1 9 9 9 . ▁The ▁Mark s ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Arts ▁was ▁built ▁from ▁the ▁gener os ity ▁of ▁Don ▁and ▁Peg gy ▁C rav ens , ▁Bob ▁and ▁Barbara ▁Le ber man , ▁and ▁the ▁CO D ▁Al umn i ▁Association ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Their ▁substantial ▁support ▁has ▁permitted ▁CO D ▁to ▁further ▁upgrade ▁and ▁expand ▁its ▁arts ▁facilities ▁into ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁beyond . ▁College ▁of ▁the ▁Des ert ' s ▁library ▁building , ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁is ▁unique ▁in ▁California ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁that ▁is ▁shared ▁by ▁a ▁college ▁with ▁both ▁a ▁city ▁( P alm ▁Des ert ) ▁and ▁a ▁county ▁( R ivers ide ) ▁library . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁residents ▁in ▁the ▁high ▁desert ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Co ach ella ▁Valley ▁were ▁also ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁college ▁district . ▁Their ▁affili ated ▁Co pper ▁Mountain ▁Camp us ▁in ▁Tw ent yn ine ▁Pal ms ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁and ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁district ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁renamed ▁Co pper ▁Mountain ▁College ▁and ▁became ▁an ▁independent ▁district . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Valley ▁Center ▁opened ▁to ▁address ▁a ▁need ▁for ▁more ▁English ▁and ▁eth nic ▁studies ▁classes , ▁such ▁as ▁Mexican ▁American ▁Culture ▁and ▁Int ro ▁to ▁African ▁American ▁Liter ature , ▁as