The San Ramon library branch will finally be opening its doors after a year-and-a-half-long renovation.

It is expected to open in the second week of March, according to the San Ramon public service department.

The library’s expansion and  renovation began on August 17, 2015, once the San Ramon City Council approved the $4.45 million budget.

The renovated public library features an expanded second floor that adds more than 3,100 square feet to the property, a redesigned first floor with increased space for the public, and a larger space for kids and their families, including an early literacy area, according to the Contra Costa County library website.

A newly added second entrance facing the new San Ramon City Hall and Central Park connects the library to the Bollinger Canyon corridor. And new technology upgrades support the community’s high expectations for information access.

Other updates also include areas for quiet reading, four small study rooms, a meeting room that can accommodate up to 10 people, and two listening rooms in the Jazz area. A larger meeting room with state-of the art A/V equipment can also open up to the entire second floor space.

Many Cal High students are excited for the new library branch to open.

“I can’t wait until it opens. I know it will have a modern flair to it,” said senior C.C. Freeman. “Students will finally be able to have a place to study and absorb new knowledge.”

For freshmen, the benefits of the library couldn’t have come at a better time. They will have the rest of their high school years to take advantage of the updated library.

Students can take advantage of the small study rooms to work on group projects. And the best part is the branch is within walking distance from Cal’s campus. It may also prove to be a refuge for those seeking a quiet place to study.

“The library will help me focus because at home there are too many distractions,” said freshmen Spencer Stickney.

The reopening is definitely widely anticipated, as many students have been dissatisfied with having to use the school’s library because of distractions, crowding and limited hours.

“The library is super loud,” said junior Melia Lowe. “It should be a quiet place.”

Others have also voiced their frustrations with the school library’s limited resources.

“The reason why I never go to the school library is because of all the distractions and I can never find a computer open,” senior Alex Gibson said.

Students aren’t the only ones excited for the library’s reopening. Teachers and staff also look forward to using the upgraded library.

English teacher Michelle Mascote is relieved she won’t have to drive to the Dougherty Station branch library anymore.

“I hope that students will take advantage of the new library and go more frequently, given its accessibility,” Mascote said.