The New Downtown Library: A Vision for the Future

Every great community needs a great library. More than any other institution, the public library connects us with our past, enriches our present, and prepares us for a better tomorrow.

From toddlers attending story hour to seniors learning to use the Internet, the Walnut Creek Libraries serve people of all ages, interests and backgrounds. A new library is an investment in our shared future, one that will provide unlimited opportunities for learning and enjoyment for many years to come.

In the information-rich world in which we live, a new Walnut Creek Downtown Library is long overdue. The current library was built in 1961 to serve a population of 10,000, not the more than 66,000 residents today.

• Our Vision for the New Downtown Library
• Library Update
• Libraries around the State
• Libraries in the 21st Century
• Downtown Library Capital and Endowment Campaign

Our Vision

The new Walnut Creek Downtown Library will be a destination for lifelong learning. It will draw people in to experience the place in our county where accessible, extensive collections, technology and superb architecture create a comfortable and stimulating environment. The new library should be adaptable in design to anticipate the future.

This regional resource will be a gathering place with ample space for a variety of community uses. Upon entering the library, the patron will see changing art and community exhibits, children engrossed in stories, students studying for exams and preparing research papers, entrepreneurs researching market trends, and people pursuing their interests in comfortable reading areas. A café and a book store will be integral to the design. Access to the most current technology will be available throughout the library and out into the plaza area.

Easily accessible collections will reflect the diversity of human creativity and endeavor through books, CDs, DVDs, audio books, exhibits, lectures, classes and computer technology. Space for meetings and lectures will encourage public discourse on interesting topics of the day.

Walnut Creek is a leader among cities, known for its support of education, business and culture. The library will enhance and solidify the city’s position as the geographic, business, and cultural crossroads of Contra Costa County.