain services.
Marin County Free Library staff presented short‑term and long‑range plans for two Novato branch libraries at the March 10 Novato City Council meeting, and said voter‑approved Measure B will fund the work.
Lona Lawan, director of County Library Services, said the county is implementing a 10‑branch refresh that replaces furniture, fixtures, carpet and improves space planning. The South Novato branch refresh is budgeted at $320,000 and was scheduled to reopen in April; the Novato Boulevard (Nevada Boulevard) refresh is budgeted at $525,000 with work planned from mid‑June through mid‑August. Staff said the county will stage closures so branches and the bookmobile maintain access for patrons and will update a project landing page with real‑time closure and service information.
For longer‑term capital improvements at the Nevada Boulevard branch, staff shared conceptual designs and a rough budget of $9,500,000. Planned upgrades include a new roof, ADA path improvements, upgraded heating/ventilation/air conditioning, a redesigned lobby and circulation desk, new restrooms, improved community‑room access with assistive listening infrastructure, EV chargers in the parking lot and potential exterior site improvements such as a patio and meadow enhancements. County staff estimated design work through 2027 with construction into 2028.
Library staff also noted the South Novato parcel sits on Novato Unified School District property and that the district has discussed educator‑workforce housing on some parcels; staff said those district deliberations are ongoing and that no final plans are in place. Staff emphasized Measure B as the funding source for the branch projects and said the county seeks partnership with the city on elements such as the creekside path and bridge rehabilitation (preliminary cost estimate $500,000–$1,000,000 for the path/bridge project).
Council members thanked staff and asked operational questions about minimizing closures, bookmobile scheduling and coordination with Parks & Rec for programming during closures. Aaron Riley (capital planning) said the major project is still in conceptual design and the county is pursuing concurrent work where feasible to reduce total disruption.
The presentation concluded with staff offering to return with updated timelines and to coordinate partnerships with Novato for staging and programming during branch closures.
