The ongoing renovation of Goleta Valley Library received a $550,000 grant from the John C. Mithun Foundation that will go toward the new children’s area. The funds will support the library’s broad, multi-year overhaul of the Fairview Avenue building, with improvements for accessibility, safety, and infrastructure.
Children’s section furnishings will be upgraded, thanks to the grant from the Mithun Foundation, a Santa Barbara–based nonprofit oriented toward education. The funds will add new mobile shelving, interactive learning spaces, and a redesigned Boysel Reading Nook with a centerpiece tree. Additional interior improvements funded by other donors include new teen spaces, study pods, and renovated adult seating to make the library more accessible and comfortable for children, teens, and adults.
Alongside the children’s area update, renovations at the main library include ADA-compliant restrooms, updated HVAC systems, improved accessibility, and other building improvements approved in 2025. A new capital campaign aims to raise $1.15 million for new furniture across the facility by December 2026. With financial support from the Santa Barbara Foundation, the library is at almost 40 percent of the target.
The capital campaign focuses on adult spaces that are currently outdated and unwelcoming, with furniture that is no longer ADA-compliant and limits programming options. As in the children’s section, modern seating, additional study pods, and upgraded shelving is envisioned, as well as improved staff work areas. The improvements will allow the library to host extra storytimes, teen workshops, and live performances.
The main library remains closed through June 2027 as crews complete interior and infrastructure work on the approximately $7 million project. A temporary library site is at 6500 Hollister Avenue in Suite 105.
