The City of San Diego Public Library and the San Diego Unified School district broke ground last week on a new library branch in Logan Heights.
The two-story, 25,000-square-foot library will be located on the Logan Elementary School site, adjacent to the Memorial Charter Middle School (Where: 67 S 28th St, San Diego, CA 92113). The book collection of the branch is expected to grow from about 40,700 to approximately 73,000. There will be 66 public computers, compared to the eight now available. The new library will have 186 dedicated parking spaces (the current facility has no dedicated spots). The scheduled completion is 2009 and the estimated cost to build is $12.2 million.
The library is being constructed through a joint use agreement between the City of San Diego Public Library and the San Diego Unified School District which will include the following features:
- A state-of-the-art library with a computer lab of 35 computers, all with a priority for the students
- Digital Reference Center that includes 12 computers
- School textbook collection for after-school and weekend access
- Computer Lab with 35 computers and educational software
- Centro Cultural, a cultural center for student programs, exhibits and displays
- Access to the library by school faculty and students before open hours
- Extended library hours for more evening and weekend programming
- Joint personnel decisions
- A "Homework Hotline" phone dedicated for school faculty and student access from classrooms
- School priority for all meeting rooms, labs and seminar rooms
- A bilingual collection of books and other materials
- A "Techno Teen" program that will allow older students to help younger ones with the computer research
- A Teacher Resource Collection of books and materials on teaching and curriculum ideas
- A 300-seat community room, the cornerstone of the "Centro Cultural," that will showcase students and bring cultural programming to the community
- Establishment of a "teen board" for children to help plan the programs and activities that relate to them. Programs developed school and library staff around the curricula.
The new Logan Heights Branch will also be home to one of four Preschooler's Door to Learning Centers at San Diego Public Library locations. Centers are designed to promote school readiness from infancy
