Mission Hills and Hillcrest are communities of creative, educated, hard-working individuals who are fully engaged in the arts, culture, public service, and business life of San Diego. We choose to live in these communities because of the area's urban character, historic significance, and beautiful neighborhoods. We recognize the need to replace our tiny neighborhood library that was built in 1961. We envision a new Mission Hills-Hillcrest Branch Library that will be:

An Outstanding Information Resource. This branch library will meet the educational, recreational, and practical needs of our community by its excellent selection of print materials and state-of-the-art access to non-traditional resources for
• our residents who are old and young, straight and gay, in traditional and non-traditional families,   as well as
• individuals who are drawn to our community by schools, businesses, and churches.

A Community Center. This branch library will provide
• meeting rooms for neighborhood organizations
• venues for performances and lectures
• exhibit spaces, together with
• informal meeting places, perhaps in the new branch library's cafe and sheltered courtyard

A Beautiful and Functional Building. This structure will
• integrate art, architecture, and technology
• provide safe, accessible, and pleasing spaces for staff, volunteers, and users of all ages
• welcome the community through its inviting land and streetscapes
• provide optimum computer accessibility for now and in the future
• incorporate opportunities for future expansion
• connect with and reflect the buildings and neighborhoods of this historic heart of San Diego
• provide convenient parking and easy accessibility for pedestrians, bikers, drivers, and users of public transportation.
• meet high environmental standards
• be a catalyst for Washington Street renewal

Endowed. Funds must ensure that staffing, acquisitions, technology, and maintenance remain at optimum levels.


Our community looks forward to working with the City to gather financial resources for this major development project and to investigate all of the possibilities for maximizing the positive impact this branch library will have on our community. We particularly encourage planners to consider joint-use possibilities, perhaps providing affordable housing or public service office spaces within the branch library complex.