Twenty one years ago in 1987 when we moved to West Delray we immediately became members of the West Atlantic Library off Cumberland Avenue which was just a short drive from home. During all these years we have been ardent users of their selection of books, videotapes and DVD’s. We were fortunate to have the convenience of the library across the street from where we live.

This Saturday, June 7 at 5 PM the doors on this familiar, friendly institution will close forever--the end of an era that began in January 1978 when this branch opened as a 1,855 sq. ft. facility named the Del Trail Branch. In September 1982 it was expanded to 11,500 sq. ft. and renamed the West Atlantic Avenue Branch. The building was donated to the library System by the developers of Villages of Oriole. In December 1994 a 5,000 sq. ft. building was erected adjacent to the existing facility adding a meeting room and staff area.

Soon a new era begins when the Hagen Ranch Road new library opens on July 11 with larger, brighter space, more books and DVD’s, more computers, more meeting rooms---in a word a greatly improved, larger asset for our community. Now the folks at Emerald Point and Newport Cove will have the library very close to their homes, and we West Atlantic Avenue folks will have to travel a bit further. So be it. We thank Karen Spano, Branch Manager and her staff for all the years of courteous service and look forward to utilizing the new branch with great anticipation.

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