The Linda Vista Branch library is a mid-sized branch in the SDPL system, constructed in 1987.
Geographically, Linda Vista is essentially the heart of the City of San Diego, and several signs marking its boundaries highlight this distinction. Metaphorically, the diversity of the community also is representative of San Diego. Developed in the 1940s as a center of housing for military personnel and factory workers during World War II, it's now a primarily residential neighborhood, home to several elementary and secondary schools as well as the University of San Diego.
The library has as diverse a collection of materials in Asian languages as I've seen thus far, featuring books in Chinese, Vietnamese, Lao, and more. As you'd expect, this diversity is an apt reflection of the diversity of Linda Vista itself. The community has a large population of immigrants from Southeast Asia. In fact, the book The Gangster We Are All Looking For, by Le Thi Diem Thuy, which chronicles the experiences of a Vietnamese family seeking refuge in the United States during the Vietname war, is actually set in the Linda Vista. The book was selected by One Book One San Diego in 2011, a project run by SDPL that selects one novel each year for San Diegans to read, and then hosts events related to the book, including discussions and talks by the author.
Friday, December 2, 2016
Monday, November 28, 2016
Harold Washington Library (Chicago)
Last week, I had the chance to visit family in Chicago for the Thanksgiving holiday. Serving the third largest city in the United States, the Chicago Public Library system is one of the largest public collections in the country at over 5.7 volumes. It consists of the Harold Washington Library Center and 79 other branches spread throughout the city. I decided to visit Harold Washington, the central library of the system located in the south loop in downtown Chicago.
In 1987, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington approved funding of a new central library project. Construction began a year later, and the library opened its doors to the public in 1991. Named after the first African-American mayor of the city, Harold Washington Library is has 10 floors, and even after several hours I was only able to see a small section of the building.
It was interesting seeing how the climate of Chicago compared to that of San Diego has shaped the architecture of each library's architecture. The Harold Washington library is much more self-contained; it's all in one big rectangular building that takes up an entire city block, and it's well insulated but doesn't have much natural light throughout the building. Conversely, the Central Library in San Diego has a much more open feel, with different balconies and terraces and several buildings combined into one large library complex.
In 1987, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington approved funding of a new central library project. Construction began a year later, and the library opened its doors to the public in 1991. Named after the first African-American mayor of the city, Harold Washington Library is has 10 floors, and even after several hours I was only able to see a small section of the building.
It was interesting seeing how the climate of Chicago compared to that of San Diego has shaped the architecture of each library's architecture. The Harold Washington library is much more self-contained; it's all in one big rectangular building that takes up an entire city block, and it's well insulated but doesn't have much natural light throughout the building. Conversely, the Central Library in San Diego has a much more open feel, with different balconies and terraces and several buildings combined into one large library complex.
What holds constant, however, is that both these libraries are some of the largest public libraries in the country, fairly new, extremely nice, and play an fundamental role in their communities.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Rancho Bernardo
Of the five-ish months that I've been working on this project, I'd yet to visit a library in North County. I figured I'd remedy that imbalance by making the trip up to the Rancho Bernardo branch library, the farthest north of any library in the system, and the longest distance from the Central Library downtown (around 25 miles as the car drives). Such is the nature of Rancho Bernardo-- it's large, sprawling, upscale, but somewhat geographically isolated, the northern-most community with San Diego's city limits.
This isolation was intended; Rancho Bernardo began to take shape in the 1960s as a planned community. The community largely white collar and upper middle class, inhabited by families. A lot of investment in made in Rancho Bernardo's public facilities, and the library branch is no exception.
Outside of the Central Library, this branch has been my favorite one to visit so far. For one thing, it's a pleasure to just look at and be in. The earthy tones of the library complement the geography of the area well, and the walls of windows and tall ceilings give the building a bright yet relaxed feel. Also, despite the library's size and amount of patrons (it's one of the busiest in the system), it's very quiet, at least on a Saturday morning when I visited. It has a lot of individual cubicles and work tables, and as large a collection of books, magazines, CDs, and other media as any branch in the system. The library also has a second floor with several meeting rooms, making it one of the most popular locations for SDPL meetings and events.
This isolation was intended; Rancho Bernardo began to take shape in the 1960s as a planned community. The community largely white collar and upper middle class, inhabited by families. A lot of investment in made in Rancho Bernardo's public facilities, and the library branch is no exception.
Stacks |
Study Spaces |
North County is home to a majority of San Diego's tech and pharmaceutical companies, and the library kind of gave me the feel of an upscale office building or research institute. A lot of this feel can be attributed to its sheer size; at almost 23,000 sq ft, it's one of the largest branches in the system. It's also one of the newest, built in 1996. Overall, I highly recommend visiting the branch, even if it is a bit out of the way.
Seating Area leading to Courtyard |
View from 2nd Floor |
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
San Carlos
The San Carlos branch library sits at around 8,000 sq. ft and was built in the mid 1970s.
The branch is actually the eastern-most library in the SDPL system (with the exception of the new Skyline Hills branch, set to open this month), and the geographical location of San Carlos reflects its terrain. The neighborhood is home to the Lake Murray reservoir, one of the most popular destinations in the county for fishing, kayaking, birdwatching, running, cycling, and other recreation. The library is also located less than a third of a mile from the trail head of Cowles Mountain. The summit of Cowles, at an elevation of 1,593 feet, is the highest point in the city of San Diego.
The library has the standard architecture and layout of one of the older branches. It's self-contained in one large room, with seating and computers in the center and the children's' area, stacks, and the circulation desk on the periphery.
Entrance |
Stacks |
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Announcement: New Skyline Hills Branch Opening
The City of San Diego has announced on its website that the new Skyline Hills branch library will be celebrating its grand opening on Friday, October 14th. The library will be hosting a community celebration of the opening on noon of that day, and tours of the new building will be offered.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer, SDPL Director Misty Jones, and other San Diego officials broke ground on the new library almost exactly a year ago:
The library is the first new branch built in San Diego since 2009.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer, SDPL Director Misty Jones, and other San Diego officials broke ground on the new library almost exactly a year ago:
The library is the first new branch built in San Diego since 2009.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Tierrasanta
The Tierrasanta Branch library is located in the Tierrasanta neighborhood, a residential suburb of around 30,000 residents. Signs in the area refer to the neighborhood as "an island in the hills," an description that's not inaccurate; the area is secluded, surrounded by canyons on all sides except the west.
The library is similar to many of the small branches in the SDPL system. It's one main room with the staff desk near the entrance, the computers and main seating areas in the center, a children's section on the side, and the stacks in the back of the library.
The library reminds me a lot of the neighborhood itself-- small, quiet, secluded, and has kind of an Earthy feel. Tierrasanta overall has kind of a small town, Middle America feel, something a lot of neighborhoods in San Diego don’t really have. It's middle class, there’s no effects of tourism, it’s somewhat isolated like I said, it has one library, one community center, one rec center, one library, one high school, things like that. Something that I've learned over the course of this blog is that every branch, even if only subtly, really reflects the area that it's set in. The Tierrasanta branch is no exception.
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Front of the Library |
Stacks |
Stacks |
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Serra Mesa- Kearny Mesa
One of the newest and nicest libraries in all of San Diego, the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa branch opened in late 2006. The library has a collection of over 50,000 items, including books and other media, and it holds a computer lab of 40 computers available for public use. The 16,000 sq ft branch, now almost ten years old, is more than three times the size of the old library Serra Mesa branch that it replaced.
The library also houses an office for the the San Diego Workforce Partnership's Metro Career Center. The center offers numerous resources both online and in-person for job searching, such as job boards and job search workshops.
The library is located on Aero Drive, a major east-west road that essentially extends between the 163 and 15 freeways. The road also essentially serves as the border between Kearny Mesa to the north and Serra Mesa to the south. Kearny Mesa is primarily a commercial area, home to many retail centers, office parks, government agencies, and the Montgomery Field airport. Serra Mesa, to the south of Aero Drive, is much more residential, home to around 24,000 San Diegans. Check out the aerial photo below and notice the airport to the north, homes to the south, and the library (circled in red).
Entrance |
Stacks |
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Aero Drive |
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Mission Valley
The Mission Valley library is one of the newer and larger branches in the system, built in 2002 and sitting at around 20,000 sq. ft. Due to its central location in Mission Valley, its proximity to a trolley stop and major retail stores, its ample amount of space, and its large collection of books, computers, and other resources, this library is probably the busiest branch in the SDPL system that I have visited so far, not including the Central Library.
I visited on a Tuesday, and I can only imagine how busy the library is on weekends. Nevertheless, the size of the library and the many different rooms and patios extending off of the main room provide ample quiet and secluded spaces. The architectural structure of the building is similar to that of the City Heights branch in that the library consists of one large room with a tall ceiling and a terrace at the back of the library that overlooks the main floor.
The second floor also has a nice covered outdoor seating area.
Mission Valley is an interesting part of the city. It's certainly not what would be considered a traditional "neighborhood," although there are an increasing amount of apartment complexes and condos being built in the area. Yet, it's an area where people from all over the county congregate-- it's the location of Qualcomm Stadium, where the Chargers and SDSU Aztecs football team play their home games, it houses two of the biggest malls in the city, Mission Valley and Fashion Valley, and it geographically sits at the heart of the city boundaries. It is easy to see, then, why the SDPL system invested in building a large library in this area.
View from the Stairs to the 2nd Floor |
View from the 2nd Floor Balcony |
Outside Seating on the 2nd Floor |
Stacks |
Monday, August 15, 2016
Pacific Beach/Taylor
Only a three minute walk from Mission Bay and a five minute walk from the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Beach/Taylor library is surrounded by the cool, soft, slightly salty breeze that beachfront residents know so well. Although I've yet to visit the La Jolla or Ocean Beach libraries, I suspect that the Pacific Beach/Taylor branch is likely the closest in distance to the shore. It is flanked on the west and south by coastline, both shores located within a quarter mile of the library.
Also, a general note: I'm going to start taking more photographs at the libraries, because my short descriptions don't really do them justice. In general, I've been avoiding taking pictures because I don't want to invade people's privacy, even if it's in a public place, but I can get by taking pictures of exterior areas, meeting rooms, or secluded stacks of books. If nothing else, at least those pictures will give a feel for the interior design of a branch, if not help the viewer to picture its layout.
It is clear that the architecture and design of the library was planned with the beach at the forefront. The 12,500 square foot structure is designed in a the shape of a nautilus shell, and the shell pattern permeates through the layout of the building through arrangements of the interior design and artwork. Surrounded by various outdoor seating areas, library has numerous windows and no shortage of natural light, including a large skylight that stands over the main circulation desk.
The library block also has a small park with grassy hills and sand pit.
Also, a general note: I'm going to start taking more photographs at the libraries, because my short descriptions don't really do them justice. In general, I've been avoiding taking pictures because I don't want to invade people's privacy, even if it's in a public place, but I can get by taking pictures of exterior areas, meeting rooms, or secluded stacks of books. If nothing else, at least those pictures will give a feel for the interior design of a branch, if not help the viewer to picture its layout.
Main Entrance |
Multipurpose Room/Gallery |
Grassy Area |
Sand Pit |
Pacific Beach is one of the older neighborhoods in San Diego, but holds a youthful vivacity due to its young population and vibrant nightlife. It is home to many college students and young professionals, in addition to families and older folks. This beach itself has a beautiful boardwalk and is a favored area for surfers and other beach-goers, and many popular bars, restaurants, and shops line Garnet Avenue just steps from the shore.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Special Visit: UC San Diego Geisel Library
Although not affiliated with the San Diego Public Library System, the Geisel Library is one of the most iconic structures on the University of California San Diego campus, as well as in the city of San Diego as a whole. It is one of the two buildings that compose the UC San Diego Library (the other being the Biomedical Library, located about a 5 minute walk away in the med school), and was constructed in the early 1970s. Originally known on campus as Central Library, in 1995 the structure was named after Audrey and Theodore Geisel (the latter more commonly known under his pen name, Dr. Seuss), who were generous benefactors to the library.
The building consists of eight floors, though the main entrance to the library is on the second level and the third level consists only of an outdoor patio and much of the concrete frame that holds the structure. The first floor is actually underground, and is home to much of the staff only areas, computers and media viewing areas, and specialty material storage such as journals and music score. The second floor is the main entrance to the library and home to different information and assistance desks. The floor contains two large wings, east and west, which each have computers and printers. The west commons on the second floor also holds the special collections and library archives. The fourth through eight floors hold the majority of the library's collection, and also have tables and study rooms around the perimeter of the floors.
Overall, it was an interesting comparison for me to explore the Geisel library after visiting seven SDPL branches thus far. Even without observing the general demographic of the patrons in the building, there is a clear distinction between an academic library at a research university, a library built to enable past knowledge to be studied and shaped into ideas of the future, in comparison to a public library, designed to provide resources to the local community that extend beyond the cover of a book or the dimensions of a screen. Both kinds of libraries have their unique strengths and goals, and visiting them both gives me an appreciation for how broad the role of libraries in our society really extends.
For more information on the Geisel Library, visit them online:
http://libraries.ucsd.edu/about/us/geisel-building.html
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Oak Park
The Oak Park library is another one of the smaller branches of the SDPL system, serving the Oak Park community. Similar to the Mission Hills and Balboa branches, it consists of one big room and has a section of desktop computers and tables in the center, with bookshelves surrounding on the perimeter.
The library is located only three miles south of San Diego State. Oak Park is an older area in Southeast San Diego, consisting of single-family homes and apartments/condominiums alike. It is a working class neighborhood, and one of the most ethnically diverse regions of the city. This diversity is shown in the book selection of the library, which features tests in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Cambodian, among other languages.
In 2014, the famous Democratic Georgia congressman and civil-rights leader, John Lewis, actually spoke at the Oak Park library, discussing in part how he was unable to receive a library card as a child due to the segregation prevalent in the rural Alabama. His address to the library and residents of Oak Park and other areas centered around the importance of education and of tolerance in creating a more cohesive and peaceful society. Looking at the Oak Park library and the patrons it served, it is clear that the library is meeting this lofty goal.
The library is located only three miles south of San Diego State. Oak Park is an older area in Southeast San Diego, consisting of single-family homes and apartments/condominiums alike. It is a working class neighborhood, and one of the most ethnically diverse regions of the city. This diversity is shown in the book selection of the library, which features tests in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Cambodian, among other languages.
In 2014, the famous Democratic Georgia congressman and civil-rights leader, John Lewis, actually spoke at the Oak Park library, discussing in part how he was unable to receive a library card as a child due to the segregation prevalent in the rural Alabama. His address to the library and residents of Oak Park and other areas centered around the importance of education and of tolerance in creating a more cohesive and peaceful society. Looking at the Oak Park library and the patrons it served, it is clear that the library is meeting this lofty goal.
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Photo from San Diego Free Press |
Link to San Diego Free Press article on John Lewis:
http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/03/civil-rights-icon-john-lewis-at-san-diegos-oak-park-public-library-in-this-place-the-beloved-community/
http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/03/civil-rights-icon-john-lewis-at-san-diegos-oak-park-public-library-in-this-place-the-beloved-community/
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Point Loma/Hervey
Completed in the fall of 2003, the Point Loma/Hervey branch library was the first new library completed through the SDPL's $300 million library rebuilding measure. Measuring up at nearly 26,000 square feet, the library is five times the size of the previous Point Loma branch and, according the the City of San Diego, holds over 80,000 books and other materials.
As its name suggests, Point Loma is is a peninsula that borders the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Bay, and San Diego River. It's home to the Cabrillo National Monument, a national cemetery, and three military installations, in addition to residential and commercial areas. Geographically, Point Loma is an extremely large yet condensed area, and the region contains several different neighborhoods within itself.
In 2006, San Diego Magazine named the Point Loma/Hervey branch the best public library in the city. A reflection of Point Loma's proximity to the ocean, the library has a nautical theme. The lower level of the library has a faux ship hull with a mast that extends to the the upper level, and the ship serves as part of the library's children's section, which is the largest in SDPL system. The library also has a nice rotunda that serves as the entrance, and a mosaic map of Point Loma on the ground below.
With its size, the library obviously has a large collection of materials. I was interested to find a section of books on military history and life, as well other as other resources for veterans and military families.
https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/about-the-library/projects/pointloma
As its name suggests, Point Loma is is a peninsula that borders the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Bay, and San Diego River. It's home to the Cabrillo National Monument, a national cemetery, and three military installations, in addition to residential and commercial areas. Geographically, Point Loma is an extremely large yet condensed area, and the region contains several different neighborhoods within itself.
In 2006, San Diego Magazine named the Point Loma/Hervey branch the best public library in the city. A reflection of Point Loma's proximity to the ocean, the library has a nautical theme. The lower level of the library has a faux ship hull with a mast that extends to the the upper level, and the ship serves as part of the library's children's section, which is the largest in SDPL system. The library also has a nice rotunda that serves as the entrance, and a mosaic map of Point Loma on the ground below.
With its size, the library obviously has a large collection of materials. I was interested to find a section of books on military history and life, as well other as other resources for veterans and military families.
https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/about-the-library/projects/pointloma
Friday, July 1, 2016
City Heights/Weingart
In the short time period in which I've been visiting different library branches and experiencing the facilities and opportunities available in them, the most apparent conclusion or overarching theme I've deducted from the different branches is that the San Diego Public Library system really molds itself to fit the needs of the different communities it serves and of changes characteristic of 21st century life. No branch that I have visited thus far, however, embodies this idea more than the City Heights/Weingart branch library.
Though in past decades known as one of the most neglected communities within San Diego, in recent years the local community in City Heights, assisted with funding from various government agencies as well as private benefactors and philanthropic foundations, has unified to revamp the communities' public infrastructure and resources. This development has centered around the City Heights Urban Village, a redevelopment project complex with public parks, retail stores, restaurants, affordable housing, a police station, and the Weingart branch library.
The library is a large branch at nearly 15,000 square feet, an apt size to serve what it, according the City Heights Initiative (more information below), the most densely populated community within San Diego. According to KPBS, around the library has around 239,000 patrons annually, and it ranks fourth in the entire SDPL system for public computer usage.
My favorite part of the library is the open feel and natural light coming from the second level. The library has a second level that feels like a loft with lots of seating areas, individual study spaces, and group meeting rooms.
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For more information, check out the City Heights Initiative website:
http://cityheightsinitiative.org/
Though in past decades known as one of the most neglected communities within San Diego, in recent years the local community in City Heights, assisted with funding from various government agencies as well as private benefactors and philanthropic foundations, has unified to revamp the communities' public infrastructure and resources. This development has centered around the City Heights Urban Village, a redevelopment project complex with public parks, retail stores, restaurants, affordable housing, a police station, and the Weingart branch library.
The library is a large branch at nearly 15,000 square feet, an apt size to serve what it, according the City Heights Initiative (more information below), the most densely populated community within San Diego. According to KPBS, around the library has around 239,000 patrons annually, and it ranks fourth in the entire SDPL system for public computer usage.
My favorite part of the library is the open feel and natural light coming from the second level. The library has a second level that feels like a loft with lots of seating areas, individual study spaces, and group meeting rooms.
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For more information, check out the City Heights Initiative website:
http://cityheightsinitiative.org/
Monday, June 27, 2016
Mission Hills
Sizing up at only 3,850 square feet, the Mission Hills branch library is among the smallest in the system. For this reason coupled with it's age (it's architectural design and feel is reminiscent of the 1970s), the library is actually set to be replaced by a new branch that will break ground within the next year or so. The new 15,000 square foot facility is design to accommodate patrons from both the Mission Hills and Hillcrest areas and will be built four blocks to the east of the current Mission Hills branch, straddling the border between the two communities it is set to serve. The new branch is expected to be completed by late 2017 or early 2018, according to a San Diego Union Tribune report made last year (linked below).
More information about the future of the Mission Hills branch, among other branches in the SDPL system:
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jan/09/branch-library-expand-construction-bond/
http://www.library92103.org/fomhhblibrary/Home_Page_files/history.pdf
More information about the future of the Mission Hills branch, among other branches in the SDPL system:
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jan/09/branch-library-expand-construction-bond/
http://www.library92103.org/fomhhblibrary/Home_Page_files/history.pdf
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Balboa
The Balboa branch library is located just off of Balboa Avenue in the Clairemont neighborhood. According to the San Diego Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO), Clairemont as it stands today was developed in the mid 1950s and fulfilled its design to be one of the biggest postwar planned communities in the United States. The region's suburban sprawl greatly extended the reach of San Diego's boundaries, and with the development of new homes and communities came the building of public facilities such as schools and libraries. The neighborhood is expansive and contains three different SDPL libraries. The Balboa branch, opened in 1971, is the newest of the three.
The library is named for a major road in the vicinity; it's located right off of Balboa avenue, busy road connecting the 5 and 15 freeways with miles of restaurants and large shopping centers. However, the library and its location are surprisingly quiet considering the level of traffic that always seems to surge on Balboa avenue, and it is set in a largely residential area in the eastern section of Clairemont.
The Balboa branch is among the smaller branches of the system, sizing up at around 5,000 square feet. It has the typical layout of an older community branch: a building of one main room comprising of the front desk/reception area, computers, tables, stacks, and children's section. A unique aspect of the layout of the library is the seating built into the windowsills behind the nonfiction stacks, which provides little nooks for reading away from the in and out traffic of the entrance but also in an area full of natural light. Considering its age, the library is also very clean and well organized.
The library is named for a major road in the vicinity; it's located right off of Balboa avenue, busy road connecting the 5 and 15 freeways with miles of restaurants and large shopping centers. However, the library and its location are surprisingly quiet considering the level of traffic that always seems to surge on Balboa avenue, and it is set in a largely residential area in the eastern section of Clairemont.
The Balboa branch is among the smaller branches of the system, sizing up at around 5,000 square feet. It has the typical layout of an older community branch: a building of one main room comprising of the front desk/reception area, computers, tables, stacks, and children's section. A unique aspect of the layout of the library is the seating built into the windowsills behind the nonfiction stacks, which provides little nooks for reading away from the in and out traffic of the entrance but also in an area full of natural light. Considering its age, the library is also very clean and well organized.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Central Library
It’d be nearly impossible to understand the San Diego Public Library system without first understanding the Central Library, and thus it seemed to be an apt location at which to begin the blog. I figure this location is where we’ll end as well, around a year from now, hopefully with a better knowledge of the library system and of the city and its inhabitants.
Interestingly, though the Central Library is the most popular and largest branch in the system, it is also one of the newest. Some folks that remember the storied yet crumbling building that housed the old central library (now defunct and still unoccupied in the East Village), may be shocked by the eight stories of Postmodern grandeur that compose the new Central Library, opened in 2013. I’m by no means versed in architecture, but it’s impossible not to appreciate the way local that architect Rob Wellington Quigley incorporates San Diego’s characteristic sunshine into the building with tall ceilings, walls of windows, and different nooks for reading and observing scattered throughout the building. Just one visit to this library would be more than enough to fill entries for this blog for an entire year, but alas, there are other branches to visit and other entries to be written. The library itself is truly breathtaking, both in its size and also in grandeur.
Set in downtown nearby Petco Park and the convention center, it can be a bit difficult to get to the library, and parking can be scarce. Luckily, the 12th & Imperial station of the MTS trolley is located two blocks from the library, and bus routes also. The library also offers two levels of underground parking, free for the first two hours (with validation) and $1.25 for every 20 minutes thereafter. A sprawling collection of terraces and towers unified by a large dome that covers the rooftop, the library’s appearance is great symbol of the city’s commitment to education and community. The entrance feels much like a public square, fit with tables, benches, a coffee stand. These facilities sit between the main entrance to the library, the library’s bookstore, and an auditorium used for weekly concerts, films, lectures, and other events. The library consists of nine floors, including the rooftop.
1st Floor: This floor features the entrances and lobby, as well as service desks and collections of CDs, DVDs, and children’s books.
2nd Floor: Home to the social sciences stacks as well as many desktop computers. Also the location of the teen center, which features a large collection of Young Adult literature, couches and tables, study rooms, and even an Xbox.
3rd Floor: The third floor features stacks, reading areas, and is home to the library's Innovation Lab, a room that hosts workshops and is available by special request. The Lab has computers, a laser cutter, 3D printer, 3D scanner, and other equipment.
4th Floor: This floor features many of the humanities stacks, and also has ample areas for reading.
5th Floor: Like most libraries of its size, each successive floor of the Central Library generally increases in quietness, and so, too does the productivity of its inhabitants. The fifth floor is the last of the main stacks, and is generally the least busy and my personal favorite for reading or studying.
6th Floor: The sixth and seventh floors of the library are home to e3 Civic High, a charter school serving around 250 students from grades 9-12. As is expected, these floors are are not accessible to general library patrons. The school has its own separate entrance to the library, aside from a shared building there is minimal contact between the school and the public. Nevertheless, if visiting the library after 3pm on a weekday, you're sure to see a few students wearing white Oxford shirts with a blue e3 sweater vest.
7th Floor: e3 Civic High School. No Public Access.
8th Floor: This floor is home to more stacks as well as the Society for American Baseball Research's baseball collection, which features an extensive collection of books on the history of the sport, as well as various items of memorabilia. Given that the library is located literally across the street from Petco Park, it's a perfect location for such a great collection.
Roof: The ninth floor of the library is truly a spectacle, offering various rooftop sitting areas with extraordinary views of downtown, the ballpark, Coronado, and the water. For this reason, coupled with access to a large multipurpose room, the roof is often used for various events at the library, ranging from public talks to private, catered events. The roof also offers an art gallery which rotates shows periodically. Lastly, a the roof houses the library's rare book collection, featuring many different manuscripts,texts, and other writings all available for public view during select library hours.
I make a futile effort to describe all that the Central Library houses on its grounds because it serves as a great microcosm for the role that all public libraries play in their respective localities. In an age where information is free and easily accessible, libraries remain relevant in their capacity to bring together people in a community and provide resources and insight that can’t be viewed through a computer screen.
I’ve linked below an event calendar to learn more about what the SDPL system offers.
Interestingly, though the Central Library is the most popular and largest branch in the system, it is also one of the newest. Some folks that remember the storied yet crumbling building that housed the old central library (now defunct and still unoccupied in the East Village), may be shocked by the eight stories of Postmodern grandeur that compose the new Central Library, opened in 2013. I’m by no means versed in architecture, but it’s impossible not to appreciate the way local that architect Rob Wellington Quigley incorporates San Diego’s characteristic sunshine into the building with tall ceilings, walls of windows, and different nooks for reading and observing scattered throughout the building. Just one visit to this library would be more than enough to fill entries for this blog for an entire year, but alas, there are other branches to visit and other entries to be written. The library itself is truly breathtaking, both in its size and also in grandeur.
1st Floor: This floor features the entrances and lobby, as well as service desks and collections of CDs, DVDs, and children’s books.
2nd Floor: Home to the social sciences stacks as well as many desktop computers. Also the location of the teen center, which features a large collection of Young Adult literature, couches and tables, study rooms, and even an Xbox.
3rd Floor: The third floor features stacks, reading areas, and is home to the library's Innovation Lab, a room that hosts workshops and is available by special request. The Lab has computers, a laser cutter, 3D printer, 3D scanner, and other equipment.
4th Floor: This floor features many of the humanities stacks, and also has ample areas for reading.
5th Floor: Like most libraries of its size, each successive floor of the Central Library generally increases in quietness, and so, too does the productivity of its inhabitants. The fifth floor is the last of the main stacks, and is generally the least busy and my personal favorite for reading or studying.
6th Floor: The sixth and seventh floors of the library are home to e3 Civic High, a charter school serving around 250 students from grades 9-12. As is expected, these floors are are not accessible to general library patrons. The school has its own separate entrance to the library, aside from a shared building there is minimal contact between the school and the public. Nevertheless, if visiting the library after 3pm on a weekday, you're sure to see a few students wearing white Oxford shirts with a blue e3 sweater vest.
7th Floor: e3 Civic High School. No Public Access.
8th Floor: This floor is home to more stacks as well as the Society for American Baseball Research's baseball collection, which features an extensive collection of books on the history of the sport, as well as various items of memorabilia. Given that the library is located literally across the street from Petco Park, it's a perfect location for such a great collection.
Roof: The ninth floor of the library is truly a spectacle, offering various rooftop sitting areas with extraordinary views of downtown, the ballpark, Coronado, and the water. For this reason, coupled with access to a large multipurpose room, the roof is often used for various events at the library, ranging from public talks to private, catered events. The roof also offers an art gallery which rotates shows periodically. Lastly, a the roof houses the library's rare book collection, featuring many different manuscripts,texts, and other writings all available for public view during select library hours.
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Baseball Collection (Image Property of SABR) |
I make a futile effort to describe all that the Central Library houses on its grounds because it serves as a great microcosm for the role that all public libraries play in their respective localities. In an age where information is free and easily accessible, libraries remain relevant in their capacity to bring together people in a community and provide resources and insight that can’t be viewed through a computer screen.
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8th Floor Reading Room |
I’ve linked below an event calendar to learn more about what the SDPL system offers.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
About This Blog
Hello,
First of all, thanks for stopping by and taking a look at the site. Presumably, if you're here, you either have an interest in libraries in general and/or the city of San Diego, and if so, you're in the right place.
A little bit about me:
I've lived in various places around San Diego County for 19 years now. Among other things, I love reading, writing, sports, the Internet, history, nature, and of course libraries. I have fond memories of visiting various libraries in the county as a child that stretch as along as I remember, and of the 35 libraries in the San Diego Public Library (SDPL) system, I've already been to a handful of branches due to having lived or been close to them.
What is this project?:
As the title suggests, the central goal of the project is to visit every library in the SDPL system, and experience their respective locations, collections, features, etc to learn what makes them each unique and provide information to people like you who might be considering visiting them. In general, each blog entry will feature some basic, objective information about the library I am visiting: location, size, features, etc. Then, I'll describe what I liked about the specific branch or what I thought was unique about it in comparison to other branches. I'll try to include a few pictures (taken either by myself or from Google Images) and maybe provide short anecdotes to help portray the feel of that particular location. I'm sure what content I post and what I focus on will evolve over time, and that's a good thing. Mathematically, you can expect content about once every 10 days, which means that I have my work cut out for me.
Why visit a bunch of libraries?:
Rather than a "travel guide" or drive-by Yelp review of the libraries that compose the SDPL system, I see this project as an exciting and hands-on way to learn more about San Diego itself and all the communities that comprise it. In many ways, it’s difficult to define what a library really is in the 21st century, what role it plays in our lives, and what purpose it posses for the preservation or development of the larger community it inhabits. Libraries are a vital facet of nearly every community in the county, and hopefully while exploring the libraries over time, you and I might pick up some insights about the library system and the various people and communities that enjoy it.
Except for the original goal, nothing in or about this blog is set in stone. I'll always appreciate any comments, questions, or suggestions from anyone out there who has feedback. Thanks so much for reading; I'll hope you'll be back here soon.
First of all, thanks for stopping by and taking a look at the site. Presumably, if you're here, you either have an interest in libraries in general and/or the city of San Diego, and if so, you're in the right place.
A little bit about me:
I've lived in various places around San Diego County for 19 years now. Among other things, I love reading, writing, sports, the Internet, history, nature, and of course libraries. I have fond memories of visiting various libraries in the county as a child that stretch as along as I remember, and of the 35 libraries in the San Diego Public Library (SDPL) system, I've already been to a handful of branches due to having lived or been close to them.
What is this project?:
As the title suggests, the central goal of the project is to visit every library in the SDPL system, and experience their respective locations, collections, features, etc to learn what makes them each unique and provide information to people like you who might be considering visiting them. In general, each blog entry will feature some basic, objective information about the library I am visiting: location, size, features, etc. Then, I'll describe what I liked about the specific branch or what I thought was unique about it in comparison to other branches. I'll try to include a few pictures (taken either by myself or from Google Images) and maybe provide short anecdotes to help portray the feel of that particular location. I'm sure what content I post and what I focus on will evolve over time, and that's a good thing. Mathematically, you can expect content about once every 10 days, which means that I have my work cut out for me.
Why visit a bunch of libraries?:
Rather than a "travel guide" or drive-by Yelp review of the libraries that compose the SDPL system, I see this project as an exciting and hands-on way to learn more about San Diego itself and all the communities that comprise it. In many ways, it’s difficult to define what a library really is in the 21st century, what role it plays in our lives, and what purpose it posses for the preservation or development of the larger community it inhabits. Libraries are a vital facet of nearly every community in the county, and hopefully while exploring the libraries over time, you and I might pick up some insights about the library system and the various people and communities that enjoy it.
Except for the original goal, nothing in or about this blog is set in stone. I'll always appreciate any comments, questions, or suggestions from anyone out there who has feedback. Thanks so much for reading; I'll hope you'll be back here soon.
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