(October 26, 2021) Santa Barbara, CA – Honoring Santa Barbara’s historic, cultural and architectural significance, the new Michael Towbes Library Plaza will meet the needs of the 21st Century, with 10,000 square feet of programmable space in the heart of Downtown Santa Barbara between the Library and the Museum of Art.  The Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation has been working to revitalize the Library Plaza — and is in its final push to complete the fundraising goal of $5 million, with ground breaking expected in early 2022.

In the spirit of the late Mr. Towbes, a beloved philanthropist who left an indelible mark on Santa Barbara, community members now have the opportunity to leave their own lasting legacy on Library Plaza, by purchasing a personalized brick on the revitalized Library Plaza in the heart of the Cultural Arts District.

Credit: Courtesy

“We are excited to launch the Buy-a-Brick campaign, and see this as a truly unique way for our community to participate in supporting the library,” shared Lauren Trujillo, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation. “This newly imagined Library Plaza will not only open doors to expanded experiences in literacy, learning and adventure but will rebuild our downtown and anchor our historic Cultural Arts District with an attractive, safe and accessible outdoor space.” Only 250 bricks are available to purchase, offered at two different donation levels. The first level ($1,000 donation) allows for 4 rows of 16 characters or 64 total characters, and 1” text height.

The second level ($500 donation) allows for 1 row or a total of 16 characters, and ¾” text height. All bricks are 4” x 8” in dimension. Purchasing a brick is a meaningful way to remember a loved one, honor someone special, show community support as a business, or commemorate one’s family name in stone for decades to come. Bricks are available for purchase now! To place your order and personalize your brick please click here.

“Currently, the Arts District lacks a unifying space where the community can regather and learn, which is why this is such an important campaign,” shared Anne Howard, Board President. Moving programs outside will allow passers-by to recognize the Library as a center for dynamic, enriching, and engaging activities — not just a repository of books. The Santa Barbara Public Library partners with over 60 local community organizations to host free programming. The new Library Plaza will be a site for safe and accessible civic forums, storytellers, theatrical performances, job fairs, volunteer expositions, movie screenings, community music programs, art installations, city festivals and events like Juneteenth and SB Reads.

For over 100 years the Santa Barbara Public Library has continually grown to meet the evolving needs of the community. It has served as a hub for lifelong literacy and civic participation, a gathering place for children to learn, a catalyst for imaginations of all ages, and a virtual refuge. The new Library Plaza will enable the library to continue its critical role in community building, while opening doors to expanded experiences in literacy, learning and adventure. 

For additional details about the Buy-a-Brick campaign, please click here, or send an email to: info@sblibraryfoundation.org.

The Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation supports the Santa Barbara Public Library by funding large-scale initiatives. To learn more about the foundation and the projects it supports, please visit sblibraryfoundation.org.

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