The All New Kensington Normal Heights Branch Library

Let’s try and save what little we have.

We held the first of two Office Hours with Library Foundation SD CEO Patrick Stewart at Library Shop SD Mission Hills yesterday, and this was one of the most important things said in the room: “Cuts to the Library are cuts to the arts, cuts to public safety, cuts to economic development, cuts to public infrastructure.”

Libraries keep young people off the streets after school. They connect unhoused neighbors to services. They bridge the digital divide for families without broadband at home. They support early literacy programs that shape whether a child can read by third grade. Nobel Prize-winning economists have studied what happens when cities invest in these things. The result is measurably safer communities decades later.

The FY2027 proposed budget cuts funds to the San Diego Public Library while increasing the police budget for the third year in a row. That is not a public safety strategy. That is short-term thinking with long-term consequences.

Come talk to Patrick this Saturday and tell him what your Library means to you.

📍 Office Hours this Saturday, 11 AM to 1 PM at Library Shop Mission Hills. Walk in. No appointment needed. Bring your neighbors.

🏛️ Public comment at City Hall, Monday May 4 and Tuesday May 5. Two minutes at the mic. You do not have to be a registered voter to speak. https://bit.ly/lfsd-key-dates

✉️ Send a postcard: https://bit.ly/lfsd-postcard

💻 Email your elected officials: libraryfoundationsd.org/take-action

Our Libraries belong to all of us. Speak up.

Cuts

IMPORTANT

Tell Mayor Gloria His Proposed Library Cuts Are a Disservice to San Diegans – Make Your Opposition Heard!

This week, Mayor Todd Gloria released his proposed City budget for Fiscal Year 2027, and once again, our San Diego Public Library is being asked to absorb significant budget cuts on top of an already-slashed Library budget.

The San Diego Public Library is facing another $6.3 million cut in the proposed fiscal 2027 budget, which would further reduce hours, programming, and services for patrons.

The Mayor will present his proposed budget to City Council, including these recommended severe Library cuts, on MONDAY, April 20, at 2:00 p.m.

This is an opportunity for you to tell our elected officials what San Diegans want funded, to oppose these severe Library cuts, and to let them know how important our Libraries are to you and your community.

Speak up to save our Libraries at this key budget hearing:
MONDAY, April 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Please take this opportunity to tell our elected officials that San Diegans do NOT want the City to balance the budget on the back of the San Diego Public Library AGAIN this year.

City leaders must hear our voices loud and clear: DEFEND OUR LIBRARIES!

Visit the SPEAK UP TAB at this link for talking points you can use, or learn more about our advocacy efforts. https://bit.ly/library-advocacy

HOW TO JOIN:

IN-PERSON: (The GREATEST impact for our Libraries)

All hearings are held in person at the City Council Chambers- 12th Floor in the City Administration Building, 202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101.

Complete a speaker slip located at the entrance to Council Chambers.

Indicate the item you wish to speak on and submit it to the Committee Consultant at the box indicated near the speaker’s lectern at the front of the room.

You will be called in the order the slips are submitted and will have one or two minutes (depending on the number of speakers) to comment.

BY ZOOM:

https://sandiego.zoomgov.com/j/1609430466 or by telephone: dial 1−669−254 5252 and input Webinar ID: 160 943 0466.

SUBMIT AN ONLINE COMMENT:

https://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/agenda-comment-form?mdate=2026-4-20
Select 'City Council Comment', enter '200' for Agenda Item Number, and select ‘Oppose.’

Funds help all library services city wide including Kensington/Normal Heights. You know what to do!

Over the past few weeks, we've been dropping hints about an exciting expansion for Library Foundation SD.

Today, we're ready to share the news: Library Shop Mission Hills opens December 1st!

This is our second retail location, and it represents more than just a new independent bookstore. The space at 925 W. Washington Street is the former Mission Hills Library branch, closed since 2019. We're bringing it back to life as a sustainable funding source that supports all 37 branches of the San Diego Public Library system.

Why this matters:
→ San Diego's Public Library system serves 1.4 million residents with incredible programs, and strategic investments like this help us expand that impact

→ The Library Shop SD model generates unrestricted revenue that directly funds literacy programs, technology access, and community resources

→ This expansion demonstrates our commitment to innovative funding models that strengthen and sustain our library system alongside public investment

→ By locating in Mission Hills, we're expanding access for San Diegans across more neighborhoods to invest in their library system

Join us December 1-7: "Booked for the Holidays"
We're launching with a week of author events, community programming, and partnerships that showcase what's possible when retail meets social impact.

This is what sustainable community investment looks like. And we're just getting started.

Join the email list below!

37/7. The time is now!

An important message from Library Foundation SD CEO Patrick Stewart on the San Diego Public Library's Monday operating hours adjustment that began this week.

This change reflects both the challenges of municipal budget constraints and the power of community advocacy. Through persistent public library advocates, we secured Monday hours at 17 library locations, preventing a complete reduction to five-day operations.

As we navigate this transition, we remain committed to supporting Library Director Misty Jones and her exceptional team as they adapt with professionalism and innovation. The library's vital programs, from workforce development to digital literacy, continue strengthening our communities.

Our advocacy for a 37/7 system (all 37 branches open seven days a week) remains unwavering. San Diego deserves a full-time library department that reflects our status as a world-class city.

Read Patrick's complete statement here: https://bit.ly/fy26-sdpl-hours

Starting next week "17 library locations will be open on Mondays"!

All 37 _were_ open on Mondays. This is just the city putting a nice spin on it. #1984

San Diegans have to fight like hell to keep existing libraries open, meanwhile in Helsinki… 🤯

TikTok · Monae | How To Travel smarter 52.7K likes, 815 comments. “Is this why Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world for the 8th year in a row”

Sad.

Draft city budget would close San Diego’s libraries on Sundays and Mondays San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s draft city budget proposes closing all libraries two days a week. KPBS education reporter Katie Anastas spoke with a mother abo...

Read it and weep.

2026 Budget is a Hope Killer The 2026 draft budget for San Diego has been released and funding for both operations and new infrastructure have been slashed. The library section of the operational budget may be viewed here. The Capital Improvements Program budget shows a reduction from last year's spending to 16% (an 84% cut). A...