Riverside Libraries Launch Pet Friendly Cooling Centers Amid Rising Temperatures

The Riverside City Board of Library Trustees held a meeting on December 9, 2024, where key discussions focused on the library's role as community cooling and warming centers, as well as the proposed meeting schedule for 2025.

Jessica Hardina, the assistant library director, reported on the library's initiative to serve as cooling centers during extreme weather. From June 1 to October 15, all eight Riverside Public Library locations provide relief from heat, while from December 1 to March 31, they function as warming centers. This partnership with the Community Action Partnership of Riverside County includes providing free water and snacks to visitors. The libraries officially activate as cooling centers when temperatures reach 97 degrees and as warming centers when they drop to 40 degrees. Over the past year, the libraries averaged around 115 participants during the summer months, with some locations experiencing double that number. Notably, the Staff Sergeant Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanco Library became the first pet-friendly government cooling center in Riverside County, allowing families to bring their pets for shelter from extreme temperatures.

In addition to the weather-related initiatives, the board reviewed the 2025 meeting schedule. Meetings will be held on the second Monday of each month at 5 PM, with the exception of October due to a federal holiday. The board confirmed that they would notify the public of any changes to this schedule in advance.

The meeting concluded without any public comments or additional questions from board members, highlighting the library's ongoing commitment to community support and engagement.