Murrieta Public Library staff outline children's expansion, summer programs and a new grant

Murrieta Public Library staff told the commission the library is expanding its children's area to add more books, movies, video games and interactive programming and highlighted a busy summer schedule and new grant funding.

Rita, a library staff member, said the library's Summer Reading Challenge runs June 8 through July 18 and that the library recorded 23,000 active cardholders and 594,000 total circulated items in 2025. "This year's theme is plant a seed, read," Rita said, describing program tie-ins that connect reading to ideas about food, culture and ecology. The library reported 179,000 visitors last year and current Summer Reading sign-ups of 768 children, 137 teens and 185 adults.

Rita said the library received a Lunch at the Library Program Grant for 2026 of $12,362 to fund enrichment programs and to support lunch-service outreach at Murrieta Elementary School; with the grant the library will visit the school cafeteria 15 times to hand out books and host after-lunch activities. She also said the Friends of the Library will present a $120,000 donation tomorrow for the children's-area expansion; the donation is scheduled to appear on the city council consent calendar for formal acceptance.

Staffing changes were noted: Emily Moreno was selected as a part-time adult services librarian and started last month, and library specialist Catherine Miller announced her retirement with a last day of Sept. 2, 2026. Construction work at the library continues, Rita said, including insulation and drywall prep, HVAC duct installation and roof work; the team has chosen furniture, fixtures and equipment and plans a full recarpeting after the summer reading program pending city-council approval.