b'Bear River Library Bear River Branch Manager Mandy Kelsey sits in her favorite spot Library in the library: the cozy nook by the childrens play area. Warning: It can get noisy.N evada Countys newest library is the Bear River branch, which opened in January 2024 in the Combie Marketplace shopping center by Lake of the Pines If youre looking for a quiet space, dont come Thursday mornings, quips Branch ManagerSwipe your way into your local Mandy Kelsey. library. Access is a matter of trust.The voices of children can be heard as two young sisters exploreAt the Penn Valley and Bear River libraries, an electronic the art corner. Nearby,box is attached to the wall by the front door. Its Open Plus, a a woman watchessystem that lets patrons in after hours.her great-grandsonOpen Plus is the Nevada County Library Systems answer twirl with a stuffedto staffing limitations that result in fewer open hours than dragon toy in the playpatrons would like.area. Soon, two olderThe Bear River Library is in the Lake of the PinesWere very trusting, said Bear River Branch Manager women, also sisters,shopping center. You can see the Open Plus box to theMandy Kelsey.troop in with bags ofright of the door. Interested patrons agree to the rules of the system and get knitting yarn and felting materials for the craft room. Shortlyan access card. When coming after hours (up until 10 p.m.), after, two teenage girls head over to the young adult section. the patron inserts the card, punches a code into the keypad When they opened this new library, it was a new life for me,and the door opens. Books can be reserved ahead of time; says Natalia Shamrock, the great-grandmother who also offersthey go onto the green cart by the check-out desk. Using an puppet shows on the last Thursday of each month. We visit theapp on the cell phone, the patron can check out the book and library two or three times each week. Its just very good. browse other material Eva Sutton is a nanny who cares for two elementary-school- in the building.age girls, and the Bay Area-based family spends summersOpen Plus sees a lot here. The library has so much on the schedule. The girlsof use on Sundays and lose themselves in here, Sutton says. A library is somethingMondays, when the priceless for the kids. branch is not staffed. Posted on walls around the space are clues for a scavengerAfter the 4 p.m. closing hunt, offering prizes such as stickers or a pencil. This monthstime, parents can topic is endangered animals. Next to the check-out desk,come in with their the Nevada County Sheriffs Office has a satellite office. Achildren while waiting book club meets here, and Kelsey arranges related activitiesout another childsBranch Manager Mandy Kelsey shows the including meet-ups with the authors. activity at the nearbyOpen Access box at Bear River Library. Until growing into its own space, the Bear River Libraryhomeschooling center and martial arts school. Its a safe, comfy space for them to operated for many years at nearby Bear River High School a great partnership, Kelsey says. hang out, Kelsey says.The only issues so far have been technical.Were very lucky that people in Nevada County support Bear River Library the libraries, Kelsey said, that we can trust them and they Branch manager: Mandy Kelsey trust us.11010 Combie Road Open Plus is not yet available at other local branches. Auburn (Lake of the Pines), CA 95602 Its hard to retrofit the buildings, said Nevada County (530) 265-7052www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/377/Bear-River-Library Librarian Nick Wilczek.10SENIOR DIRECTORYWestern Nevada County Edition 2024'