Yolo County Library - Mary L. Stephens Branch

The Mary L. Stephens Branch is part of the Yolo County Library system. It used to be known as the Davis Branch as the sign in the picture below indicates, but the name was changed in December 2006 to honor the former Yolo County Librarian who served from 1969-2006. Other book/item returns can be found at Patwin Elementary and near the main parking lot at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School. In 2011, the school library at Montgomery became a small satellite open regularly Saturdays 10 AM to 2:00 PM and Tuesdays 5 PM to 9 PM offering a small browsing collection, internet computers and pickup of materials placed on hold through the catalog.

Because of November 2007 Election/Measure P, the building closed for renovation, taking about a year starting in Summer 2009. The library was closed for moving from August 15th to September 8th, according to a press release dated 7/24/09. On Tuesday, September 8, the library opened at an alternate location: 2801 Second Street (Pena and Second, the former DISC arena behind Explorit Science Center) until renovations were completed.

On November 2, 2007 before the passage of the measure, JessicaRockwell interviewed Branch Librarian JayJohnstone on her KDVS show Neoisms about library services and the measure. This project was covered in the Davis Enterprise on June 10, 2008 and March 15, 2009 (Newsbank). The move to DISC was covered in the Enterprise on June 10 and June 30, 2009.

Some notable changes: The reference desk and circulation desk have been combined and the children's room has been greatly expanded, Outside, the bike rack area has been moved to the northern end of the parking lot and is lightly sheltered, and two automated check-in stations have been added which allow a patron to return an item and receive a receipt for the return immediately. The number of public computers doubled to 38. Several new public art pieces and new skylights were added.

Photos

The new exterior

The old exterior

The Children's Room

The Nonfiction Room

The machine sorts books into their ~~houses~~ locations a 2009 sign warning of bike thefts

Resources

Audio Books

Blanchard Community Room

For more information see The Blanchard Community Room.

Children's Room

Good-sized, and has a play area with toys. Includes children's movies and their own check-out desk. The Davis Toy Library has relocated here.

Career and Test Preparation

People preparing for standardized tests may utilize the library's digital practice test database, a free feature from http://www.learningexpresslibrary.com. Available tests include: ACT, ASVAB, GED, SAT, CBEST, GRE, MCAT, LSAT, and more. Go to the reference desk and ask for more info. As previously mentioned, they also have a section for test books.

Computer and Internet

These are Internet Access computers for public use. There are 38 computers available, in almost constant use. The library has WiFi throughout the building. You can access wifi by sitting outside the library as well. Unfortunately, the wifi connections allow only HTTP - even VPN connections are blocked. Ethernet jacks are in the meeting room, but the Ethernet jacks require authentication and are for staff use only.

What exactly does this mean? 802.1x? The last time I tried to get ethernet here, the jacks I tried in the main area were just dead (if memory serves, and this was before the installation of web OPAC), and LUGOD lore says that dhcp is available from the red jack in The Blanchard Community Room but only tcp port 80 and 443 can go out to the internet. —NickSchmalenberger

Databases

The Yolo County Library subscribes to many online databases like Newsbank.

Digital Media

Library patrons may download e-books, audiobooks, and other digital media from the library website.

E-books

Yes, the library has e-books that you can download to your computer or tablet. Like checking out a regular book, they need to be "returned"; like checking out a regular book, it's free! See this page for details

Fiction Section

Foreign-Language Materials

There is a shelf across from the Science-Fiction section that includes cassettes and CDs to help you learn other languages. Some of the audio material comes with books. Languages available include: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Danish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Yiddish and more.

Inter-Library Loan system

If you cannot find a book inside the Yolo county system, they can post a notice to other libraries and one will eventually loan the book to YCL who then checks it out to you! It can take awhile because the books travel from anywhere in California, and another library system has to valiantly answer the call.

Large Print

The sizable large-print section might be just what your eyes need.

Movies

There are both DVDs and VHS. (in English and many other languages).

Non-Fiction Section

Study Carrels and Tables

After 1:30-2:00PM weekdays, students from the local schools come in and usually fill the available tables/study space.

Teen Section

Banned to non-teens during after school hours, the teen section also includes the Davis Library's graphic novel collection, which contains your regular selection of Marvel and DC compendiums (some vertigo too), but also a lot of mature graphic novels and lot of independant-ish graphic novels from publishers like Fantagraphics and Drawn and Quarterly. Expect to find your X-Men, Green Lantern, American Splendor (Harvey Pekar), and works by Chester Brown and others.

Circulation Policies

You may check out as many as 50 items per library card with the following limits:
4 non-fiction books per subject
10 Blu-ray
10 DVDs
10 Books on CD
10 Music on CD
No other limits on other formats or media

Loan Periods

3-week circulation period: CDs, Audio Cassettes and Books
1-week circulation period: Videotapes, DVDs, Magazines, watt meter
Reference materials do not circulate.

Renewals

The following may be renewed for 2 successive periods if there are no requests for them:

Videos, DVDs and magazines - 1 week per renewal
CDs, books and audio tapes - 3 weeks per renewal

Online and phone renewals available. Library card number (and library pin number for online renewals) is required.

Online renewals: Go to http://web-iii.yolocounty.org, click on "MY RECORD", enter the number from your library card and your library pin number, and check the boxes for the items you'd like to renew. Be sure to verify that the items have been renewed successfully. Someone may have placed a hold on an item, and if so, you will be unable to renew it.

Automated phone renewal available 24/7 at 530-666-8016 or 530-666-8017. Have library card and items ready. Listen for confirmation of renewals and note due dates.

Fees

Overdues

Fine per day per item:

$.20 for book, magazine, audio cassette, CD, video cassette, DVD, and special materials.

Lost or Damaged Material

Damage Fee up to $5.00
Replacement fee is cost of item plus $5.00 processing fee (new, identical items accepted as replacement).

Other Charges

Lost or damaged card - $1.00
Black & White Copies (per page) - $.15
Color copies - $1.00
Returned check - $25.00
Meeting Room

per hour (closed hours only) - $10.00
food/beverage use $10.00
staff call back $50.00

Book Group

Big Read: Open Access Science

The county-wide Big Read Book Club comes back for its second year to read and discuss Robert Sapolsky’s account of his graduate years studying primates in Kenya!
In A Primate’s Memoir: A Neuroscientist’s Unconventional Life Among the Baboons Sapolsky deftly weaves his personal narrative into descriptions of his science — for him, the two are deeply related.
Read the book, and come join our discussion as we talk about how scientists learn about the very essence of what makes us human by setting out to study our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.
If you are interested to share your ideas, comments or feedback about social behavior among primates, please join us in the Blanchard Room for book discussion session.
The upcoming book discussion is on 2/12/2012 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m at the Blanchard Room.
Please visit the Big Read: Open Access Science Blog for more information. http://sciencenovels.wordpress.com/

Older Adult Book Group

Meets at Davis Branch Library's Blanchard Room monthly. For more information, please contact Joan Tuss at joan.tuss@yolocounty.org.

Best Time to Visit

Weekdays before 2PM and after 6PM are the best times to go to check out a book or just browse. After 1:30-2:00PM weekdays, students from the local schools come in and usually fill the available tables/study space.

Reserving Materials Online

The Yolo County library system has a pretty good selection of books, movies, and more. However it is spread across several branches, and popular books and DVDs other than Richard Simmons' Workout are generally snatched up quickly. If there is a particular book, movie, or other media that you desire (including items currently located at other branches) and you have a library card and PIN, you can look it up and reserve it from home through the online catalog. You will be emailed when the item is available, and can then pick it up from the hold shelves. This is also good for busy people - reserve your items ahead of time, and you can be in and out in five minutes, with no searching.

Parking

Parking is usually not a problem, but because it is a city lot, the lot can fill up at certain times and days of the week. This is true for weekdays around 2:30-3:00PM, when tons of parents commandeer the lot, waiting to pick up their little darlings from North Davis. The same parents will overrun the lot on Saturday mornings, when they come to watch the same little darlings participate in soccer. This has occasionally led to frustrated library patrons complaining to library staff, who can't do anything about it because it's a city lot. Bicycling to the library is a very practical and effective solution because of the library and Community Park's great bike path connections to the North Star Greenbelt and other bike routes.

Book Sale

Every two months, the Friends of the Davis Public Library will hold book sales at the library. These are good for picking up some fiction or non-fiction on the cheap, and are usually in the J. Richard Blanchard Room (named after a long-time friend of the library who worked at Shields Library). Members of the Friends get first dibs the first couple hours of the sale, before it is opened to the public, though one could always join at the door. The Friends also maintain a book/magazine nook just inside the library entrance— a good opportunity to pick up older magazines or cheap beach books for mere change. The funds are used by the Friends of the Library to enhance the services and collections of the library.

Bronze Plaques Outside

Unidentified text in an italic hand, roughly early 16th century

Arabic? Looks like an early form of Korean with Chinese characters integrated Fantasy early Greek with multiple epichoric variants mixed.

Take some time to wander the sidewalk between the library and its parking lot. Embedded in the concrete are bronze plaques with amoebic edges, one of the Public Art projects installed at the site. (Others are the etchings on the glass of the doors and windows, and the ceramic installations around the two water fountains.) Each plaque has writing on it using a different writing system from around the world. There was some controversy because the writings are not actual texts — they artistically use the writing systems, rather than using the languages. There are 13 plaques with Egyptian hieroglyphics, Mayan writing, cuneiform, and others, designed to "provoke curiosity rather than satisfy it which is purposely left for the appropriate institution, the library", according to Wang Po Shu who created the artwork.

Bike Racks

The covered bike rack area in the lot appears to have less room than was available after the decorative wall was removed from the old structure. There is still room for the ubiquitous bike/trailer combo, but expect to get wet after parking your bike on rainy days. The photovoltaic panels on the roof of the structure are reported to be generating nearly $1,000 monthly credit on the library energy bill, helping to compensate for the plentiful power outlets used by visitors to power their laptops and other digital devices.

Photos of the Temporary Location When It Was At DISC

Comments:

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2009-03-21 16:51:56 Stay away during lunch time when the high schoolers overrun the library/computers. Don't they have their own lab? —EricaMacGregor

2009-06-21 02:28:39 I'm surprised that the renovation went on even with the budget issue. And when asked about whether programs will be continued (storytelling for the kids, etc), they said they're not sure? So which one is more important-brand new renovations or services? —val

As someone who uses the library regularly, I'd have to vote for the renovations. Actually, I did vote for them : ) . The linked measure was to authorize a tax with a specific purpose: keeping the library's hours, additional staffing and funding the building update. I'd asked the children's librarian about the temporary location, got an answer, but have since forgotten (something makes me think that it'll be near Explorit on 2nd St.—I'll update this if I remember for sure or after I ask again). She had also said that she's going to try to continue w/ the storytimes and programs, but they need to find a suitable venue.—KevinChin

Childrens programming continues at the temporary site (2801 Second Street, corner of Pena and 2nd in the same building as Explorit). The storytimes for youngsters are conducted in the childrens section of the library, are well-attended, and seem to be appreciated by other library users even when it gets noisy. It's a joyous sound. (Jay Johnstone)

2009-06-21 15:18:57 They're moving to DISC. Renovations is great, just wanted to be sure that they'd be able to continue their excellent programs and be able to still host community groups there, and not just upgrading the infrastructure.. —val

2009-08-07 18:38:41 I used to support the Friends of the Library booksale, but lately have seen some price increase that's hard to swallow - e.g., the Belle Cooledge Library booksale (dates overlap with current booksale at Davis) sells their adults books at 50 cents (hardcover) and 25 cents (softcover), while the Davis FOL sell theirs at 2 dollar each? That's 4 times what they sell in Sacramento, people. Can anyone give me a reason for this? Even the SPCA thrift store sell their adults used book at 1 dollar I think, and all the kids books there are 25 cents vs. 50 cents to a dollar at the Davis library sale. —val

2009-11-04 14:04:16 There is now a Pepsi vending machine near the bathrooms at the temporary location. Not sure if this is for raising extra revenue for the library or not. —ZachStednick

The "Pepsi" machine vends water and tea drinks besides sodas. Having it at the library is experimental, to see how much demand there is for this convenience, and whether or not spillage is a problem. The renovation includes an area designated for snacks and beverages and may contain a vending machine also. The revenue is a small secondary benefit compared to the convenience for staff and visitors. (Jay Johnstone, Branch Manager)

Made me blink a second when I saw it; thinking I was in the lobby of an off-Strip Vegas motel. —DickLiddle
Good one, Dick! Can't wait to see the improvements back at the Branch. The suspense will be intense since there will be no library open at all in Davis after the temp. location closes Oct. 4 till Dec. 7. BrianOrr

2010-09-14 17:16:32 So will they bring back the teen center that was located here originally since the only other center for them was taken over by the Bicycling Hall of Fame? —Wes-P

It's back and it has graphic novels too! —ObviouslyAnonymousUser62

2011-01-26 10:03:13 Was I correct in seeing a flyer that says theres Mandarin Chinese storytime on Sundays at 3pm? —jsbmeb

Yes, there is now a free weekly bilingual storytime in Mandarin and English for children ages 5 and under. Check out the official press release for more details.

2012-03-20 11:52:03 Silence and respect for the space of others are not a priority in this library. It seems as though the needs of those who wish to converse and speak on their cell phones and the needs of children to scream, demand, throw tantrums and run across the hallways are more important than the needs of those who need some silence to read and concentrate. Please step at the entrance of the library and listen to the chartroom atmosphere. One can get more silence at Starbucks, unfortunately. —AChaves

If you really want silence go to the quite area (near the North West) or check out an alcove. Silence is aggressively enforced in the former. Reference librarians will be on it if you inform them... Daubert

We are sorry to hear that you found it difficult to enjoy the library. We understand that some people come to the Library in search of a quiet, peaceful environment while others come to the Library for our activities and programs. While these different agendas/activities may sometimes seem to conflict, they are also a reflection of the varied interests and needs of our community. The staff at the Davis Public Library strive to create an environment that provides diverse and engaging opportunities for all people to read, learn and connect. We also strive to give all individuals the same consideration and level of service. Please let the staff at the Reference Desk know if you feel someone’s behavior is inappropriate for the Library. And please feel free to explore the Hughes Room (as mentioned by Daubert) where we actively maintain a quiet space. You may also take advantages of our study rooms with the first comes first serves policy. —PuiyukSin, Davis Library Staff

2012-10-23 11:28:17 The library will be closed Monday, November 12 in observance of Veteran's Day. —PuiyukSin

2012-11-14 09:21:48 The library will be closed during the week of November 19th through November 25th due to staff furloughs. No materials will be due during the furlough. —PuiyukSin

2012-11-26 11:37:12 The Library will be closed from December 23rd through January 1st due to staff furloughs. No materials will be due during the furlough. —PuiyukSin

2013-02-04 12:17:02 The library will be closed Monday, January 21st in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. —PuiyukSin

2013-02-04 13:08:55 From their website: "All branches will be closed Monday, February 18, in observance of Presidents' Day." —gcoville

2013-02-26 10:30:25 The library will be closed Sunday and Monday, March 31 and April 1, 2013 due to staff furloughs. —PuiyukSin