Guest Opinion | Pasadena Library Director Tim McDonald: The Impacts of Central Library’s Closure

The unexpected closure of Pasadena’s Central Library in May 2021 for earthquake retrofitting and building repairs has significantly impacted library program offerings and services to the community. These impacts are now coming to light.   

Before the closure, Central Library was a hub for large-scale programming, using its extensive 120,000 square foot space to host events such as the STEAM Fair, ArtNight, Author Fair, Educator Night, Young Readers League, National Coming Out Day, and many other programs. These events have either ceased or been significantly reduced due to lack of space. For example, the library’s ArtNight attendance dropped from over 2,500 participants in FY2019 to just 191 at the Lamanda Park Branch Library in FY2023 post-closure. Similarly, the annual One City, One Story program saw participation drop from 2,500 attendees at Central Library in FY2019 to only 250 in costly rented space in FY2023. 

The Donald R. Wright Auditorium, previously a venue for parenting classes, Summer Reading performers, weekly lectures, film series, concerts and cultural heritage programming, can no longer host these events. As a result, many programs have been canceled or drastically reduced due to the lack of equivalent space. 

Central Library also provided exhibit spaces that were offered free on a monthly basis to community groups. These exhibits, displayed in the North Entry, Centennial Room, Humanities Wing, and Reading Wing, are no longer available, further limiting community engagement and cultural enrichment. 

Programs such as the National Financial Literacy Month, Citizenship Preparation Classes, and the LA Law Librarian & Law Library partnership have also been severely impacted. The financial literacy programs and Citizenship Preparation Classes were canceled, and the law library services were moved to the Hastings Branch with reduced class offerings, making it difficult for patrons, especially those near the courthouse needing legal resources. 

SCORE, which provides free one-on-one business counseling, has moved to the Lamanda Park and Santa Catalina Branches but with limited availability. The flu shot clinic, health screenings, Chinese language classes and other adult programs were canceled pending the reopening of Central Library.

Volunteer programs also saw a reduction in participation. Central Library previously had four volunteer programs contributing 1,804 volunteer hours annually. Since the closure, the number of volunteers has decreased, with teen volunteers and summer interns now operating out of the Jefferson Branch. 

Children and teen services were significantly affected as well. In FY2019, the Central Library hosted 282 programs with 6,834 attendees. After the closure, the Youth Services Division moved to the Jefferson Branch, where many programs were either canceled or reduced. Infant and toddler storytimes, special performances, and preschool STEAM activities saw reduced attendance. Programs like Lucha Libros, Kids Art Salon, Kids Coding Club, and others were canceled. 

Teen programming faced the most drastic reduction. Central Library hosted over 100 teen volunteers annually, with over 5,000 attendees at teen events. At Jefferson, these numbers have dropped to approximately 30 volunteers and about 500 attendees. Programs like Pasadena Loves YA, College Bound Series, YA Book Club, Youth Network, and others either ceased or saw significant reductions due to space and location constraints. 

The overall impact on library services is evident in key metrics comparing FY2019 to FY2023:

• Total in-person programs offered decreased from 2,462 to 1,594 (-35.3%). 
• Total in-person program attendance dropped from 55,260 to 30,016 (-45.7%). 
• PC reservations declined from 128,515 to 17,165 (-86.6%). 
• Library visits fell from 803,274 to 393,429 (-51.0%). 
• Circulation of library items decreased from 1,251,793 to 679,068 (-45.8%). 
• Reference desk questions answered dropped from 122,167 to 66,028 (-45.9%). 

The closure of the Central Library has had a detrimental impact on the community it serves. The impacts drastically reduced the availability and scope of many essential programs and services, reducing community engagement, education, and cultural enrichment. Reopening the Central Library to serve all segments of the community once again continues to be a priority.

To learn more about the Central Library Retrofit and Building Repairs Project, visit
https://www.CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Central-Library-Earthquake-Retrofit/.