DEL MAR LIBRARY
BRANCH INFORMATION
The Del Mar Library is a branch of the San Diego County Library. Staff provides friendly service and will fulfill requests, make recommendations, and assist with technology instruction for audiobook and eReader downloads.
Del Mar Library Staff
Polly
Lydia
Elias
Olga
Valerie
Branch Manager/Librarian II
Youth Services Librarian/Librarian I
Assistant Branch Manager
Library Technician II
Library Technician I
Branch Location
Branch Hours
Click here for the hours of the Del Mar branch of the library.
Calendar of Events
ABOUT THE DEL MAR LIBRARY
Sitting on a hill near the ocean, the Del Mar branch of the San Diego County Library is housed in a lovely century-old Craftsman built as a church. The Main Room's high-arched and beamed ceiling featuring the original church lights provides wonderful acoustics for Blue Grass concerts and children’s musical events. Banks of large multi-paned windows provide bright soft light all day and sunset views over the Pacific Ocean at dusk. Comfortable chairs and study tables are scattered throughout, all in the Craftsman style of furniture and lighting.
A sunny and colorful Children’s Room is for the exclusive use of small children. A dedicated Teen Area bridges the gap to the Adult section. Computers for visitor use are set in an alcove out of the bustle of the main room, adjacent to the magazine and newspaper reading room.
Set apart from the main room is a small, quiet space where government documents, along with Del Mar and California historical materials are shelved. The California Room is a cozy, contemplative spot to study or write.
Over the years more room was needed as library programs expanded, so in 2009 the Community Room - a 580 sq-ft extension - was built on a former side patio. Made possible through $200,000 in County funds obtained by Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, $50,000 from Friends of the Del Mar Library, and a $7,000 contribution by the Del Mar Farmers Market for furnishings, the Community Room is a popular spot for Toddler and Preschool Story Times, Book Sales, Yoga Classes, Bridge, Art Classes, and special interest meetings.
Every year during Spring, the Del Mar Rose Society graces the library with a weeklong display of hundreds of locally-grown roses. This annual competitive show fills the library with a beautiful scent and lots of photo opportunities.
The Del Mar Garden Club planted and tends the Library’s beautiful front and side gardens, mostly filled with California native plants, drought tolerant and brilliant with color. Among the finds are a Bottle Tree from Australia, an African Tulip Tree, masses of Cleveland Sage ‘Pozo Blue,' many succulents, and a graceful Gold Medallion Tree home to dozens of Cloudless Sulfur Butterflies.
In 1999, renowned artist James T. Hubbell’s bronze casting “A River of Time” was permanently installed in the garden. Hubbell said the sculpture symbolizes the meeting of the San Dieguito River and the Pacific Ocean, representing “time, movement and change.” The 300 lb. piece took a year to complete, from the initial plaster stage to transformation as a bronze casting by the artisans at Artworks of Fallbrook. Through a generous donation from a local resident and the Del Mar Foundation, this was the first of many displays of public art in the City of Del Mar.
In 2003, local artists and a band of volunteers helped create the mural on the garden’s retaining wall. The Del Mar Library Wall Beautification Project was approved by both the Del Mar City Council and the Design Review Board. The City, San Diego County, the Friends, and a local resident provided the majority of the funding for the project, and residents donated $250-$500 to have their family names memorialized on the terra cotta fish that line the staircase. Constructed of brick, tile, rocks and found objects, the Mural Wall even incorporated a small piece of the Berlin Wall. The project was designed and managed by environmental muralist Betsy K. Schulz and garden expert and artist Pat Welsh. In 2005, Pat’s book, “The Magic Mural and How It Got Built: A Fable for Children of All Ages,” was published, describing how she was inspired by the Santa Ana winds. Here's a video on the design and creation of the wall.