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Brentwood Press - DiscoveryBayPress_05.02.08 - Index

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MAY 2, 2008
It’s a go for Library
A-Go-Go program
by Ruth Roberts
Staff Writer
The nation’s fi rst public lending book program,
Library A-Go-Go, is scheduled for implementation
at the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART
station on May 29. The second dispenser is scheduled
to be installed some time this summer at the
Sandy Cove Shopping Center in Discovery Bay.
“We’re very excited about the machines,” said
Cathy Sanford, deputy county librarian. “It’s very
cutting edge and we are thrilled to be involved.”
Popular in Europe, particularly in Scandinavian
countries, the equipment looks and operates
in much the same way as a typical ATM machine.
Customers who use the device insert their library
card and select their materials from a menu. Once
an item is chosen, it dispenses the book in a box.
When the reader is ready to return the book, it’s
put back into the box and placed into the slot, like
a bank deposit.
“The machine gives you a receipt both when
you check out the book and when you return it,”
said Sanford. “And anyone with a Contra Costa
County library card can use it.”
The purpose of the mechanized lending library
is to provide reading services to isolated or
remote areas of the county such as Discovery Bay,
Knightsen and Bethel Island, which have little or
no access to library services – without building another
library.
The implementation of the service at area
BART stations allows riders access to a book for
their commute and provides easy access to area
residents. “Reading is so important for building
strong societies,” said Supervisor Mary Piepho.
“Through these machines, we’ll make it easy to
borrow books, whether you are a commuter on
BART or a parent checking out children’s books
at a machine here in Discovery Bay.”
The county plans to install four of the machines
over the next few months at the Pittsburg/
Bay Point and Discovery Bay locations, as well as
one at the BART station in Pleasant Hill and one
more as-yet-to-be-determined location.
At a cost of $100,000 apiece, the book lending
machines are being paid for through a combination
of California state library grants and community
redevelopment agencies.
The BART location machines will hold up to
400 books, said Sanford, while the Discovery Bay
dispenser will hold fewer at 270 books.
“The reason that the Discovery Bay machine
is projected for less books is because we are programming
this site for more family-oriented items,
which mean picture books,” said Sanford. “And if
you have ever seen picture books, you know they
are all different sizes and shapes and they take up
more room. That’s the reason for there being less
(books).”
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thepress.net.
Opportunities for
the Fair-ly talented
Do you make a fabulous cheesecake?
Or perhaps an awesome banana
nut bread? Enter it in the Contra
Costa County Fair for a chance
to win a blue ribbon and even cash.
From pocket pets to fi ne arts,
pirate-themed piñata to home-baked
goods, the Contra Costa County
Fair offers exhibit categories for everyone.
Children, teenagers, adults,
senior citizens and schools can enter
exhibits in the fair – a great opportunity
to display your work and win
prizes.
Interested exhibitors may enter
in categories such as fi ne art, photography,
decorated cakes, baked foods,
needlecraft, amateur home brew,
homemade wine, computer science,
woodworking and much more.
Livestock classes for youth, include
sheep, horse, beef cattle, swine,
llamas, goats, poultry, rabbits, dogs
and pets. Try your hand at special
contests such as Marshmallow
Monster, Pirate Scarecrow, Backyard
Chef and Salsa Showdown.
New this year is the Procrastinator
Division, specially created for
those procrastinators who miss their
entry form deadlines. Just bring in
your exhibit and entry forms on the
item’s receiving date found in the Exhibitors
Handbook (available online
at www.ccfair.org) and pay the $5 fee
per entry.
Entry forms and the entire Exhibitors
Handbook may be downloaded
at www.ccfair.org. Forms
and the fee are due by May 6. Online
entries close on May 13.
All entries can be seen from
May 29 to June 1 at The Treasure in
Your Backyard – the Contra Costa
County Fair in Antioch.
For more information about
exhibiting at the 2008 Contra Costa
County Fair, visit www.ccfair.org,
call 925-757-4400 or e-mail jburror
@ccfair.org.