[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE REOPENING OF THE SAN MATEO LIBRARY--A 21ST CENTURY MARVEL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 2006

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, every now and then there are events in the 
life of a city that are so monumental they alter the very core of the 
city and its people. Today, the city of San Mateo, California, which is 
in my Congressional District, is proudly reopening its public library 
and I am certain that this new library, a true modern marvel, will 
change San Mateo for the better.
  Today's event is the culmination of seven years of hard work, 
including close to 50 community meetings, years of fund raising, and 
two years of construction. However, I can say with complete confidence 
that it was all worth it.
  Mr. Speaker, this new library is the monument to learning that the 
citizens of San Mateo desire and deserve. This 90,000 square foot 
modern marvel is three times larger than the old library, contains 
75,000 additional books, 10 times the number of computers, and a 
wireless internet connection throughout the building. Despite its 
towering size, the building was designed in an environmentally friendly 
manner. In fact 98% of the original building was recycled during the 
demolition process. The new library utilizes natural light and the 
latest technologies; including automated window shades that rise and 
close based on room temperature to create a ``green building'' that is 
expected to save the city 40% in energy costs.
  Mr. Speaker, while the library of the past was mainly used to borrow 
reading material, today's 21st century library is intended to be a 
focal hub of the community and the new San Mateo library has been 
expertly designed in that fashion. The library will boast a teen 
lounge, a multi-media collection, a story time amphitheater in the 
children's section with stories told in English, Spanish and Chinese 
languages, as well as a cafe operated by a local vendor. In addition 
because the Bay Area is the pinnacle of our nation's biotech industry 
the library will include a Biotechnology Learning Center, which will be 
staffed by its own biotech librarian and will include seminar rooms and 
specialized reference materials. Of course the library will also 
continue to provide more traditional offerings, such as adult literacy 
programs, research training for elementary school age students, and 
Internet classes for the general public.
  The roots of the San Mateo library were planted in 1883 when members 
of the Ladies Guild of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church decided to create 
``a reading room or place of resort where people could pass their 
leisure time socializing and improving their minds by reading good 
books and periodicals''. Today, more than one hundred years later the 
citizens of San Mateo have once again shown incredible foresight to 
create a citadel of culture and a place where its residents can 
ensconce themselves in an educational environment.