LAPL to Open Temporary Palisades ‘Book Bungalow’ Facility

Pacific Palisades Library Association Welcomes New President

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Pacific Palisades Library Association has announced that while rebuilding efforts are underway for Palisades Branch Library, it will operate a temporary facility, which is on schedule to be up and running by fall.

The temporary facility, called the Palisades Library “Book Bungalow,” is set to be located near the entrance of Palisades Recreation Center. The “welcoming space,” created by Los Angeles Public Library, will offer a “small browsing collection, holds pickup, Wi-Fi [and] community meeting space. It will also be a home for Friends of the Palisades Library, aka PPLA.

The library, located on Alma Real Drive, was destroyed in the Palisades fire. Debris removal was completed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“It’s a meaningful first step toward restoring library services in the Palisades, as well as a place for us all to meet and gather,” Laura Schneider wrote on behalf of PPLA in a statement. “More good news includes the conditional approval of FEMA funds to support the rebuilding of our library.”

Next steps, according to PPLA, will include the selection of an architect, as well as developing a timeline and a plan for gathering community input. In the coming months, Schneider said, the PPLA board will be determining where local fundraising can “enhance our new library” and “weigh-in on key milestones and timelines.”

“We will keep you informed as we learn more from LAPL,” Schneider wrote. “There will also be lots of news to report in terms of how our ‘Book Bungalow’ can help us stay connected, provide programming and continue to serve the community while we rebuild.”

During the Pacific Palisades Recreation Center Park Advisory Board Meeting on June 24, LAPL City Librarian John Szabo said the department is “very eager to begin providing library services.”

“We’re very fortunate within the city to have these adjacent properties,” Szabo said of the temporary facility being on city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks land. “Going forward, we certainly [want to be as] collaborative as we can be with our colleagues in Recreation and Parks.”

In the letter, Schneider also detailed changes within the Friends of the Palisades Library leadership.

“I’m happy to announce that a new group of energetic and visionary leaders has stepped up to guide the Palisades Friends in this next chapter, led by our new board president, Cameron Pfizenmaier,” Schneider said.

Schneider has served nearly two decades on the board, with nearly 10 years in the role of president. She said she is “excited to welcome new volunteer leaders” to PPLA, as she assumes the role of “immediate past president.”

“Serving in this role has inspired me, challenged me and filled me with gratitude to be part of a community so deeply committed to our library and its future,” Schneider wrote. “Thank you for your trust, your commitment, and the many moments of collaboration, friendship and laughter we’ve shared over the years. But most of all, thank you for your continued support of the Pacific Palisades Library Association.”

Updates about PPLA are available at its website: friendsofpalilibrary.org.