{"id":504715,"date":"2026-10-22T22:50:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T22:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/504715\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T22:50:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T22:50:16","slug":"after-remodel-los-al-rossmoor-library-remains-a-pillar-of-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/504715\/","title":{"rendered":"After remodel, Los Al-Rossmoor Library remains a pillar of area"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The beautiful new layout since the remodeling of the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Branch of the OC Public Libary system has given library officials even more room to offer books, electronic media and new programs for one of the most utilized libraries throughout the County\u2019s 29 branch system. Photo by David N. Young <\/p>\n

Even for bookworms who adore the written word, it\u2019s sometimes hard to fully grasp how much our world has changed since the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Branch of the Orange County Library opened in 1962, and how technology has evolved in the age of artificial intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yet, it remains a public center of intellectual knowledge for the community, according to a panel of staff, library executives, and longtime readers ENE recently interviewed about the upgrade.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Los Al-Rossmoor branch of the OC Library system is one of 29 branches, yet it is one of the oldest and most utilized.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When it opened, computers as big as the entire branch could compute less than the cheapest smartphone on the market today, but today, like then, readers were mostly interested in the worlds of wonder and knowledge offered by books.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The branch underwent a $3 million renovation project that closed its doors for almost two years, yet when it reopened in 2024 with a new look and feel, the community immediately embraced it, and it has never been more popular.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Members of the Friends of the Library shown here are (L-R) Mary Holzgang, Donna Artukovic (seated), Stan Davidson and Mary Cueso.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Former Branch Manager Stephanie Mate, who had been at the branch for more than two decades but has left since our interview, said electronic media does serve more people in the younger generation, but people still \u201clike learning new things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think people are people. I think they\u2019re still utilizing the library resources as they did in the past. We do have access to more electronic sources of content, but there are a lot of patrons that say I know I want to put it on hold because I want to physically read the book,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think offering both options because we have a lot of younger people that are more of a digital generation and they\u2019re more comfortable accessing, like, our eBooks,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Dan Serranilla, director of Marketing and Communications for the OC Public Library system, the Los Al-Rossmoor branch is one of the system\u2019s oldest and most used spaces, serving as a repository of knowledge across all media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis branch has been here for decades,\u201d he said, \u201cand with the help of the wonderful staff and the friends who have helped, we\u2019ve had a great run in this community, not only offering programs and services, but a host of other resources.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Serranilla said this library, like others in the 29-branch system, makes full use of the books, media, electronics, and programs offered by the staff at Los Al\/Rossmoor Public Library, but the seven-decade bond reflects the library\u2019s purpose in any community.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course we have a younger generation that is very digital, and\u00a0 very attached to that kind of media and we meet them where they are. But there\u2019s always the need for a physical space, because this is generally the third space for the community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have your home, your place of work, and you have this library, which is like a community gathering place, not only for families to have literacy promoted to them but, more importantly, where everyone can get together.\u201d<\/p>\n

After more than twenty years of service, Librarian Mate agrees, saying community participation remains \u201cvery active\u201d at the Los Alamitos\u2013Rossmoor branch.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe offer programming for all ages, so small children, elementary, high school, college adults, and more, and we\u2019re constantly offering programs to get people into the library,\u201d said Mate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Not only books and media, but courses from sewing to swimming; you can check out a telescope, a laptop computer, even irons and sewing equipment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do story time twice a week, we do a bilingual program once a month, and we offer teen programming as well,\u201d she said. \u201cEarlier this year, we had a K-Pop programming with teens in it, and we offer book clubs for adults, even a \u2018genre hopping\u2019 book club,\u201d she said, listing just a few of the myriad programs and services the library offers.<\/p>\n

Serranilla said the library\u2019s county staff tracks demographics for each community to make each library \u201cunique.\u201d For instance, in Laguna Woods, where the senior population is especially high, the library has more non-fiction and \u201cbest-sellers\u201d for popular fiction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another unique aspect of the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor remodel was adding private community meeting rooms where students can study quietly, or groups can occasionally gather.\u00a0<\/p>\n

No library would be complete without its patrons and \u201cFriends,\u201d and the \u201cFriends of the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Library\u201d have their own organization and a dedicated space in the library where they sell books to raise money for the library\u2019s special programs.<\/p>\n

Most say they love to read and have enjoyed the journeys the written word offers for most of their lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Donna Artukovic, president of the local \u201cFriends\u201d nonprofit organization, says she adores the library\u2019s new look since the remodel, even if it gobbled up a bit of space once enjoyed by \u201cFriends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand the reason for the remake was because the state regulations had to be met with sturdy bookshelves for earthquakes, and it was a pretty old library,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is really amazing to me,\u201d said Artukovic, \u201cbecause I use the library all the time and they can find all the books I want. If they don\u2019t have it here, they\u2019ll get it from San Clemente in a couple of days,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI read a lot, and I almost always can get whatever I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Mate confirmed that \u201csometimes, if the book is not in our system, or if we don\u2019t own it, we do what we call interlibrary loan so we have reciprocity within other libraries for them so we can request it from whether it\u2019s coming from the state or coming from out of state. We can request that item for you to be at the central library; you can check it out with your library card.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mary Holzgang, another lifelong reader and member of the \u201cFriends\u201d organization, praised the selection of books available to children.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the variety of choices of books is fantastic. We have a great children\u2019s section,\u201d she said, \u201cand the programs that are offered to kids are terrific.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is important, said Holzgang, \u201cbecause this is where reading starts, and if reading is fun and enjoyable, they\u2019re likely to remain readers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stan Davidson said that in sixth grade, he edited the school\u2019s newspaper and has never lost his love of the ink on paper. For him, the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor library is a mecca with daily copies of most major city newspapers.<\/p>\n

\u201cNewspapers from around the country for free,\u201d he said, noting that he \u201ccomes in on an almost daily basis to get some ink on my fingers and just sit down and take my time and go through the newspapers to get the full story, instead of the two-minute version.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cFriends\u201d have their own bookstore connected to the library, which is open regularly. They sell books the library has replaced and discarded, generally well-known titles, at very reasonable prices. They use the proceeds for scholarships and other programs that help the library buy new books or run programs.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have three loves in my life,\u201d said Artukovic, \u201clibraries, education, and the arts.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd libraries are right at the top because I love to read, and this library is amazing to me. I come here sometimes just to be around books,\u201d said Artukovic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that sounds stupid,\u201d she said, \u201cbut I love to read. If I could have my way, I\u2019d be reading every day because reading takes you outside yourself and into something else. It makes you realize so much more about life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note:According to the OC Library System, Mate recently left the system and has been replaced by interim Manager Heather Daugherty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The beautiful new layout since the remodeling of the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Branch of the OC Public Libary system…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":504716,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[131,133,132],"class_list":["post-504715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=504715"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504715\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/504716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=504715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=504715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=504715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}