Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
Library staffers, supporters and Berkeley officials (including Mayor Tom Bates, fifth from left) cut the ribbon at the official opening of the new South Branch of the Berkeley Public Library on Saturday, May 11. Photo: Richard Friedman

Saturday May 11 saw the official opening of the new South Branch of the Berkeley Public Library on MLK Jr. Way and Russell St.

The library, designed by architects Field Paoli at a cost of $6.5 million, includes the city’s Tool Lending Library. It is significantly larger than the old library building and energy efficient. Supporters, library-goers and Berkeley government officials turned out in force to mark the occasion.

Read about the new library in our May 11 story.

Scroll down to see photos by Richard Friedman, and view a full gallery of his photographs here.

Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
Berkeley citizens turned out in high numbers to welcome their new library. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
City Librarian Donna Corbeil addresses the crowd, that included councilmen Kriss Worthington (sitting, left) and Max Anderson (sitting, right) on Saturday. Photo: Richard Friedman
City Librarian Donna Corbeil addresses the crowd, that included councilmen Kriss Worthington (sitting, left) and Max Anderson (sitting, right) on Saturday. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
At 8,700 sq ft, the new library is significantly bigger than the old building. It also has a soaring atrium with clerestory windows and maple ceilings. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
Councilman Darryl Moore addresses the crowd gathered at the new South Branch Library. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
Visitors enter the new library for the first time. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
Comfortable furniture and lots of natural light in the entrance atrium area of the new library. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
The Tool Library has been expanded and there is now ample room for all the wrenches, hammers, drills, and ladders. Photo: Richard Friedman
Berkeley Public Library South Branch Reopening
The library includes a new children’s room. Photo: Richard Friedman

Related:
Renovated Claremont library branch opens Saturday [05.03.12]
Never let it be said that Berkeley doesn’t love its libraries [04.09.12]
Gleaming new North Branch Library to open Saturday [04.03.12]
Dates set for reopening of North and Claremont branches [02.14.12]
New addition to North Branch Library almost complete [02.02.12]
Berkeley’s Claremont Library reopening delayed two months [12.07.11]
Berkeley settles contentious library lawsuit [09.06.11]
A peek at the renovations at Berkeley’s branch libraries [08.16.11]
Berkeleyans rally to move forward on library renovations [04.27.11]

To find out about more events in Berkeley and nearby, check out Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. We also encourage you to submit your own events.

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Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...