[photo credit: City of Pasadena]
The naming contest, which closed January 17, invited preschoolers through fifth graders to submit name suggestions at the Jefferson Branch bookstore. Three stuffed animals—a bear, dragon, and frog—will receive their winners’ names during the ceremony.
The event arrives at a pivotal moment for both the Friends organization and Pasadena’s library system. The Friends, incorporated as a nonprofit in 1975, marked its 50th anniversary with a significant fundraising push that boosted annual revenue to $656,717, up from $59,651 the previous year.
The contest reflects the Friends’ stated mission to support library programs and “instill the excitement of discovery and the love of reading in library patrons of all ages.”
Jefferson Branch, which opened in November 2022, currently serves as the temporary home for the library system’s children’s and teen services. Central Library, which opened in 1927, was red-tagged and closed to the public in May 2021 after structural assessments revealed unreinforced masonry construction. Voters approved Measure PL in November 2024 with 72.23 percent support, authorizing $195 million in bonds to seismically retrofit the library, with reopening anticipated in summer 2028.
The Saturday event offers accessibility accommodations with 72 hours advance notice. The Friends organization is led by President Janice Segall.
Open House and Stuffed Animal Naming Contest Awards Ceremony will run on Saturday, January 31 at 3-5 p.m. Jefferson Branch Library, 1500 E. Villa St., Pasadena, CA 91106. For more information, call (626) 744-8046 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/library/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D194718981.
