Victorville City to open expanded library this month funded by $9 million state grant

Victorville City will launch its expanded public library this month, city officials said during a city-produced episode of What’s the TV. The project, centered at 7th and Greentree Boulevard, expands the existing facility to more than 16,000 square feet after a 5,000-square-foot addition and was financed in part by a $9 million grant from the California State Library.

The expansion matters because the old library, built in the early 1970s for a community of roughly 11,000, no longer fit the city’s needs. "Move forward to 2026, and here we are with a population of over 142,000 people and we're trying to service this community with an 8,500 square foot library," Arnold Castro, the city librarian, said on the program. Castro said the larger facility will let staff offer more children’s programming, dedicated teen space, and expanded adult classes.

D. Joe Slaggers, the city’s building official, described the construction and permitting process and the department’s dual role in enforcing code while helping projects move through permitting. "We were lucky enough to land a $9 million grant through California State Library," Slaggers said, noting that design work began after a 2021 procurement and Thomas Riggle Designs was selected in March 2022.

City library features listed by Castro include a new children’s area with an outdoor patio and dedicated craft/work rooms, a dedicated teen space with seating and a TV, a multipurpose room for events and rentals, and a makerspace equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters and sewing and Cricut machines for classes. The library will operate as a passport acceptance facility, offering appointments and expanded passport services, and will support digital borrowing through online platforms.

Outreach components include a new mobile library van for pop-up service and a 24-hour kiosk at Sunset Ridge Park that holds 235 items for cardholders to check out or return. Castro said the library currently records about 64,000 visits a year and expects that the expanded space will increase patronage and program attendance.

The library’s programming plans highlighted in the episode include children’s storytimes and seasonal special events, an Earth Day tree giveaway (Castro said the library gave away more than 500 trees in a recent year), National Reading Month activities with incentives such as an In-N-Out burger prize, and a summer "Lunch at the Library" program in partnership with the California State Library and Victor Elementary, with the school district providing meals.

Slaggers also placed the library project in the context of broader city development, citing private-industry tenants at SCLA and other projects including the Target Center and the police station that the building department has supported through permitting and inspections.

The city encouraged residents to monitor Victorville City channels for details of programming and the library’s opening schedule. The episode concluded with production credits and a note that suggestions for future show topics can be submitted on the city’s platforms.