West Sacramento Friends of the Library President Treasurer Alex Hirsh and Yolo County Library System Regional Manager Shuqin Jiao attend the April 10 City Council meeting.

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - For more than a century, the Yolo County Library has served as a beacon of access to knowledge, entertainment and inspiration for all individuals.

That is the one line in a profoundly inspirational proclamation presented to the Yolo County Library system and Arthur F. Turner Community Library by West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and the West Sacramento City Council at the April 10 meeting.

Councilmember Verna Sulpizio Hull read the proclamation that declares April 7 to April 13 as National Library Week to West Sacramento Friends of the Library President Treasurer Alex Hirsh and Yolo County Library System Regional Manager Shuqin Jiao.

 Councilmember Verna Sulpizio Hull speaks at the City Council meeting.

Sulpizio Hull detailed how the library system fosters "collaborative partnerships with various entities, including city departments, the Washington Unified School District, the Los Rios Community College District, nonprofit organizations and local businesses. After reading the proclamation, Sulpizio Hull shared a personal story.

"I grew up in West Sacramento and I was homeschooled, so the library was homebase for me and my family," Sulpizio Hull said.

Touting the library system's programs, Sulpizio Hull encouraged residents to visit the system's website, where "you will be so incredibly impressed" with what is available for every age group.

"When I was a small child, we did a book reading and we were studying Laura Engels Wilder's ‘Little House on the Prairie’ and the project was to do a diorama and my diorama was selected to be shown at the library," Sulpizio Hull said. "It is still one of my proudest moments to date, some 35-plus years ago."

Hirsh called the evening an honor. He said the library stretches back decades, serving the community endlessly.

"The library, of course, is more than just the depository of books or a place of learning or a place of resources; it's a place of community," Hirsh said.

Noting how the last few years have been financially difficult for all, ranging from families to nonprofit organizations, with the no library no exception, Hirsh said, "There were times when we had to limit in-person services," but not now.

"The library is open," Hirsh said, adding that not only is it open but children's reading is scheduled every day of the week in Russian and Spanish. "How incredible is that?"

Councilmember Quirina Orozco thanked both library officials before saying, "Once a child learns how to use the library, the doors to learning are always open.

 Councilmember Quirina Orozco speaks at the April 10 meeting.

"We can't underscore the importance of how much of an equalizer it is," Orozco said.

Councilwoman Norma Alcala also recalled her childhood, sharing how she engaged in reading competitions within the library system.

 Mayor Martha Guerrero speaks at the meeting.

"I remember on Saturdays when most kids were riding their bikes, there was a group of us always in there trying to read as many books as possible," Alcala said.

Mayor Guerrero thanked the officials for "feeding our minds" with education. The mayor commended the Friends of the Library for their achievements and the "strong momentum of getting people together."

"Your compassion for our community runs very deep," Guerrero said.

 Mayor Martha Guererro and the West Sacramento City Council presented the Yolo County Library and West Sacramento Friends of the Library a proclamation for National Library Week from April 7 to 13.