Library Writes Its Next Chapter

Have you seen the Library’s new logo? It’s beautiful, colorful and symbolic of the new chapter we are writing in the history of San Diego Public Library (SDPL). The launch of the Library’s new logo, timed as part of our celebration of National Library Week, helps bring attention to our library system, staff and volunteers as literacy leaders, cultural conveners and community connectors. SDPL is the place where the creation of information and its dissemination come full circle. (See more information about the new logo and the Library’s new identity.)

At SDPL we are challenging ourselves to be the best, and that is possible thanks to community support and the amazing volunteers who help us every day. The Library’s 3,100 volunteers, Friends of the Library, and Library Foundation members, contributed 150,000 hours last year at an estimated value of over $3.2 million. Our volunteers help us raise funds through large donations and bequests; they reuse and recycle books, and make money while doing so through their book sales. Volunteers provide funding for furniture, equipment and interesting programs. And, they help develop and deliver these programs. Our volunteers do so much to help us carry out our mission to help people learn to read, to promote literacy and provide the all-important connections to information and to our communities.

We were so proud and honored when one of the Library’s volunteers, Dr.Ron Baza, was awarded Volunteer of theYear at the San Diego Union Tribune’s Latino Champions Awards event recently. Dr. Ron is one example of the tremendous work and contribution that our volunteers make to the Library. There are many others, and we are grateful for the community connections and help that all of our volunteers give so freely.



(Left to right) Supervising Librarian Sheila Burnett,
Library Director Deborah Barrow, Jacqueline Ayala
(Ron Baza’s wife), Ron Baza, and Eileen Labrador,
Branch Manager for the Logan Heights Branch Library.



We are also celebrating National Library Workers Appreciation Day tomorrow. Libraries are known to have lots of smart people around. At SDPL our staff is awesome! They are indeed intelligent, which is matched by their dedication and their pride in the public services that we offer.  These qualities of our library staff have seen us through some tough times, and will carry us into a bright future as we write the next chapter of the San Diego Public Library system, together.