A new library master plan approved by the San Diego City Council this week — the first in more than two decades — calls for several new branches, more meeting space and tailoring the resources at each branch to the surrounding neighborhood.
The plan is expected to have a big impact on the city’s 36-branch library system. The last master plan, adopted in 2002, spurred an 84 percent increase in library space citywide.
Adoption of the plan has also prompted council members to call for significantly more funding for library operations, from about $70 million per year to about $125 million per year.
Councilmember Joe LaCava said upgrades to service and resources envisioned by the master plan won’t be possible without more money for operations.
The 180-page plan will also require many millions in infrastructure funding, which is separate from operations money, to pay for construction of new branches and the expansions of others.
It calls for building three brand new branches in new locations, totally rebuilding eight branches on or near their existing sites and significantly expanding seven other branches.
The plan aims to create more equity across the city by recommending new or expanded branches in older and less affluent communities, mostly in the southern and eastern parts of the city where many branches are relatively old and small.
Newly built and expanded branches will also be more climate-friendly in their designs and operations. An example is the Pacific Highlands Ranch branch under construction in Carmel Valley, which will be all-electric.
Branches will also be built in new spots.
The plan says city officials should consider shifting away from building only freestanding libraries with their own parking lots and instead locate them inside mixed-use projects that also include commercial space and housing.
For example, the city considering putting a new branch for University Heights inside a proposed housing development there, Head Librarian Misty Jones said.
The plan says new libraries could also be built in conjunction with other city facilities, such as recreation centers or fire stations.
The plan also calls for a greater focus on after-hours access, community event space, designing spaces so they can serve multiple functions and tailoring branch resources to the surrounding area.
For example, branches in wealthier areas where users check out more books should focus on building large collections of materials. In lower-income areas where many people lack access to technology, there should be larger computer labs.
LaCava said the council and Mayor Todd Gloria must prioritize funding, including state and federal grants, to pay for the long list of projects in the plan.
“We cannot let this plan sit on the shelf,” he said Monday, just before the council voted 8-0 to approve the plan.
LaCava said the council should also prioritize a goal set 21 years ago — when the last master plan was adopted — of spending 6 percent of the city’s annual operating budget on libraries.
The city has never met the goal. It devoted 3.4 percent of its budget to libraries last fiscal year and is slated to spend 3.5 percent of its budget — $73.2 million — on libraries during the ongoing fiscal year. Boosting that to 6 percent would mean an increase to roughly $125 million.
The new branches in new locations recommended by the plan would be in Mira Mesa, Clairemont Mesa and eastern Otay Mesa. Each would be roughly 25,000 square feet — a new city standard the plan would set for all new branches.
The goal of the new branch in the Clairemont Mesa area would be to alleviate pressure on multiple smaller branches in the area that aren’t large enough to support community needs for meeting space and other functions.
The eight branches slated for total reconstruction on or near their existing sites are Oak Park, San Carlos, Allied Gardens, University Heights, North Park, Paradise Hills, Kensington-Normal Heights and the University Community Library in southern University City.
The plan says the Paradise Hills and Kensington-Normal Heights branches could potentially be rebuilt on nearby sites instead of their existing sites.
The seven branches that would be renovated and significantly expanded are Ocean Beach, Linda Vista, Pacific Beach, Mission Valley, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mountain View and the North University Community Library in northern University City.
Pat Wilson, president of the Friends of the San Diego Library, praised the plan.
“Adoption of this plan guarantees nothing, but it’s an expression of hope in a brighter future, an expression of values by this council and a signal that every community in San Diego matters,” she said.
