San Diego to Get a New Central Library
Exciting news for book lovers in Southern California emerged this summer as the San Diego City Council approved plans for a new Central Library to be constructed in the city’s East Village. The new library will span 497,000 square feet. It’s nine stories will include a charter high school, an auditorium, a coffee bar, and two parking levels. There will also be a 3-story domed reading room, a children’s library, a teen center and a technology center. It is expected to cost $185 million and open in 2013.
Visitors to the city, whether staying in a San Diego luxury hotel or more budget-conscious accommodations will be surprised to learn that the San Diego Library is where Charles Lindbergh plotted the course of his historic solo Transatlantic flight. It houses the book collection of sculptor Donal Hord as well as several of the artist’s works, which were bequeathed to the Library in recognition of the valuable assistance provided by the library’s staff. It also holds the distinction of being the first city west of the Mississippi to receive a Carnegie Library Grant .
The San Diego Central Public Library was established in 1882 and has had several homes, including the Carnegie Library, before landing in its current location in 1954. The Library also includes 35 branch libraries and an adult literacy program office.