The Stanislaus County Library will celebrate the grand opening of the downtown Modesto Express Library on Monday, Jan. 6. Community members are invited to explore this new location in the 10th Street Plaza while enjoying a morning of festivities and refreshments, while supplies last. The event will begin with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m.

Weather permitting, library storytellers will host a special Story Time in the plaza at 10:30 a.m., followed by activities for children and opportunities for all ages to sign up for the Winter Reading Challenge. The activities will be available to enjoy in the plaza until noon.

The opening of the Express Library at 1002 10th Street comes approximately one month after the temporary closure of the Modesto Library. Located at 1500 I Street, the Modesto Library is expected to reopen in the summer of 2026 after the completion of critical infrastructure upgrades and enhancements to amenities and spaces within the library.

To continue providing library services in the downtown Modesto area, the Express Library will be open six days a week for visitors to apply for library cards, pick up holds, return materials, print and scan, and borrow from a small selection of books available for checkout.

“Whether you’re a regular library user or stopping by for the first time, the Express Library in 10th Street Plaza is a great spot to discover what the library has to offer,” said County Librarian Sarah Dentan. 

The Modesto Express Library will be staffed by a rotation of library staff during open hours: Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

With 13 locations throughout the county, the library system offers a diverse collection of free materials, computer access and Wi-Fi, Story Times, programming for all ages, and more. To learn more about the Library’s wide array of programs and services, visit www.stanislauslibrary.org.