Future planning
The City of Irvine officially launched its new public library system Monday, August 4. Along with the return of book checkouts and engaging programs, the City is also looking ahead — planning for the future of library services in Irvine.
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Why is Irvine engaging in library planning efforts?
Irvine residents have been underserved by the City's three small library locations for many years. Of the three libraries, University Park and Katie Wheeler are in County-owned buildings. They will be returned to the County by 2030, requiring Irvine to identify replacement locations as well as new sites for additional branches. Now that library management has been transferred from Orange County to the City of Irvine, the City has the opportunity to establish a world-class public library system. The first step in this process is understanding community needs, which will inform future collections, programs, services, and locations. Along with community input, planning processes will include research and analysis of best practices, trends, data, and other relevant information to ensure Irvine ends up with a library system that best serves the community.
What has happened to date?
In April 2025, the Irvine City Council instructed staff to conduct a feasibility study to identify possible sites for future library locations and validate target numbers and sizes for branches and a central library, as well as high-level anticipated construction and operating costs.
In June and August 2025, City staff and consultants conducted a series of community meetings to introduce this planning effort and incorporate input gathered at events. The resulting study will be preserved to the City Council at its October 14 meeting. The study presents a set of recommendations based on analysis, rather than a final plan.
This study considered specific criteria in determining potential sites for future libraries, with the goal of:
- Identifying available sites on City-owned land that would result in there being a library location within a two-mile radius of home for the majority of Irvine residents.
- For each candidate site, consider impact on existing uses of the site (park activities, etc.), transportation corridors, and relation to residential neighborhoods.
- Ensuring each candidate site is feasible for this use, with sufficient space for building, parking, and access routes.
Target Sites Presented at June Meetings
Please note, this is a preliminary assessment. The Irvine City Council has not approved plans to pursue libraries at these locations at this time.
- District 1: Irvine Ranch Conservancy land at Orchard Hills and Portola Parkway (proposed to become City land under a memorandum of understanding first presented at the May 13 City Council meeting)
- District 2: Great Park, northern sector. (See a previous feasibility study on a library in this location, completed in 2023)
- District 3: Heritage Park (the City owns the current library building, and plans are being considered for renovation as part of the Heritage Park Master Plan. See upcoming public input opportunities here.)
- District 4: A suitable candidate site has not yet been determined.
- District 5/6: Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park
Based on current and future population, industry standards, and community needs, the future library system is expected to expand from its current 40,000 square feet to approximately 210,000 square feet. This proposal includes a 110,000-square-foot main library at the Great Park, a 42,000-square-foot library at Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, and 28,000-square-foot libraries in the other three locations. These libraries would provide space for larger collections, expanded programming areas, meeting rooms, study spaces, makerspaces, local history exhibits, art galleries, Friends of the Library bookstores, and other amenities.
To see more details about each candidate site and to view complete information presented during community meetings, please watch the June video recap and the August video recap. For a condensed version of the full presentation, please view the presentation.
What else is coming up?
Libraries are not just about buildings. Today’s libraries and library staff are innovative and flexible in ensuring that services and collections reach the people who need them. To this end, IPL will be conducting a strategic planning effort in the late summer/early fall.
Sign up for our eNewsletter to ensure you are notified of how to participate in the strategic planning effort, which will include a survey and other opportunities to share your vision of the future IPL. The final strategic plan will be made available in 2026.
Pending the results of these planning efforts, the City Council may request additional studies and will schedule discussions at future meetings before moving into the design or construction phase for new buildings.
