Mayor Todd Gloria joined City Council President Pro Tem Joe LaCava, City staff and hundreds of community members today to celebrate the grand opening of the Pacific Highlands Ranch Library. The library is the 37^th location in the San Diego Public Library (SDPL) system and will serve the growing communities of Pacific Highlands Ranch, Black Mountain Ranch, Torrey Highlands and Del Mar Mesa.  

 “This beautiful new library is more than just a place for books; it’s a community hub where residents can come together, learn, and create,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “The Pacific Highlands Ranch Library represents my continued commitment to invest in spaces that inspire opportunity and connection for all San Diegans.”   

The $28 million library project, managed by the City’s Engineering and Capital Projects Department, was fully funded by Facility Benefit Assessment funds obtained through developer fees in Black Mountain Ranch, Del Mar Mesa, Pacific Highlands Ranch and Torrey Highlands.  

The new facility features several outdoor areas including public reading porches and secure children’s and teen outdoor reading courtyards. The interior of the 18,000 square-foot library has a large collection of library materials along with teen and children’s areas, study and conference rooms, computer areas, a catering kitchen and a large community room that opens to the outside.  

With energy-efficient features like solar panels, ENERGY STAR appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures and improved thermal insulation, the Pacific Highlands Ranch Library is planned to be LEED Energy Silver-certified which will help meet the City’s Climate Action Plan goals.  

"Libraries foster lifelong learning and play a fundamental role in enriching civic life," said Council President Pro Tem Joe LaCava. "With the grand opening, residents of Pacific Highlands Ranch and neighboring communities will have access to the expansive resources of the San Diego Public Library system, study rooms to meet and collaborate, an IDEA lab, and outdoor spaces, featuring a unique public art installation. Thank you to the community, the developer, and city staff for working together on the design and construction of our newest and most sustainable library.” 

The Pacific Highlands Ranch Library includes an IDEA Lab where visitors can flex their creativity for free. The makerspace has a variety of creative software and equipment including 3D printers and scanners, a laser cutter and engraver, a sewing and embroidery machine and Mac computers.  

Another unique feature of the library is its rear entryway courtyard. San Diego-based artist Janelle Iglesias created a terra-cotta tile installation called “Text/Tile.” The public artwork acts as a word find and spells out words in English, Spanish and Kumeyaay, reflecting the languages of people who have inhabited the land where the library is located. 

“The San Diego Public library is so excited for the public to see and experience this amazing new library,” said Library Director Misty Jones. “From conception to reality, this library has been a collaboration between the library, City staff and the community. By working together, we have created a library that meets the needs of this community now and will continue to grow and evolve as those needs change.” 

The Pacific Highlands Ranch Library is the third new library built in the City of San Diego in the last five years. The Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox and San Ysidro libraries both opened in 2019. For more information on SDPL’s locations and services, including open hours, visit the Library’s webpage.