Los Angeles County officials are planning to host grand openings in March for two county libraries in the Santa Clarita Valley on March 14.

“These libraries will provide a vital resource for our Santa Clarita Valley communities, offering services and programs that educate, inform and improve the quality of life for our families, students, seniors and veterans,” said Tony Bell, spokesman for Supervisor Michael Antonovich. “In addition to providing a central community meeting place to study, read and use computers, they will serve to enhance literacy, technology skills, civic engagement, health awareness and career development.”

Stevenson Ranch

The Stevenson Ranch Express Library is planned to be replaced by a new, larger Stevenson Ranch Library.

The Stevenson Ranch Express Library is expected to close Feb. 28, just a couple weeks before the new one opens.

“That was temporary until we got the library built,” said Yolanda DeRamus, chief deputy for the county libraries. “It’s a small space. Definitely not on the scale of a public library.”

The Stevenson Ranch Library grand opening is planned to be held at 25950 The Old Road at 11 a.m. March 14.

“Based upon the community’s needs and contributions from Supervisor Antonovich’s office, we worked on developing a new library in the community,” DeRamus said.

The library is located in an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County.

Services in the new library include 18 public internet computers, a children’s area and family place that focuses on early literacy and learning, early literacy learning computers and three study rooms, DeRamus said. One study room area is for the teens and two study rooms are for adults.

There will also be a 92 person public meeting room.

The entire library measures 11,551 square feet and cost the county $5.5 million.

Castaic

The Castaic Library grand opening is set to be held the same day as the Stevenson Ranch Library grand opening, March 14 but at 10 a.m.

The current library measures about 6,985 square feet, DeRamus said. The new expansion of the library will bring the square footage to 12,250.

The expansion of the library cost $3 million, she added.

Services at the Castaic Library include 20 public internet computers, two study rooms — one teen study room and one adult study room, a childrens area including family place and four early literacy computers.

Both library locations will have a family restroom as well as audio/ visual systems for the meeting rooms.

The Castaic meeting rooms capacity will be for 78 people.

Study tables and lounge seating will be available throughout both libraries, she said. Bike racks for six bicycles will be available at the Castaic Library.

“The benefit is that it provides more library services and programs and increases availability,” DeRamus said. “We look at the population, the need and determine the appropriate size of the library. We found the need was greater than the size of the library.”

For more information about Los Angeles County Public Libraries, visit the website.

“I know the community is excited about it,” DeRamus said. “They’re always excited about it.”