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SF Getting a New Branch Library

Ocean View is getting a new library that will be bigger to serve the growing population
By - posted 6/2/2022 No Comment

San Francisco is getting a brand new library in Ocean View and they are asking for your help in the new design. Check out the plans or attend one of the upcoming meetings to give your input.

The current Ocean View Branch Library, at 345 Randolph Street, opened on June 7, 2000. The new building was a vast improvement over the community’s prior library space, a rented storefront. While it was an innovative branch library at the time, providing a designated computer lab for the community, the building’s small footprint (4,794 sq. ft.), two-floor layout, and fixed furnishings limit its flexibility. Staff struggle to provide the community with 21st Century library services, with a focus on community engagement and programming, within the confines of this space.

Increasing the size of the Ocean View Branch Library will position the branch to better meet the needs of Ocean View residents and serve as a regional draw for the greater OMI community. At 4,794 square feet, the Ocean View Library is the smallest of San Francisco Public Library’s twenty-seven branches. The Ocean View Branch is 44% smaller than the average size of San Francisco Public Library’s branches (8,503 sq. ft.).

While a renovation of the existing branch could potentially capture underutilized space for more effective use, the community voiced their desire to relocate the Ocean View Branch to another parcel in the Ocean View neighborhood that would accommodate a larger facility. The residents of the Ocean View community strongly conveyed the need for a new branch library to serve their growing population and community needs for library services.