Madera Ranchos Branch Library

Mission Statement To meet the knowledge and information needs of the Madera Ranchos community while promoting literacy, library membership, library usage, and thereby establishing the importance of this valuable institution in our society.

History:

The newest branch of the Madera County Library System, the Ranchos Branch Library, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2000. In August 1990, the Madera County Board of Supervisors approved the request of Ranchos area residents for a public library, and on "Flatlanders Day," October 27, 1990 a dedication ceremony was held. In November 1990 the library opened in its one-room location in the Maywood Center with ten volunteers, one part-time staff person, and approximately 3,000 books. The first books were donated by the community along with other libraries. Books were checked out by handwriting the number of each book on 3x5 index cards; overdue fines were calculated by hand on each patron's index card. Due to the small number of books available, checkouts were limited to three books per person. In 1997, a wing devoted to children's materials and activities was added to the library. Also in 1997, the Ranchos Library went online with the San Joaquin Valley Library System, giving patrons easier access to books, tapes and videos in the six-county area. The following year, a $5,000 grant from the state InFoPeople Project provided two public Internet stations and training in Internet use. In 2000, a Gates Grant helped make available two additional online computers. Today the Ranchos Branch offers a collection of approximately 20,000 books, a wide selection of books on tape, videos, and a fledgling CD collection. Weekly story times are offered for preschool children, and special summer programs are presented for children of all ages. Friends of the Ranchos Library hosts a huge book sale each fall in conjunction with the Flatlanders Festival, and a smaller, ongoing book sale is held in the library.