Goleta library turns 50

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, the Goleta Valley Library will celebrate its 50th birthday.

The city of Goleta is inviting the community to a celebration from 2-4 p.m. at the library, 500 N. Fairview Ave.

The celebration will also be commemorating the career of longtime library director Allison Gray, who is retiring at the end of March.

Saturday’s celebration will include family-friendly activities, including a scavenger hunt, music by library staff member Nicole Lvoff, birthday toast and special tributes at 3 p.m., signature frame signing photo station, “My Favorite Thing about the Goleta Valley Library” activity, and Goleta Valley Library’s “Celebrating 50 Years” commemorative bookmark.

People are welcome to bring their favorite library memories and to wear the color gray in honor of Allison Gray. Her 36 years of library service included the past 15 years at Goleta .

In her first 10 years, she served as branch supervisor and as library director for the last five years.

“I have been able to nurture the staff and been able to make customer service (the) most important (thing) for us,” Ms. Gray told the News-Press. “It‘s behind everything we do.”

She noted that during her time, the library has been able to greatly expand its programs for children, adults and teenagers.

What’s more, the library staff has built a connection with the community.

“I see patrons, and my staff know their names and have conversations with them,” Ms. Gray said.

“For those who live alone, the library is so important. It might be their only opportunity to interact with someone. My staff is wonderful about engaging people and making them feel good; it is a

Calendar

COURTESY IMAGE “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, 136 E. De la Guerra St., Santa Barbara. Above is Mr. Mattei’s self–portrait.

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@ newspress.com.

TODAY

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Entangled:

Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Interlopings: community hub.

“I feel we are the face of the city,” Ms. Gray said. “I have done my best to make that happen in a good way. I am most proud that people call us the family-friendly library and say we give the best customer service in Santa Barbara County. That was a big change for the library.”

The News-Press asked Ms. Gray what this library means to the community.

“I have been going through every email I got from patrons thanking us or saying something positive. I have about five pages,” the director said. “Most of them say they love this library, it is so important to the community, and the staff is wonderful. Those were the top three things, and they usually said all three things at once.

“They are also incredibly grateful for the sidewalk service we provided during COVID. The community sees the library as an integral part of the community.”

Ms. Gray talked about some of the significant accomplishments of the library in the last 50 years.

“We have more materials and shelving. Computers are a new thing as well. We also have added more staff than previously