Mayor's leadership in Big City Mayors coalition helps deliver $300 million in funding while championing mental health reform and homelessness solutions.
Riverside City Councilmember Philip Falcone (left), Library Director Erin Christmas (center), and Assistant City Manager Kris Martinez cut the ribbon at the new Library Locker program installation at the Main Library. (Ken Crawford)
The City of Riverside Public Library is expanding access to books with the introduction of a new locker service at seven convenient locations throughout the city. The library held a ribbon cutting ceremony in the breezeway of the Main Library to celebrate the launch of the Library Locker program.
The service enhances accessibility for patrons with a streamlined process for retrieving reserved materials. By placing lockers in community locations, the library extends its reach beyond traditional branch hours.
Library Director Erin Christmas, who spoke at the ceremony, emphasized the convenience of the new system.
"We understand that our community members have busy lives," said Library Director, Erin Christmas. "These book lockers provide a flexible and convenient way for everyone to enjoy the resources our library offers. We're bringing the library closer to where people live and spend their time."
The process is designed for simplicity: patrons can browse the library's online catalog, select their desired book, and choose a locker location for pick-up. Once the book is ready, they receive an email or text notification, and can then retrieve their item using their library card number at the selected locker.
"The Library team never falls short of pushing innovation and trying to do something more," said Councilmember Philip Falcone. "They consistently look at how to expand and do something new for the community."
The implementation of these lockers reflects the library's commitment to adapting to the evolving needs of its community as well as a recognition that people's expectations of access have changed. The initiative extends library services to those unable to visit during normal operating hours.
The book lockers can be found at seven convenient locations throughout Riverside:
Main Library (3900 Mission Inn Ave.)
Stratton Community Center at Bordwell Park (2008 Martin Luther King Blvd.)
Orange Terrace Community Park (20010 Orange Terrace Pkwy.)
Marcy Library (6927 Magnolia Ave.)
La Sierra Senior Center at La Sierra Park (5215 La Sierra Ave.)
Arlanza Community Center at Bryant Park (7950 Philbin Ave.)
Renck Community Center at Hunt Park (4015 Jackson St.)
The library encourages residents to take advantage of this new service, which is now available at all seven locations. For questions, please contact the Riverside Public Library at (951) 826-5201 or visit riversideca.gov/library.
Riverside artist Rebecca Waring-Crane’s latest project, Article 24, transforms food insecurity data into a powerful visual statement—inviting the community to take part in raising awareness and inspiring change.
