At our recent town hall meeting, Librarian Ann Gomez discussed the many educational and social activities she, her staff, and Benjamin Library offer to the public.

When we think of libraries we think of books, and there certainly are plenty of those at or to be obtained through this facility. But the scope of services goes far beyond that.

For instance, you can check out a hot spot and a Chromebook for internet access; you can enter your children into reading programs; you can get help from the AARP for tax filing; you can engage in adult learning programs to obtain a high school degree; you can attend book clubs and art exhibitions; there is even a seed library where you can check out seeds for your garden; you can meet local authors; you can check out a nature backpack with field guides, binoculars, bug kits, and more; you can even get free parking at 200 state parks with your library card. During the hour of the meeting, Ann described more library services and activities than we could possibly cover in this article.

The best we can do here is to direct you to the San Diego City Library Webpage – sandiego.gov/public-library. You will find this page easy to navigate and chock full of information.

Benjamin Library opened in 1965 with a grant from Edwin A. Benjamin. At that time and for a long time thereafter the library, schools, and parks met our needs. But our neighborhood expanded and demands on the library increased.

Now add the residential population of Grantville where the plan for high density apartments makes no provision for schools, parks, or other public amenities. The school district will have to increase the capacity of Foster Elementary School. The schoolyards of Foster and Marvin Elementary Schools are now or soon will be joint use parks.

Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), such as recreational facilities and infrastructure improvements, are supported by the Development Impact Funds (DIF), money paid by developers to compensate for the impact of developments. Community Planning Groups, such as the Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (NCPI), are given the duty to assert the priorities for the use of those funds.

For many years the City worked on a plan to replace the San Carlos Library.

For much of that time support of this plan was at the top of the NCPI priority list for capital improvements. On May 10, NCPI approved the use of five million dollars from the Navajo DIF toward the cost of the new facility. Because of this contribution, a matching fund from the state, and money from the general fund the construction can forward. Our thanks for the hard work the folks from the community put into this essential venture.

The demands at Benjamin Library are no less than, and with the developments in Grantville, are much greater than those at the San Carlos Library.

The City’s Facilities Financing Plan for Benjamin Library provides: “The existing library is too small to provide adequate library services. It has no computer lab and the meeting room, and the public seating and collection space is inadequate. This project is consistent with the Navajo Community Plan and general plan guidelines and is needed to serve the community at full buildout.” The plan goes on to provide that at least 15,000 square feet of space is needed, over twice that of the present 6,900 square feet.

In June and July, NCPI will establish CIP priorities. Your Allied Gardens representatives will press for Benjamin Library to go to the top of the list. But we cannot do it alone. We need you to speak up by being heard at the NCPI meetings and by your communications to this community planning group at: navajoplanners.wordpress.com/contact-us/.

Join the Allied Garden/Grantville Community Council (AGGCC) contact list by signing up on the “Contact Us” page of aggccouncil.org.

We will keep you informed of our activities, of matters of importance to the community, and of the work of the Navajo Community Planners, Inc.