Sarah Anderson’s children were 9 and 13 years old when her family’s local library shut its doors.
A volunteer at the Aliso Viejo Library, her 13-year-old daughter worked in the branch alongside other teenagers on the advisory board before the branch closed to undergo construction.
They are now 11 and 14, and still waiting for the branch to reopen.
“It’s made it a lot harder for us to just go and find new books to read,” Anderson said, noting that the family visited the library every-other week until the closure. “I mean, we have a Barnes and Noble nearby, but it’s a different experience, obviously.”
The project costing $5.9 million aims to improve ADA accessibility, increase space for programs and upgrade mechanical and lighting systems.
“There’s just no progress report or status update that I’m aware of to tell us when it’s going to reopen, or what the status is on construction, so what’s been kind of frustrating is that we just don’t know anything,” said Anderson in a May 30 phone interview.
The branch closed over a year ago on April 15, 2024 and was initially on-track for an early summer reopening.
The library is now expected to reopen early fall, according to OC Public Libraries spokesperson Dan Seranilla.
Aliso Viejo Councilmember Richard Hurt, who serves as the Chair of the Library Advisory, noted that the reopening of the branch was slowed due to permitting delays and issues with water leaking through the clock tower.
“On this latest delay, there was some leakage going through the roofs, specifically the clock tower,” Councilmember Hurt said in a phone interview on June 2. “So they had to fix that, which delayed that side.”
Seranilla confirmed that the timeline was impacted by permitting delays and the leak through the clock tower, but did not provide details on the issues.
“These matters have been addressed, and efforts were made to ensure that the necessary repairs were completed efficiently,” he said in a June 4 email.
The county contracted with C.W. Driver, LLC to work on the branch – who did not respond to Voice of OC phone or email inquiries asking about delays.
The families in Aliso Viejo are not the only ones to go without a library for an extended period.
C.W. Driver is also working on the Dana Point Library, a branch that has been closed over a year and five months.
[Read: When will the Dana Point Library Reopen?]
OC Public Libraries spokesperson Dan Seranilla initially shared with Voice of OC that the Dana Point Library would reopen in the spring, but the branch is now slated for a reopening at the end of this summer.
The Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Library also had a delayed reopening last year following nearly two years of construction by Vincor, Inc.
[Read: Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Library Reopens]
“OC Public Libraries is committed to enhancing library spaces for the communities we serve,” said Seranilla in a June 5 email after being asked about the trend of delayed reopenings.
“While construction timelines are managed by County project leads and contracted teams, we work closely with them to support progress and keep projects moving forward. Initial timelines are estimates and, as with any major renovation, multiple phases and unforeseen conditions can sometimes impact schedules.”
The library branch opened its doors to the public on Jan. 31, 1998.
Two branches in central and northern Orange County are closed for construction.
The La Habra and Garden Grove Main Libraries closed in May.
Erika Taylor is a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow and photojournalist. Contact her at etaylor@voiceofoc.orgor@camerakeepsrolling.