In the Wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Library Finds New Ways to Serve

Families return to the children’s area on opening day (Photo – Brin Wall)

Though much of Altadena was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, the Altadena Libraries found new ways to support the community.

By Brin Wall

With its buildings closed, within days the library found new ways to support the community. It partnered with L.A. County Parks and Recreation to staff five free “care camps,” places where children and teens from families impacted by the fire were able to play, be with friends, and get creative.

The district also teamed up with L.A. County Library, the Altadena Library Foundation, and the L.A. County Library Foundation to launch a connected wellness campaign to raise funds to offer hotspots, books, and other essentials to families. To date, the district has distributed 100 hotspots, allocated another hundred to recipients, and continues to fundraise to provide hotspots for those whose homes were destroyed.

Working with local organizations was key to the library’s efforts. “With support from Pasadena Library, we were able to host story times, crafts, a local magician, and other programs at their branches,” said District Director Nikki Winslow. “We’re part of the Eaton Fire Collaborative, and we’ve been to countless outreach events with our mobile libraries. But we are so happy to be back at our library to serve Altadenans in our community.”

(L) Library staff and media greet residents on opening day (R) A satellite dish helps provide cellular service for the Main Library network (Photos – Brin Wall)

While Main Library was relatively undamaged, it took nearly a month for water (still not potable) and power to be restored and another month to remediate the facility, deep cleaning, running commercial grade air scrubbers and industrial fans, and testing. Restoring the network was particularly tricky, given that more than two miles of fiber burned. The solution? Business-grade 5G cellular service that can supply adequate internet for staff and patrons.

The work paid off; the Main Library reopened on Tuesday, March 4. “It’s never been more important for us to be here,” said Winslow. “Our library serves as a central gathering place for neighbors, and we want it to be a symbol of hope and recovery for our community.”

Brin Wall is an information professional with more than 20 years of experience. With a background in journalism and library science, she serves as the marketing specialist for the Altadena Library.