The planning for a new Pacifica Library entered its second phase earlier this year with a focus on library programming options, floor design layouts, and cost modeling. The San Mateo County Library, in partnership with the City of Pacifica, the Pacifica Library Foundation, and the Pacifica Friends of the Library, contracted with Group 4 Architecture to conduct this crucial second phase of the new building program. As part of the process, the city designated a portion of the land in the Beach Boulevard Project as the site for the new library, to serve as an anchor for the project and as an important part of the Palmetto District revitalization.
A vital component of the planning phase is a series of public meetings known as “charettes,” through which the public can give input into various library- programming elements that could be included in the new library. These meetings represent important opportunities for city residents to contribute ideas and convey preferences so that, in the end, Pacifica gets the library it needs and deserves. Library designers from Group 4 Architecture will conduct the charettes this month, and all the partners in the project want and need your participation.
Here are the dates for the upcoming charettes:
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Thursday, March 15, 7pm at Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School Library
Saturday, March 17, 10am at Cabrillo School Multipurpose Room
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These two charettes will be identical so that as many residents as possible can attend one or the other meeting. Please take this opportunity to participate in the ongoing process to build a new library in Pacifica, identified as a critical need for the quality of life in our city. The library provides essential services for all residents of Pacifica: support for formal education, lifelong-learning resources for job skills retraining, online access to apply for unemployment benefits, job applications, college applications and so much more that contributes to the healthy life of a community.
The recently completed Library Needs Assessment clearly showed that, due to facility constraints, Pacifica’s current libraries are not providing the full range of services that neighboring cities enjoy. Benchmarking with other comparable libraries shows that, at best, the facilities can only support library services at only one-third the level a city of our size needs. Pacifica’s lLibraries are well-regarded and well-used, and the city’s residents need library services now more than ever. By providing these services, a new public library not onlywill contribute not only to the healthy life of our community but will also serve as an anchor for business development and a source of civic pride.
We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming charettes!
