The possibility comes as the City of San Diego released its proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which reduced the library’s budget by $8 million.
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Proposed budget cuts could mean that San Diego’s library system could lose $8 million, which is more than 10% of its current budget. What does this mean for the 37 library branches around the city?
For one, people like Quiana Wade said they’d be impacted. She comes to the library with her family every week.
“I would say we usually typically come on Sundays, but we just discovered the children’s program, which is on Wednesdays, so we started coming on Sundays and Wednesdays,” said Wade. “And my husband does work during the week, so Sundays are typically our family time.”
On Tuesday, facing a $258 million deficit, the City of San Diego released its proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year. While there were increases for departments like police and fire, there were proposed reductions, including closing the library on Sundays and Mondays.
Patrick Stewart, the CEO of the Library Foundation SD, said that’s because there wouldn’t be enough money for things like staffing, training and library maintenance.
“Look, the public library isn’t free,” said Stewart. “We pay for it through our taxes, through philanthropy, through opportunities that we have with the state and federal governments to bring money in. The less opportunities that exist there, the less that libraries are able to provide for their communities.”
Stewart said Wade and other regular visitors will experience the loss.
“We already spend very little, and very little investment is being made on behalf of the city into the programs, books, materials, resources that you come to the library for,” said Stewart. “You’re going to feel $8 million dollars, you’re going to feel it as a library user.”
As for Wade, she’s making the most of her Sundays.
“Obviously, we can come on Saturday, but Sundays, it’s mellow, there’s not very many people out, and there’s not very many people here, so it’s really peaceful to be here on Sundays,” said Wade.
The library said it will have programming and community resources Tuesday through Saturday if the cuts are approved.
