Recently, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria released his proposed City budget for Fiscal Year 2027, which will cut $6.3 million from the San Diego Public Library department, resulting in fewer operating hours, programs, and services at all 37 Library locations.
“The Mayor’s draft budget devalues the priorities that San Diegans have long held important to their communities,” said Patrick Stewart, CEO of Library Foundation SD. “When public libraries are prioritized in communities, research shows that there are wide-ranging benefits from reduced crime, improved educational outcomes, and increased employment rates. This means that cuts to the San Diego Public Library are cuts to public safety, cuts to economic development, and cuts to youth success.”
The FY2027 budget cuts will also impact the Library’s maintenance budget, limiting its ability to address more than $60 million in deferred maintenance needs.
Stop by with your questions and concerns about the proposed budget cuts to the San Diego Public Library. Patrick Stewart, CEO of the Library Foundation SD, will be available to answer questions and provide context and insight into the proposed cuts and the City’s budget process.
When: Wednesday, April 29, 4 ‑6 p.m. and Saturday, May 2, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Library Shop Mission Hills, 925 W. Washington Street, SD, CA
Last year, the $6.8 million cuts to the Library department resulted in closing all 37 Libraries on Sundays and closed 20 on Mondays.
The San Diego Public Library system has experienced City budget challenges year after year. The Library Foundation plays a critical role in advocating for sustained investment in Library services and ensuring Libraries remain a priority within the city’s infrastructure. San Diegans can learn how to participate in this advocacy by visiting libraryfoundationsd.org/takeaction.
Library Foundation SD was established to support the mission of the San Diego Public Library system, helping San Diegans learn new skills, pursue lifelong goals, and improve their quality of life through access to resources, staff expertise, and community partnerships. With a vision rooted in equitable access to knowledge and opportunity, the Foundation works to ensure libraries remain vital civic institutions that serve as the heart of their communities.
