Irvine Library System

Irvine Public Library System Transition

At its July 23, 2024, meeting, the Irvine City Council approved the transition of library services from the County of Orange to the City of Irvine. The City Council also directed City staff to reopen negotiations with the County to expedite the lease expiration of University Park Library and begin the design process and funding option exploration for a new library building in Irvine.

The agreement was presented at the County Board of Supervisors August 13 and was unanimously approved. The City will now engage in a series of implementation steps through the end of the 2024 calendar year to finalize the property tax funding exchange. This process will include preparing a change of boundary statement as required by the Education Code and the Government Code, as well as preparing notices for the State Board of Equalization, County Auditor, and County Assessor. All required actions must be completed by December 1, 2024, to effectuate a transition of Irvine library operations to the City as of July 1, 2025. 

Further details of the withdrawal plan can be found in the July 23, 2024 City Council Meeting Agenda, Council Business Item 4.2 here.

Timeline and Next Steps

  • Now – March 31, 2025: OCPL operates Heritage Park, University Park, and Katie Wheeler Libraries during its current operating hours.
  • April 1, 2025 – May 15, 2025: OCPL operates Heritage Park and University Park Libraries at reduced hours.
  • May 16, 2025 – June 30, 2025: Heritage Park and University Park Libraries will be closed for transition, and OCPL will close Katie Wheeler Library.
  • July 1, 2025: Heritage Park and University Park Libraries transition to the newly formed Irvine Public Library system, with grand openings planned for future dates. 

Current City of Irvine Efforts

  • Hired Julie Zeoli as the City Librarian to lead transition planning and implementation.
  • Budgeted $600,000 for start-up and consulting services with LaLoma Group, Inc.
  • Develop plans to minimize library closure times and impact on services.
  • Assess and expand the ~167,000 item library collection being transferred.
  • Create a roadmap for additional library facilities, including new branches and modernization projects.
  • Engage the community to ensure the new Irvine Public Library System meets their needs.

Background & History of Irvine Libraries

Library service within the City of Irvine is provided by the OCPL system, a network of 34 branches providing various services to residents throughout Orange County. OCPL is a dependent district, governed by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Planning for library services is done on a system-wide basis with the budget approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Residents of Irvine may access any of OCPL’s libraries. Three branches are located within the City: University Park Branch, Katie Wheeler Branch, and Heritage Park Library.

Branch

Square Footage

Year Built

Ownership

Location

Heritage Park

21,000

1988

City-owned, 55-year lease to County

Central Irvine

University Park

11,411

1975

OCPL

South Irvine

Katie Wheeler

11,250

2008

OCPL

North Irvine

OCPL has an advisory board comprised of one representative from each member city and two members of the Board of Supervisors. Councilmember Tammy Kim serves as Irvine’s representative on the OCPL Advisory Board.

Why did the City Enter into Negotiations with OCPL?

For the Fiscal Year 2022–23, Irvine contributed approximately $17 million in property taxes to the County of Orange to provide library services in our community. Of note, in the entire OCPL system, Irvine contributes the highest amount of property tax revenues, and Irvine’s contribution accounts for 28% of OCPL’s total annual property taxes revenue. Further, the libraries operated by OCPL in Irvine account for only 11% of OCPL’s entire library space.

For decades, Irvine has engaged OCPL in substantive discussions regarding the allocation of resources toward local City libraries. After careful consideration and evaluation of the City’s growing population, library needs, and community priorities, the City Council authorized on February 28. 2023, a letter of intent to be sent notifying the County of Irvine’s intention to withdraw from OCPL.  This action opened extensive discussions and negotiations over the past year and a half between the City and the County, and recent negotiations have resulted in a plan for Irvine to withdraw from OCPL in order to establish our own Irvine Public Library System.

Details of the withdrawal plan can be found in the July 23, 2024 City Council Meeting Agenda, Council Business Item 4.2 here.

FAQ on Current Negotiations

Will Irvine remain in the OCPL system, or will the City create a City Library system?

  • Answer: At its July 23, 2024 meeting, the Irvine City Council approved the transition of library services from the County of Orange to the City of Irvine. The transition of Irvine library operations from OCPL to the City of Irvine will take place July 1, 2025, with grand openings planned for future dates. 

Has the City’s library decision been made, or are negotiations continuing regarding who will provide services for the existing libraries and a future site at the Great Park?

  • Answer: The Irvine City Council approved the transition of library services from the County of Orange to the City of Irvine. The City Council also directed City staff to reopen negotiations with the County to expedite the lease expiration of University Park Library and begin the design process and funding option exploration for a new library building in Irvine. The agreement was approved by the County Board of Supervisors in August. The City will transition into providing services for Irvine’s Heritage Park Library and University Park Library and any future sites would fall under the purview of the City. OCPL will retain rights and interests to the Katie Wheeler facility given that the building is located in a larger County park.   

Will the many programs at Irvine libraries continue, and will they remain free to the community?

  • Answer: The City will continue to offer free library programs at the Irvine libraries. 

Will our OCPL cards continue to access the larger offerings of the OCPL system (including physical and digital collections, programming, and services)?

  • Answer: As part of the transition, Irvine residents will maintain a right to access the items located within the County library system after transitioning to a City-run library operation. Details are yet to be determined.

What will be the role of the Friends of the Library (FOL) and the bookstores if the City withdraws from OCPL?

  • Answer: The City values and respects the support the FOL organizations provide to Irvine libraries and has no anticipated changes to the role of the FOL/bookstores.

Where can we provide input for future discussions regarding the library?

Will the City close current libraries?

  • Answer: In the proposed withdrawal plan, the County would transition Heritage Park Library and University Park Library services to the City as of July 1, 2025. Both Heritage Park and University Park Libraries will be temporarily closed from May 16, 2025 to June 30, 2025 to facilitate the transition from County to City.     

    The Irvine Katie Wheeler Library will be closed by OCPL. 

Will the proposed new Great Park Library replace Heritage Park Library?

  • Answer: No, the proposed new Great Park Library will not replace Heritage Park Library. Pending negotiations with the County and subsequent Irvine City Council considerations, the proposed Great Park Library would serve as a “main” library in addition to existing facilities and services. As part of the Great Park Library feasibility and concept design study, the City will engage with the appropriate OCPL and FOL representatives in an effort to consider best practices and plans for comprehensive library services in Irvine.

Proposed New Library at the Great Park

The proposed new library at the Great Park will serve as the northern gateway into the park at the key intersection of Cadence and Pusan Way. It will be adjacent to the future-planned Veterans Memorial Park and Gardens. The new library provides an excellent opportunity to serve as a gathering place and resource for the community and is envisioned as Irvine’s future central library.

Great Park Library Next Steps:

  • Staff is working with a consultant to conduct a comprehensive feasibility and concept development study, which will include:
    • Initial review and site assessment.
    • Community and stakeholder outreach.
    • Program and building design options for Great Park Board consideration.
    • Cost study of selected option.
  • Preliminary concepts would be developed and presented within the first three months.
  • Final reports and option recommendations are pending.

Community Outreach Meeting Presentations:

Town Hall and other associated public meetings relative to concept development will be posted on this web page as they are scheduled.

For More Information: