Starting in the spring of 2025, the Goleta Valley Public Library will be closed for 18-24 months due to renovations. A temporary location will be open during construction, but this location is yet to be determined.

The goal of the project is to make the library safer and more accessible for the community. The facility will be improved through a variety of ways, including door and window replacement, painting and fascia repair, new lighting, and more.

The library received a $4,200,000 grant from the California State Library, a $250,000 donation from the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library, and city matching funds. This money will fund the $5,300,000 project, which by grant requirements, needs to be done by June 30, 2027.

So far, the temporary location of the library has been discussed, but not decided upon. Some of the ideas being considered include using classrooms at the Goleta Community Center and renting or leasing a local commercial or institutional location. This topic will be further discussed at the Nov. 19 City Council meeting.

Many students at Dos Pueblos High School have volunteered at the library over the summer through the Summer Reading Program. For Jonathan Yang (11), this closure for renovations marks a “bittersweet” moment for the community. While working at the library, he enjoyed running some of the events like the magic show and animal sleepover.

“I think it’s bittersweet that it’s closing for two years because people have to go further and are losing a part of their community, but the new renovations sound exciting,” Yang said.

Everett Lemon (10), another student who worked at the library, feels that closure of the library is a loss of a place for students to “work or do homework.” Overall, he enjoyed his time working at the library and working with the kids.

“My favorite part was the kids’ reaction when they got their prize or when I would hang out with the other volunteers and set up events,” Lemon said. “It also gave me time to just relax and read so that was fun.”