Walnut Park Library FAQs
Q: Why is the Walnut Park Library being built?
A: The Mary L. Stephens Branch Library is at capacity and unable to expand onsite. Our current services at our South Davis Montgomery Library Branch, operating out of the Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School Library, are very limited and unable to adequately serve Davis residents. The branch is open twice a week for 4 hours each day (8 hours per week). Program attendance at that library branch has gone up dramatically in the last two years. In 2018-19 we had 908 people attend 146 programs, for an average attendance of 6.2 people per program. In Fiscal Year 2023-24 we’ve had 3,079 people attend 98 programs, for an average attendance of 31.4 people per program. Furthermore, there will be a large community room available for use by not-for-profit groups—something that is currently lacking in the South Davis area. The South Davis Ad Hoc Committee for Library Services reviewed existing data on public library use needs and has recommended the construction of a new branch library to serve residents of the south and southeastern portions of Davis. You can read more about these findings in our Yolo County Library Facilities Master Plan 2018 – 2035.
Based on California Poverty Measure data, 40.91% of residents in the South Davis area live below the poverty line, among the highest in California (21st highest among 1,125 recorded locales). In Yolo County, 24% of adults lack basic literacy skills. Individuals with low levels of literacy are more likely to have:
- Fewer employment opportunities and lower income, which may lead to a cycle of poverty that includes welfare dependency, low self-esteem, and higher levels of crime.
- Limited ability to make important informed decisions in everyday life as they struggle with tasks such as filling out forms and applications, understanding government policies, reading medicine or nutritional labels, and more.
- Programs like Yolo Reads, ESL classes and Career Online High School can empower adults to overcome these barriers.
Q: Why is the new library going to be built in Walnut Park? Won’t that take away some of the soccer field?
A: The grant is only for construction of a library in Walnut Park. The City of Davis has identified alternative field locations and is working collaboratively with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) to determine best fit and to ensure there is no net loss of playable soccer fields. Furthermore, beginning in 2002, the County of Yolo and City of Davis identified Walnut Park (located at 2700 Lillard Drive) as a planned location for the library. Some residents have suggested the Oakshade Town Center as a location. That is not financially feasible since the County would have to buy or lease a space in the center.
Q: What does resiliency center mean?
A: As part of the County’s collaboration with the City of Davis, the Walnut Park Library will serve as resiliency center. This simply means that it will be a place for everyone in the community to go during inclement weather, such as extreme heat or winter storms and to charge devices during power outages.
When residents lose power or internet access, they are very quick to contact the library. We receive numerous calls each hour ahead of an expected heat wave, wanting to know our hours and to make sure we are a cooling center. The library is always much busier on these days, and it is the community that shows up to find a comfortable place to be, and to use our Wi-Fi or public computers.
Q: Will the library be serving as a center for people experiencing homelessness?
A: There is no data out there that shows that libraries attract more people experiencing homelessness to a community. People experiencing homelessness use the library as a safe, dry, warm/cool place to be during the day. They also use library resources to connect to their family and the library also connects people to basic needs, such as social services, shelter and food. Libraries help to improve a situation that already exists.
Q: I heard that the community room will be used by people experiencing homelessness 24/7.
A: No, this is not possible. The community room will be used for staff programs, and by community groups, and must be formally requested and approved. Like at the Stephens Davis Branch, the room cannot be used by others without being approved. There may be approved uses after-hours, but the facility will close at 10 p.m., and even community uses will end at that time.
