The statement came during a packed City Council meeting April 8, where dozens of residents—many holding signs reading “Save the Fairview Library”—filled the chambers
Santa Monica Councilmember Jesse Zwick on Monday walked back earlier comments suggesting possible consolidation of city library services, clarifying his support for the Fairview Branch Library after an outpouring of public support to keep it open.
The statement came during a packed City Council meeting April 8, where dozens of residents—many holding signs reading “Save the Fairview Library”—filled the chambers and rallied outside City Hall to protest the potential closure and sale of the Fairview Branch, which serves the Sunset Park neighborhood.
“In an effort to leave no stone unturned, I made an offhand comment that some of our spaces in the library system were underutilized and might benefit from consolidation,” Zwick said during the meeting. “I want to say before everyone speaks that I was wrong.”
Zwick said he was moved by the volume of public engagement and acknowledged the unique role libraries play in the community.
“It’s far more common to hear from residents with other priorities and complaints,” he added. “It’s heartening for me to hear how many people care about this issue. I promise to not just preserve but enhance these spaces.”
The comments followed a community rally organized by the Friends of Sunset Park, the Santa Monica Public Library Board, and Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library. The April 8 rally called attention to budget-related concerns that could lead to the permanent closure of the Fairview Branch. The City Council could vote on the matter as soon as June 24.
The Fairview Library currently operates only two days per week on a self-service basis due to pandemic-era budget cuts. It previously welcomed about 80,000 visitors annually, serving roughly 15,000 residents in Sunset Park.
During public comment, several longtime residents voiced their concerns.
“I’m a seventh-generation Santa Monica resident,” said a woman named Sharon. “I brought my children to Fairview before they could walk, and now I bring my grandchildren. We need a community library. I want you to think of the first time you walked into one.”
Another resident, Whitney, emphasized the library’s role in early childhood education. “Children come on field trips. They walk there. They get books and learn that reading is a gift of knowledge,” she said.
Library Board Chair Judith Meister, who co-organized the rally, said the proposed closure would permanently impact the neighborhood’s social fabric.
“While we understand the city’s budget challenges, selling this vital community asset would have permanent consequences for our neighborhood,” Meister said in a statement prior to the meeting.
