Discuss the Library and Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog

City of Palm Desert Embarks on an Exciting New Chapter When It Comes to Library Service

The City of Palm Desert has made the decision to end its partnership with the Riverside County Library System. While this partnership has brought valuable resources and services to our residents for many years, libraries have evolved from serving primarily as book warehouses to a place where people convene, collaborate, and create. They are places where individuals come to learn and discover and where people with similar interests come together to learn from one another and build community.

We believe that by managing our own library, we can better tailor our offerings to the unique preferences and demands of Palm Desert residents. This decision allows us to implement more flexible and responsive strategies to address our growing community's diverse educational and cultural needs, ensuring that our residents have access to the most relevant and efficient library services available. While this transition represents a new chapter for Palm Desert, it is driven by our commitment to providing the best possible library experience for our residents, and we remain grateful for the support and collaboration with the Riverside County Library System throughout the years.

Where Can I Learn More and Provide My Input?

The City will be hosting two public input sessions on January 21 and January 23. Attend one of these family-friendly events to participate in fun activities that allow you to relay your input and speak with one of our library representatives. The events will be held on:

• Sunday, January 21
  • Palm Desert YMCA, 43-930 San Pablo Ave
  • Time: 2 - 4 pm

• Tuesday, January 23
  • Palm Desert iHub, 37023 Cook St., Suite 102
  • Time 9:30 - 11:30 am

Should you wish for one of our library representatives to visit with your HOA, club, or association, please write us at [email protected].

If you can't make either event, please continue to share your feedback online by scanning the QR code below.

Background & History of the Palm Desert Library

The Palm Desert Library opened at the Portola Community Center in 1962 and remained operational at the facility until 1996. Since its inception, the County of Riverside has managed the library. However, the County contracted out its library services, first to the City of Riverside and later to a company, now known as LSS. In 1996, the library was moved from the Portola Ave. location to its current location on the College of the Desert campus.

The new library was established in partnership with the City of Palm Desert (City), the County of Riverside (County), and the Desert Community College District (College). The facility includes 40,000 square feet, which is divided into a 20,000-square-foot City library and the remaining space for a College library (unoccupied since January 2020). There is some shared space (joint-use area) as well.

In 2023, the City of Palm Desert started investigating a municipal-run library alternative.

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