South San Jose residents have a new library.
Mayor Chuck Reed joined other city leaders to open the Santa Teresa branch Saturday.
The city's newest library, the 22,000-square-foot building replaces a structure of about half the size that had housed the library since 1984.
In addition to more collections space, the airy new structure includes 28 Web-connected workstations, group and individual study areas, an Internet cafe, a community living room with a fireplace, and a meeting space that can hold 100 people.
Public art for the project includes three key elements built around the theme "Cultivate Your Mind in the Orchard of Knowledge."
The branch, located at 290 International Circle, is the 15th city library to be built or overhauled from a $212 million library bond approved by voters in 2000, according to library spokeswoman Lorraine Oback.
Each facility is designed to have its own personality, according to Oback. The Santa Teresa library branch has a distinctive glass tower at its entrance, as well as three separate art installations with themes of knowledge and learning.
Local
Bay City News contributed to this report.
