Irvine's Library Master Plan Could Finally Bring a Library to Great Park

The short version: Irvine is writing its first-ever Library Master Plan, a 20-year roadmap for where libraries get built and how they're run. The public survey is open through November 30. Great Park still has no library of its own, and the city has said it envisions a future main library there. This survey is one of the most direct ways Great Park residents can weigh in before the plan is finalized.

If you live in Great Park, you've probably noticed the gap. The neighborhood has new schools, sports fields, an ice rink, and a growing list of restaurants, but if you want to check out a book, you're driving to another part of town. That could change, and the next few weeks are a real chance to shape how it happens.

Where Irvine's Libraries Stand Today

A quick recap of how we got here. In 2025, Irvine left the Orange County Public Libraries system and started running its own libraries. The city now operates three branches:

• Heritage Park Library, which the city owns. It reopened under city management in August 2025.
• University Park Library, a county-owned building the city leases on a five-year term. It also reopened in August 2025.
• Katie Wheeler Library, another county-owned building, leased on a three-year term. It reopened under the city in March 2026.

None of the three are in Great Park. For one of the fastest-growing parts of Irvine, that's a noticeable hole.

What the Library Master Plan Is

The Library Master Plan is the city's first comprehensive, data-driven plan for its library system. The city says it will guide library decisions for the next 20 years. That covers facilities, services, collections, programs, technology, and community spaces.

The city hired Group 4 Architecture, a firm that has planned hundreds of libraries across the country, to lead the work. The city's current timeline points to completion in December 2027, though it notes the schedule is subject to change.

This plan is different from the 2026–29 Library Strategic Plan the city released earlier this year. The strategic plan focused on services and programs. The master plan is the long-range blueprint for buildings and where they go.

Why This Matters for Great Park

The idea of a Great Park library isn't new. When the City Council adopted the Great Park Framework Plan in July 2022, it called for a central or main library in the park's northern sector, to be built once funding was identified.

Since then, things have moved:

• A 2023 feasibility study looked at a library in that location.
• The city's 2025 site study named the Great Park's northern sector as a candidate site, though the City Council hasn't approved final plans.
• In a January 2026 Great Park Board update, the city said demolition of remaining tarmac and rough grading of the library site would begin in April 2026.
• This spring, the city held three Great Park Library planning meetings at the Great Park Studio to hear what residents want in the building.

The city now describes a Great Park library as Irvine's future main library. Local reporting on the city's expansion planning has floated a building of roughly 110,000 square feet there. The city's own pages still describe it as something it is "exploring," with no approved design, budget, or opening date yet. That's why the master plan matters. It's the document that will help decide what gets built, how big, and in what order.

How to Take the Survey

The Library Master Plan survey is open through November 30 and takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

• Online: take the survey here.
• In person: the library runs pop-up survey stations at Heritage Park, University Park, and Katie Wheeler libraries, and at some local events.
• In your language: translated versions are available in Arabic, Farsi, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

If a Great Park library matters to you, say so specifically. Mention where you live, how far you drive to a library now, and what you'd actually use: study space, kids' programs, meeting rooms, makerspaces, whatever fits your family. Specific input carries more weight than a general "yes."

To follow the process after the survey closes, the city posts updates and future meeting dates through its library newsletter, "Off the Shelf," at cityofirvine.gov.

What a Library Could Mean for Great Park Homeowners

I'll be careful here. Nobody can promise a library will raise your home's value. But I can tell you what I hear from buyers every week. Families moving to Irvine ask about schools, parks, and walkable amenities first. A main library inside the Great Park would add one more reason to choose the neighborhood, and one less reason to drive across town on a Saturday.

Civic projects like this also take years, which is exactly why early input matters. The decisions made in this plan will shape Great Park for a long time, well past whenever you or I decide to move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a library in Great Park, Irvine?

Not yet. Irvine's three current branches are Heritage Park, University Park, and Katie Wheeler. The city is exploring a future main library at the Great Park as part of the Great Park Framework Plan.

When does the Irvine Library Master Plan survey close?

The survey is open through November 30. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes and is available online, at pop-up stations at Irvine libraries, and in eight languages besides English.

When will the Great Park library open?

The city hasn't announced an opening date, design, or budget. The Library Master Plan, expected to be completed around December 2027, will help shape what gets built and when.

Who is writing Irvine's Library Master Plan?

The City of Irvine hired Group 4 Architecture, a library planning and design firm, to develop the plan with community input.

Why did Irvine leave the county library system?

Irvine moved its libraries out of the Orange County Public Libraries system so the city could run its own municipal library system and plan new branches for a growing population. Heritage Park and University Park reopened under the city in August 2025, followed by Katie Wheeler in March 2026.

Living in Great Park or thinking about moving here? I'm always happy to talk through what's coming to the neighborhood. Reach out anytime, or explore our Great Park neighborhood guide.

Chris Kwon, Kwon Home Group

Sources: City of Irvine, Irvine Public Library Future Planning page and Great Park Library planning meeting materials (2026).