I knew we were in for something truly special when I drove down Orange Avenue at dusk in early June and did a double take. There, center stage, the Spreckels Library - the original 1909 library on this site - gleamed, bathed in lights that highlighted every detail, column and classical styling. It shimmered like alabaster and positively glowed.

The effect was no less dazzling than when the County of San Diego wisely decided some years back to illuminate the County Building on Harbor Drive. Suddenly, San Diegans became more aware and appreciative of this architectural treasure.

If John Spreckels happened to be looking down on Coronado from on high one day (or night), he couldn't miss the latest "remodeling" of the Coronado Public Library. The city's founding father, the sugar magnate who funded the original library, would probably sum up his feelings about the new library with just one word: Sweet!

At the library's grand opening on June 10, City Manager Mark Ochenduszko pointed out just how important the library was to Spreckels. "He didn't just agree to build it," said Ochenduszko, "He insisted on being very involved in its planning and design."

There are some important messages in the library's beginnings, Ochenduszko said. "The library, (the 1888 'Spring House' on the grounds of the Hotel del Coronado) was Coronado's first public building, even preceding the establishment of the city itself. Then when Spreckels funded the permanent library in 1909, he chose a central location, indicative of its stature and importance to the citizens."

Oh, how sweet it is, this new "library." We must learn to use that term loosely, for this latest remodeling, expansion, updating - call it what you will - is nothing short of a complete transformation.

It may take us a few weeks to fully comprehend what this new institution will mean in our lives. In Coronado, our library has morphed into a complete cultural institution, one that offers a kaleidoscope of opportunities to acquire information, insights, knowledge and ultimately wisdom. It has harnessed technologies, computers and the Internet and packaged them in settings that make them relevant to all age groups, adults, teens and children. High tech has been balanced by high touch: board rooms (for use by community groups), a new Children's Library activity room (and Story-Hour central), art galleries and broad patios invite networking and connectivity.

A prediction: library usage will rise dramatically in the months ahead. And for young people, it will become oh-so-cool to hang out at the library. Just wait till they discover the coffee bar that will open this summer!

Good things come to those who wait, and after twenty-nine months of construction we, the lucky citizens of Coronado, now have a library for the 21st century. Its former 21,000 square feet have grown to 40,000, but it feels like the space has tripled, due to efficient space planning and more user-friendly patio areas.

Director of Library Services Christian Esquevin's handprints are all over this library. His wife, Sydney Stanley, pulled me aside at the Coronado Hospital Foundation Ball in May and we ruminated over the timeline of the expansion. How long had it been? "It started in 1995," Stanley said. "Can you believe it? Ten years! And you know, something, Kris? This is Christian's library. He wanted it. He willed it.

"I'll never forget it. One morning Christian awoke, sat up in bed and told me matter-of-factly, 'Coronado needs a new library. And I'm going to see that we get it.' And then he started the ball rolling."

Stanley, a Coronado native, met Esquevin when the two were students at the University of Southern California, where they both received their Masters in Library Sciences. After the couple married and moved to Coronado, Stanley began her library career working for the City of San Diego's library system; Esquevin launched his career in library science with the County of San Diego. When the City of Coronado announced its search for a Director of Library Services in the early 1980s, Esquevin applied and was selected for the post. (Stanley then entered the world of book publishing.) In 1988, when the library celebrated its Centennial, Esquevin chaired a community-wide effort to create a yearlong series of events, displays and activities. His program was awarded the National Library award for top public relations program of the year.

The new library was constructed at a cost of $9.2 million, with the funding made possible through the establishment of the City's Community Development Agency (CDA) in the 1980s. The CDA has also funded much of the Coronado Unified School District's master plan, the Glorietta Bay Civic Center and Promenade, the City's Public Services yard and Police Services building. "It was a great idea that came forth from a couple of people in our community," said Mayor Tom Smisek at the library's opening, "Former Superintendent of Schools and City Council Member David Blumenthal, former City Manager Ray Silver and former Mayor R. H. Dorman put together the CDA under a new state law for recapturing property tax dollars."

The search for an architectural firm began in 1996, with eight firms making initial presentations; the M.W. Steele Group was selected and company principal Tom Anglewicz was architect of record. He recalls: "There were areas of sensitivity in those initial days. How could the library be expanded without destroying the park and trees? We came up with nine initial concepts that included one and two-story designs and possible on site parking. We finally came to the conclusion that we could best optimize the library by adding space to the rear of the building facing D Avenue, and recapturing the space in the central courtyards and consolidating that space into an expanded children's library and lobby, and then push those courtyards forward."

Another area of sensitivity was to maintain library services during construction, a task that was accomplished by building the rear expansion first, moving the books and equipment into the new section, then building the front section of the library. The Coronado Library was the third library designed by the firm, which has designed three more since that time, with its La Quinta, Calif. library nearing completion.

Anglewicz said that the community and library community was also committed to retaining the original 1909 Spreckels library with its classical motif that includes the names of Greek and Roman authors and philosophers on both the interior and exterior.

A week before the June 10 Grand Opening of the new library, Esquevin led me on a behind-the-scenes tour. Now I should tell you, that Esquevin is a quiet soul, the type of leader who recognizes a need, presents to staff and board constituents the potential of an institution and lays out a plan to reach that possibility and then tenaciously, but always gentlemanly, pursues the goal.

But even for this mild-mannered library director, it was hard to disguise his delight in the unveiling of this final product. We began the tour in the staff area, where a great deal of space has now been allotted to shipping and receiving. "Our former staff area was inadequate the day it opened," Esquevin said, and I had to ask myself if he meant the 1888 opening at the former Spring House at the Hotel Del, or the 1909 opening of the Spreckels library on the site. Perhaps he was referring to the 1935 expansion, when the wings were added; the 1957 expansion of the rear or the 1961 southwest corner addition. Probably all of them.

The volume of volumes the library handles was telling. "We receive three, four or five fairly important deliveries daily," Esquevin said. "Our volume is greater than a fairly good-sized community bookstore. We subscribe to 400 major periodicals, and a number of daily newspapers."

High-density shelving has been installed in the shipping and receiving area, allowing space to be doubled or tripled by condensing shelves via rollers. Computerized systems allow for cataloging, both physically and virtually, of the library contents.

We moved into the lobby. The restored Alfredo Ramos Martinez mural, "El Dia de los Mercado," generously donated to the library by Barbara and Gus Theberge, owners of La Avenida Inn, is mounted directly behind the circulation desk. The murals, painted in 1937 by Ramos Martinez, had graced the walls of the La Avenida Cafe and were saved from demolition by the Theberges who oversaw their restoration and preservation by Los Angeles preservation specialist Nathan Zakheim. Today their value is in seven figures.

Library patrons should know that the murals were painted on the cafe's walls, and the doorways in the library were designed to replicate the layout of those of the cafe. (This was one of Esquevin's pet projects, and one of the few he'll take credit for.) The murals are encased in a custom-designed steel frame and neoprene rubber to protect from earthquakes. (Good thinking; we've had three earthquakes in Coronado since the installation!)

We move to the center of the lobby and I behold a long wide central hallway leading to the Main Library. At the end of the stunning hallway is the second Ramos Martinez mural purchased for $135,000 (and worth far more today) by Friends of the Coronado Library.

The children's library is to my left; its entry portals honoring the Wizard of Oz books written by occasional Coronadan, L. Frank Baum have not yet arrived. The children's library features beautiful maple furnishings, a well-used kid-sized computer lab and a train-set donated by Lionel Rowe that choo-choos on its trestle straddling the kids' bookcases. "The Ruby Room" is a separate room where small fry can enjoy story hours and whoop it up for arts and crafts projects. Children's librarian Ellenjoy Weber has been sewing up a storm to put some special touches on her Munchkin Land. (We'll tell you more about the Children's Library in our next issue.)

Each time, as I turned a corner and was awed by soaring ceilings, the natural light that streamed in, the travertine marble floors and the cherry wood display cases, I saw Esquevin's eye's light up with unabashed pleasure. (Later, when an eager public was streaming through on Saturday of the grand opening weekend, Esquevin was still leading tours. Answering questions and pointing out architectural details, he was the proverbial kid in the candy store.)

Esquevin said he saved the "best for last" on the preview tour, and led me into the restored Spreckels Reading Room. Walking briskly to the center of the room, which once housed the circulation desk, Esquevin smiled broadly and instructed, "Look up."

There, I beheld a beautiful and large domed skylight, original to the 1909 design but subsequently covered up for decades. It let in natural light that cascaded into the formerly dark and, well, dreary lobby. Just like the outside floodlights that lit up the block, this natural light highlighted the names of all the wise men chiseled onto the fascia of the room. Today, the Spreckels Reading Room is pure poetry. Glass-fronted cherry bookcases line the perimeter, leather wingchairs, coffee tables and copper-shaded lights in an Arts-and- Craft style invite you to stay awhile.

Now, I hate to bring up a discordant note, but here goes: Former Coronado historian, the late Bunny MacKenzie campaigned to retain the front-door entrance to the library through what is now the Spreckels Reading Room. MacKenzie prevailed at city hall and the door remains at the front and is functional. But at what cost? Its use is (wisely) discouraged with a big arrow sign directing patrons toward the main entrance to the south. Inside, the serenity and classic lines of the Spreckels Reading Room are disrupted by large metal security devices that must of necessity be installed in front of the little- used door. When you tour this room, ask yourself, what is gained and what is lost by insisting this door be retained. Now that the function of the library can be observed, this superfluous ingress/egress point in an otherwise restful and symmetrical space must be reevaluated.

But, other than this quibble, the reviews are in and the library is nothing short of sensational.

Jeanie Bowers: "I can't stop smiling. It's all so wonderful."

Sue Shanahan: "I have a lump in my throat and a smile on my face."

And Maria Bolster, Alfredo Ramos Martinez's daughter, was present at the grand opening. "My father would be thrilled to know that his murals now are displayed in this wonderful library. It's such a public place where everybody in the community will see his art. And he was very happy living here in Coronado."

Esquevin, in his remarks at the grand opening spoke to the hard work of all who brought the library to life. "The establishment and funding of a library is an act of faith," he said.

In the days leading up to the opening, Esquevin said his staff kept that faith. "I can attest that they worked their fingers to the bone to make this the best library in the County, if not the State."

Will it be a hot summer? Will temperatures soar? No problem from my standpoint: all the more reason to hang out at the coolest spot in town: our new Coronado Public Library.