**Director of Volunteers Virginia Yoshiyama with Sue Klein. Photo by Lorine Parks**

DOWNEY – A volunteer was quick to take your temperature by remote control as you stepped through the glass doors of the new Downey City Library. From then on it was wide open spaces, newly designed and color-coded.

After two years of being closed, the Library is open to the public again, but just for looking. Books may be borrowed and curb service is available, by searching online dcl.polarislibrary.com or calling (562) 904-7366. No balloons today, no cupcakes. This was a chance to inspect in person what two years of hard work has accomplished, and a dry run for staff to monitor admissions.

Stacks were stacked full but cordoned off.

Directional signposts on the colorful ceiling pointed you to the Stacks and The Cormack Room, but you didn’t need one to find the new Friends of the Library Book Store because it’s right there, immediately to your right as you enter. Looking more like a grab and go space than a browsing room, for now, nevertheless bowls of garden-fresh Peruvian lilies graced the long countertop, courtesy of an anonymous Friend.

Director of Volunteers Virginia Yoshiyama was seated there, conferring with volunteer Sue Klein. “We love our new location,”’ said Virginia, “but we’re not quite ready yet. We need to put the books on the shelves in categories so they’re easy to find, and make name signs. Now the cookbooks are in with the children’s books, and the histories. Things like that.”

“There’s still so much to do,” said Virginia. “We’re trying to get furniture, like a magazine rack, and book carts for the paperback novels. Ramie (Ramie Johnson, Bookstore Director) is working on it. We want to set up the monthly display for the Silent Auction.”

Is the Library accepting new donations of gently used magazines and books? “Not yet,” said Virginia. “No place to store them. We brought boxes of nice ones we had, and we’re still working on getting them in shape.” Attractive volumes enticingly displayed on the Friend’s shelves, attested to that.

Valerie and Daniel, a local couple were standing at the Friend’s counter, wistfully eager for time when they will be able to be able to be on the other side. “We love the library and especially the Friend’s Book Shop,” said Valerie. “We live on Third Street, just around here.” When asked her opinion of the new décor, Valerie said. “It’s futuristic.” And the use of so much orange? “It’s … bold.”

Then we were off to find what many families rightly consider the heart of the Library, The Children’s Room, and its heart, librarian Claudia Daley. And there she was, standing by the glass walls that look out in green plantings, on the opposite side of the building from where the former Children’s space was. Child-level bookcases have curved corners leading one deeper into the world of books. Low desks and chairs display all-time favorites like Clifford the Red Dog.

Is the whole staff here? “Not all,’ said Claudia, “we will be, but it’s social distancing today. But I made myself be back. I said, ‘If it’s open, I’m gonna be there.’”

All the many thousands of books are all in place on the shelves. That’s got to have been a lot of staff work. “Oh, it was,” said Claudia.” But you know what- we’re ready.

Visiting the Downey City Library on its soft opening