UPDATE: The Mayor has changed the time of the State of the City address to 3:00 p.m. Our event will now begin at 2:45 p.m.
Have you wanted to get more involved in advocating for your library?
Join us on Zoom to hear about our library’s urgent budget needs and watch Mayor Gloria’s State of the City address. In 2025, you can make a difference in your community by advocating for our libraries.
2:45 p.m. – Opening remarks — Patrick Stewart, CEO of Library Foundation SD, and Dr. Wendy Ranck-Buhr, Senior Executive Director at San Diego Unified School District.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. – State of the City address - Mayor Todd Gloria
Closing remarks — Patrick and Dr. Ranck-Buhr
Here’s why it matters:
San Diego has one of the lowest library budgets of any major metropolitan area.
The San Diego Public Library’s operating budget is less than 70% of the California average, and the library system has more than $50 million in deferred maintenance issues – with no budget to address them.
Libraries are critical infrastructure. It’s proven that newer and more modernized libraries significantly impact their communities, including increased student achievement, reductions in crime, and higher levels of cultural engagement. The San Diego Public Library circulates nearly 5.9 million items and 2.6 million children’s items yearly.
In 2023, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved the Library Master Plan, a long-range vision and strategy for a robust and engaging library system that meets the entire community’s needs. At Library Foundation SD, we can only hope that San Diego keeps its word and delivers on the promise the Master Plan outlines.
Join us to learn how to tell our City Council and Mayors to address long-term solutions to the library’s financial deficiencies.
