Santa Ana’s Main Library will be closed to the public starting Wednesday, June 19, as the facility begins to undergo $34 million in renovations.
Over the next two years, the library’s electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems will be repaired and the building’s marble exterior will be restored. The city plans to bring back much of the building’s original 1960s design and layout, as well as add an interactive children’s learning area and a makers lab. Most of the funding for the project come from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
“Staff will be packing and putting items in storage so the building can get emptied out for all the contractors to come in and restore our Main Library to what it once was. We’re going to bring back a lot of the architecture and original design,” Brian Sternberg, library services executive director, said. “That’s not going to detract from any of the modern amenities that we’re adding. It’s going to be equipped with a STEM lab, maker spaces and a state-of-the-art community room that will be able to accommodate meetings.”
The Main Library is expected to reopen in spring 2026.
With the library branch closing, Sternberg said staff is ensuring that residents will still have a similar level of access to library services, resources and programs. The Newhope Library will extend its hours by eight each week, starting June 24, to accommodate shifting over most of the services.
“Nothing can replace our Main Library, but we want to still maintain a very high level of service. That means bringing out more programs in the community,” Sternberg said. “That means our bookmobile will be, for instance, hosting a program right across the street, on Saturdays, for the community.”
Library services, such as returning library materials and picking up holds or accessing computers and printers, will be also be available at community centers throughout Santa Ana. The Knowledge Mobile will be making regular stops throughout the city, offering books, resources, programs and other services, officials said.
The upgrades don’t stop at the Main Library. The Newhope Library will also be getting an estimated $5.5 million upgrade including new reading areas, study spaces, a modernized outdoor patio and a new center for STEM learning opportunities. That work is expected to start in the winter and be done by next summer.
Also, additional library branches are expected to open to the public early next year a the Delhi Community Center and at Jerome Park. The park will feature an outdoor library where residents will be able to rent books and movies from kiosks, access Wi-Fi and explore outdoor learning areas.
The upgrades, Sternberg said, will allow the library facilities to serve the community for decades to come.
“This is an investment by the community that is not just a one-off. It doesn’t last any evening. It doesn’t last three weeks. This is an investment that will serve generations of people,” he said.
More information on the library closure and where to find services can be found at santa-ana.org/main-library-closure-faqs.
