by Juliane McAdam, SLO County Library Foundation president
A complete set of Quail Trail stickers, each one collected from each SLO County library (photo: Juliane McAdam)
I joined the SLO County Library Foundation board in May 2016, and I became president of the group in July 2017. On the board, I loved learning about our wonderful county library system, so of course I knew that there were 14 branches, but until the summer of 2023 I had visited only three of them. And then in the summer of 2023, the library unveiled its new, local-focused Summer Reading Program, which included the invitation to follow the Quail Trail and visit all 14 branches. There were even suggestions of places of interest or fun things to do in each of the locations. And when you visited a branch, you got a stamp on your summer reading “passport” and a special sticker representing that branch. I told myself it was high time, so I set out on my own Quail Trail.
Since I live in Los Osos, I started with the North Coast libraries: Los Osos, Morro Bay, Cayucos, and Cambria. What charming libraries, and what friendly librarians! I also made a trip into SLO, just to get a stamp on my “passport.” A week later I set out for all the South County branches: Oceano, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, and Shell Beach. Oceano and Shell Beach were so small, and Nipomo and Arroyo Grande so big! But all the librarians welcomed me and wanted to show me their branch and tell me about their programs; I was impressed with the many bilingual programs in Oceano, serving the large Spanish-speaking community there. All the programs in each branch were obviously tailored to the local community. I also learned that Shell Beach is the oldest library in the system. This South County trip was especially interesting to me because I had never been to Oceano or followed those back roads to get to Nipomo. I was exploring new territory.
Toward the end of July, I was attending a Festival Mozaic concert in San Miguel, so I visited that branch. When I left Los Osos, the temperature was 66 degrees; in San Miguel it was 106! The San Miguel library is so small but uses every available inch to provide materials and programs to the residents, especially the children. I was impressed.
Juliane McAdam and a white boa constrictor, found at the Creston library while traveling on the Quail Trail and visiting SLO County libraries (photo: Juliane McAdam)
The only libraries left were the North County branches. My husband is not a library person (it’s my passion, not his) but he had recently purchased a 2008 Mustang GT convertible. I convinced him that the back roads in North County would be a great drive, and he agreed. So off we went, first to Santa Margarita and then to Creston. Talk about small but mighty libraries! And of course we got to meet the near-legendary Cookie and hear how she takes care of her Creston patrons. After a wonderful lunch at the Loading Chute, we headed to Shandon. What a difference! A big library, originally a community building/gym, with high ceilings and the original hardwood floor. My husband, a builder and craftsman, loved the tool lending library! Then we were off to Atascadero, our final stop. The whole time we were on curvy back roads, driving with the top down, on a gorgeous summer afternoon. My husband enjoyed it so much that I was able to talk him into the same trip again in the summer of 2025. And that time, we arrived in Creston just in time for Reptile Ron’s show to a group of enthusiastic children. Imagine my surprise when I was handed an albino boa constrictor! There is never a dull moment in our county’s wonderful libraries!