Malibu Library Renewal Project

Project Overview

The Malibu Library, a branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library located at 23519 Civic Center Way, was established in 1970. Constructed in 1963, the library consisted of a 12,891 square foot building, and a 2,013 square foot bookmobile garage. Aside from relatively minor modifications to the interior layout, the library's physical characteristics had remained unchanged, despite constantly evolving library programmatic and service needs for the approximately 18,000 residents from the City of Malibu and surrounding unincorporated county areas that it served.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the revitalized Malibu Library pays homage to the area’s profuse history. Visitors can enjoy replicas of historic Malibu artifacts, including a lighthouse from the 1920s that has been transformed into a family restroom, an Adamson House tile rug, and a photographic exhibit featuring historical images of the area. Malibu’s equestrian culture is represented in the enlarged Community Room, while its diverse marine life is symbolized in the new Children’s Area on a flourishing 8’ by 14’ porcelain tile public art piece designed by artist Christine Nguyen. The City’s surfing culture shines in the Teen Area, which has a new study room, and the iconic Malibu Pier mounted on the ceiling leads visitors to the new outdoor reading patio, amphitheater, and a wind sail structure with views overlooking Legacy Park.

Funding

The City and the County agreed that excess funds generated by property taxes from residents of the City of Malibu that were not spent each year on the library would be set aside in a reserve account to be used for the library renovations. The Malibu Library Fundraising Task Force was established to raise the remaining $500,000 needed for the $5.7 million project through donations from local residents, businesses, and organizations.

Sustainable Design

The Malibu Library Renewal Project was the City's first project to meet the rigorous environmentally sustainable design, construction, and operation standards required to obtain certification from the Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) program, a green building rating system developed by the U.S Green Building Council.

The community celebrated the grand re-opening of the Malibu Library on April 22, 2012.