Accompanying the group was Lorie Tinfow, assistant city manager, who is the city staff person helping oversee the project. The tour director was Craig Greenwood, an employee of Gilbane, the project manager. Think double when you think of the new library—it's an impressive sight, even in skeletal state.

The new library is very open—that's so the librarians can see what's going on at a glance. Library staff is not expected to increase, even though most everything else will. The feeling the planners aimed for is that of being in the midst of an orchard. Some 42 more trees are to be planted than were originally on the site.

Trees will be stationed close to the library's designated reading areas so the reader has a feeling of being in the orchard—becoming one with the prunes and apricots, you might say. One reading nook outlook is in the children's room, another in the adult section.

The children's room, incidentally, is almost the size of the total old library, with a storytime puppet theater built right in. The community room can seat almost double what the old one did: 120 folks. There's a separate room for Friends' activities, with podium and projector, plus a storage room with 16 knockdown tables. A cafe will be staffed by volunteer Friends. There's a group study room and an art wall, self-checkout machines in both the children's and adults' sections, and banks of computers for both.

Two paintings by Mary Ann Henderson will grace the entry, telling Saratoga's library history; one depicts the Oak Street library, while the other shows the predecessor to this one. Both paintings are gifts of the Givens family.

Steel girders will be covered with wood and assume a branch-like shape to reinforce the orchard effect. Ceilings are 13 feet high, contributing to the feeling of airiness. Old redwood paneling was recycled for use in the new structure. Old stacks went to the high school and West Valley College.

The Saratoga collection is 180,000 books; the new library is designed to hold up to 247,000 volumes. Santa Clara County residents buy more books than any in the nation, it's said. Wonder if that number will go down significantly once the new Saratoga library opens its doors ...

MARILYN WHITE HONORED: Longtime community activist Marilyn White has yet another laurel to add to the closet full of kudos already bestowed. She was recently awarded the Saunders Silver Service Award from the Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council (SASCC).

The award is given annually to an individual over 60 who has made significant contributions to the community. White was a founding member of the senior center and today is its vice president. She is on the steering committee for the center's Casino Night, which will be held Nov. 2.

The seemingly tireless White was also a founding member of the Los Gatos­Saratoga Symphony and the Saratoga Youth Center and has been coordinator of the Saratoga Blossom Festival for years. Her greatest thrill, she says, was to be chosen as one of the Olympic torchbearers.

Her chairmanships include Saratoga United Nations, a 13-year stint; Saratoga Business Development Council; Saratoga Memorial Day Ceremonies; and the Women's Advisory Committee at West Valley College, where she coordinated the Spring Women's Fair.

Active in the Soroptimist Club, White has won international recognition with Women Helping Women and local recognition by way of the Women of Distinction award. To cap all this, she was named Saratoga citizen of the year in 1975.

A parent of five, White has won commendation for her work with schools, including a PTA honorary life award. Today White edits the Sister City newsletter, drums in its Taiko group and is an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce.

She and husband Charles have lived in Saratoga for 47 years, have five married children, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Whites spend summers in their Idaho home. This activist even manages time for hobbies—art, travel, photography and genealogy. Whew.

HELLO, LEO: The Saratoga Lions Club held the Ice Cream Sundae Charter Night for its newly installed Saratoga High Leo Club. Lions members came out to meet the Leo officers, who are: Joyce Liou, president; Conway Teng, vice president; Nidhi Bhat, secretary; Evelyn Ju, treasurer; Ali Naqvi, historian; and Ching-yu Hu and Jojo Choi, directors.

The Leo group has already helped the community by working at Celebrate Saratoga! Saratoga Lions Marlene Duffin and Pete Kreamer are co-advisors of the group.

Got a story? My email address is maryanncook@earthlink.net.