Library pioneer eager to serve community

Julie Zeoli, the city of Irvine’s first librarian, says she’s eager to provide “world-class library services for a world-class city.”

“Irvine has so many wonderful civic services, community centers and parks,” Zeoli says. “The only piece that was missing is an exceptional library system.”

While other U.S. library systems are struggling with budget cutbacks, Zeoli’s position is enviable. Irvine recently appointed her to help create a brand-new system: Irvine Public Libraries. Transitioning from the current county-run system will allow Irvine to expand and improve library services as well as making them more “Irvine-centric,” she says.

Zeoli elaborated on her plans.

Irvine City Manager Oliver Chi has said that a public library system has been a “long-awaited community priority.” What difference will it make?

Right now, Irvine residents are served by three of the 34 branches of the Orange County Public Library system: Heritage Park Library, University Park Library and Katie Wheeler Library.

These have been some of the busiest branches in the countywide system, and there’s a definite need to expand them. Irvine’s needs just haven’t been adequately met. So we also plan to add more branches in the city, although it’s still too soon to say how many.

What excites you most about this new job?

We hope to upgrade the library services, enhance the collections and introduce new, innovative programs to make the branches more ‘Irvine-centric.’

For instance, many libraries have been offering something called a ‘library of things,’ which lets residents borrow anything from musical instruments to laptop computers to carpentry tools. Irvine’s libraries haven’t had this to date, but we plan to provide it.

How can Irvine expand its library services when other libraries are reducing them?

Irvine is very lucky to be a city that supports its community services. I’m confident we’ll be able to hire some amazing librarians to serve this community. People want to work and live in this city.

What do you love most about libraries?

All the diverse learning opportunities available at libraries inspired me to earn a Master of Library and Information Science degree and to become a librarian. Libraries are anchors for communities. There’s home, there’s work and there’s the public library. Everyone has free access to that library, and it’s about more than books. You come to the library to read, obviously, and to study, and also to get free Wi-Fi and a quiet place to work. Libraries bring people together and serve the community in so many ways, from lifelong learning opportunities to ESL services.

I’m so excited to be part of this effort of building something pretty much from scratch. We’re going to build something that can last for generations. It’s going to outlast us all.

More Information

The city will be transitioning library services over the coming months. Please visit cityofirvine.org/libraries regularly for updates on openings, closures and changed hours.