I have seen the library sign on River Road pointing down the street, and been curious about what it could mean since the Eugene Public Library doesn't maintain a branch in this area since it's outside the city limits. There's a e-newsletter in Eugene that mentioned the library and its Monday story time so we went to check it out.
The RRSCVL was established about 20 years ago to serve the residents in Santa Clara and River Road who aren't city residents (although city residents may use the facility and check out books). This was a response to the library charging residents $60+ for a library card each year, whilst a membership here is only $20. The library is entirely volunteer-run, and the River Road Fire Protection District donates the building for the library.
I was surprised by how large it was! There's a front and a back room, and I thought it was just the front. They have a large collection of children's books, as well as some children's toys, in their front area, which is where the story time with Gail took place. My little was the only one there for a story on this day but she loves being read to, so she was in high spirits. There are some kids toys there as well that kept her happily occupied whilst I checked out the facility. One of the volunteers mentioned that mysteries and thrillers tend to be their most popular genres. They also have a relatively large selection of large print books too. And their hallway is filled with DVDs and audio books.
The library just reached its goal to raise enough money to offer Libby access to patrons, which is so cool. They have passes to places like the art museum, raptor center, and so on. Honestly it's a real, true library, just run by volunteer power, which is awesome beyond measure. The folks who were here volunteering when we visited were so friendly, excited to show off the library, and (understandably!) proud of the work they do here.
There's a good deal of parking so that won't likely be an issue. They have various events throughout the year, so it's worth taking a look at their calendar. Their annual book sale is taking place here at the end of August. They also have a summer reading program, for kids at least, and a "crafternoon" on Thursdays. So much thought and care has gone into making this a great resource for RR & SC residents, I wish this had been around when I was growing up. But better late than never. read more