NEW CONSTRUCTION - PORTOLA BRANCH

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One of the priorities of the November 2000 bond measure is to replace four branches currently housed in leased facilities with City-owned buildings. The Portola branch on San Bruno Avenue is located in a leased facility.

The San Francisco Public Library has purchased a corner of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School grounds at Goettingen and Bacon to build the new branch library.

The new branch will be one story high and approximately 6,300 square feet. A ground breaking ceremony was held on July 17, 2007. The new branch opened on February 28, 2009 [Grand Opening poster (PDF)].

Highlights include expanded collections of books, CDs, DVDs, and other materials, a program room with after hours access for community meetings, a larger children’s area, a variety of seating choices, wireless access to the internet, a new garden area, and an increased Chinese language collection.

The new Portola Branch is also included in the Branch Library Improvement Program Arts Master Plan. The Portola Branch Community Artist Selection Panel chose artist Dana Zed to create art glass shutters near the entrance of the new branch. To see samples of her artwork, visit www.danazed.com.

The Friends of the San Francisco Public Library are raising funds from private donations for new furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the branch library. For information on the Portola neighborhood campaign, contact marian.ctaylor@friendssfpl.org.