BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- After being closed for a year, the southwest branch of the Kern County Library has reopened. The library shut down in January 2024 after county supervisors cleared the building for necessary life-safety and critical maintenance improvements, as well as security enhancements. Over $800,000 in grant funding was provided through the "Building Forward Library Infrastructure Grant." ‘Know Your Rights’ forums continue after Border Patrol’s ‘Return to Sender’ operation ends A Grand Opening was held Wednesday morning at the library to welcome readers back to the reading room. "This library is so valuable to the community, it's our only library on this side of the 99, and so we have a big service population. We have lots of school-aged kids, homeschoolers and they really go here as a safe haven to study, to get a free meal, to learn and grow," said Shalyn Pineda, Assistant Director of Libraries. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage "We also have tons of programming, STEAM programming, storytime and literacy. So, we always have something going on for the kids." The Holloway-Gonzalez branch also reopened in January after finished construction. Branches set to see future enhancements include Baker, Arvin and others.