|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2008
Contact:
, Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7379
Fax: (512) 974-7442
Celebrating 40 Years in the Montopolis Neighborhood
haz clic aquí para español
The Austin Public Library is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the Montopolis community on Saturday, November 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Ruiz Branch Library, 1600 Grove Blvd. The library is named in honor of one of Austin’s great community leaders Daniel E. Ruiz, he was a good friend of the Austin community. A native Austinite, he was a dedicated public servant, community advocate and organizer who fought to address inequities and civil right issues.
Come share in this special occasion. As part of the celebration the library will recognize and thank Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) for their generous grant to upgrade the computer training lab (see below). Entertainment will be provided by Montopolis’ own legendary musician Johnny Degollado and his Conjunto. There will also be a DVD screening about Montopolis that was made in the mid-80’s, a slide show of neighborhood images, and an exhibit that includes historical photographs of Montopolis. We encourage you to bring pictures and stories of Montopolis in the early days. Staff from the Austin History Center will be on hand to accept (they will be returned) your photos and record your stories. Help us document the history of Montopolis. There will be refreshments and activities for the children. The celebration is free and open to the public. For more information please call 512-974-7500 or visit www.cityofaustin.org/library.
AMD upgrades Ruiz Branch Computer Lab
Thanks to the generosity and continued support of Advanced Micro Devices, the Ruiz Branch recently received a $7,800 grant through the Austin Public Library Foundation to upgrade the computer training lab with nine AMD powered Athlon 64 systems. The computer training center provides valuable computer classes to individuals who do not have computers at home and to targeted students of the nearby Austin Community College campus. Over the past year the AMD computer lab has held over 350 classes serving over 2,300 students. Additionally, on a daily basis the computer lab serves customers of the library with employment-related or school related computer needs. “We are very appreciative of Advanced Micro Devices’ continued support of the library and its strong commitment to the community,” said Stephanie Neely, Managing Librarian. “This recent donation has allowed us to upgrade the lab with new faster AMD powered based computers, allowing us to more effectively train our customers utilizing the latest technology.”
About the Ruiz Branch
The Daniel E. Ruiz Branch has a large neighborhood following, a history that spans four decades, and an incredible knack for overcoming challenges. It officially got its start back in November of 1968 when APL opened the Montopolis Branch in a neighborhood shopping center at 735 Montopolis Drive. The new branch replaced a busy Austin Public Library (APL) bookmobile that was stationed outside a nearby community center for over a year.
Fifteen years later in 1983, having outgrown its quaint space, the Montopolis Branch was moved to storefront property within the Rivertowne Mall at 2007 Riverside Drive and renamed the Riverside Drive Branch. It was one of the smallest branches in the APL system (at 5,079 square feet). After receiving a federal grant in 1990 to open a Job Information Center (which demanded more space), in 1991 the branch moved once again -- this time to a location within the Riverside Place Shopping Center. Although the Job Information Center has since been retired (in 1996), the branch offers area citizens a long list of wonderful programs.
In 1998, Austin citizens voted to replace Riverside’s current facility with one of the largest APL branches to date. The new 15,000 square-foot facility opened in January 2004 as the Daniel E. Ruiz Branch, located at Riverside Drive and Grove Boulevard. Whatever its size, this active South Austin branch offers rich programs, great materials, and old-fashioned friendly service.
###
|
