The city of San Diego opened its “library of the future on Nov. 9 with the new Pacific Highlands Ranch Library branch. While the city representatives were excited about the 37th library in the system, perhaps no one was more excited than the local residents, who have been waiting a long time for a neighborhood library to call their own.

On a sunshine-filled Saturday morning, friends and neighbors formed a large crowd for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, including lots of kids waiting patiently to get their hands on some books. As the last in a line of speakers, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he knew how badly everyone wanted to get inside to take a look but he said it was worth taking a moment to celebrate the library, a critical piece of neighborhood infrastructure and the city’s first to open in five years.

Young readers load up on books at the new Pacific Highlands Ranch Library. (Karen Billing)

“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 San Diego 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.”

As noted by San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Joe La Cava, many “hearts and hands” went into the design of the $28 million library, with lots of public input from the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board design subcommittee. He specifically thanked longtime board chair Frisco White, whose “signature on Pacific Highlands Ranch spans decades” and the insight of Karen Dubey, a longtime PHR advocate who now serves as chair for the recreation center group.

The library represents the last piece of PHR’s civic center, located at the end of the Village of Pacific Highlands Ranch shopping center’s community green, meant to link up to the park and community center across the street, a street home to Pacific Trails Middle School and Canyon Crest Academy, whose students will take advantage of the new gathering and learning space.

Young readers pick out and enjoy the books in the new library. (Karen Billing)

La Cava said for all the magic built into libraries, what’s most important is the people, recognizing the librarians who have been working hard to ensure it was up and running and ready to serve the community.

“All our locations work to meet the needs of the specific community and this library is no different,” said Director of San Diego Public Libraries Misty Jones.

At 18,000 square feet, the new library is expected to take some pressure off of the Carmel Valley branch, the busiest library in the city. Jones said the new library offers a place to learn with a large collection of diverse books and other materials, free access to computers and the internet, and six private study rooms.

Inside the spacious main collection of the new Pacific Highlands Ranch Library. (Karen Billing)

Grass mounds are located inside the childrens library and the patio outside. (Karen Billing)

The PHR Library forms the last piece of the community civic center, located on the end of the Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch shopping centers community green and across the street from the park and recreation center. (Karen Billing)

Young Charlie picks out some books to read at the new Pacific Highlands Ranch Library. (Karen Billing)

The library opening featured an artist rendering of the library for kids to paint. (Karen Billing)

The Idea Lab maker space at the new PHR Library. (Karen Billing)

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Inside the spacious main collection of the new Pacific Highlands Ranch Library. (Karen Billing)

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Inside, under a high peaked roof, the library feels spacious with the shelves lit up to see the books and a variety of cozy places to perch.

“It offers a place to play with a beautiful outdoor children’s area that is perfect for story time and craft projects and there are even fun climbing mounds for kids to get their wiggles out,” Jones said. “It also is a place to create. The Idea Lab maker space has state- of-the-art 3D printers and scanners, creative software and much more. Basically if you can think it, this library staff can help you make it.”

The library also features a large community room, a place for informal get-togethers and meetings.

“Imagine an author talk or a neighborhood event in the beautiful large community room, spilling out through the open doors onto the patio on a summer night,” Jones said. “It can happen at this library.”

From the parking lot (outfitted with EV charging stations) library patrons will enter the library through a patio with a unique and immersive public art piece called “Text/Tile.” The terra-cotta installation is a tribute to the history of the land the library is built on with words embossed in the languages of English, Spanish and Kumeyaay.

The Text/Tile courtyard art installation by San Diego artist Janelle Iglesias. (Karen Billing)

“Quite simply the courtyard is a love letter to San Diego,” said artist Janelle Iglesias who said the inspiration is conceptually tied to the earliest libraries, made of clay tablets. More than public art, the courtyard is a lovely place to read and reflect.

As the crowd anxiously inched closer to the entrance for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the doors to finally be opened, Mayor Gloria addressed the kids waiting patiently. He shared how his library growing up was the North Clairemont branch, where he learned about the Dewey Decimal System and read his first books about government.

He welcomed all the kids into the library, with all its treasures of books, its maker space and those irresistible Dr. Seuss-esque grass mounds to play on: “Use it,” Gloria said. “Use it a lot. And make sure you find your future right here.”