Sunnyvale opens first branch library in northern part of city

North Sunnyvale, long regarded as an underserved part of the city, finally has a branch library after 14 years of discussion, negotiation and construction.

The Lakewood Branch Library and Learning Center opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Halloween morning. The $29 million building covers 20,000 square feet and holds 27,500 books, videos and other materials, along with meeting rooms and a “maker lab” with equipment including a 3D printer, laser cutter and sewing machines.

“The residents of North Sunnyvale have been wanting additional services,” Mayor Larry Klein, who dressed as Willy Wonka for the occasion, told San José Spotlight. “Making sure this building becomes a hub for North Sunnyvale is one of the biggest goals for us.”

Discussions on building the city’s first branch library — the main library is near downtown — began in 2012 and went through extended negotiations because the city partnered with the Sunnyvale and Fremont Union High school districts, requiring the state to get involved in approving the plans. It took more than a decade before construction began in 2024.

North Sunnyvale, loosely defined as the area north of Evelyn Avenue, is a lower-income area than the rest of the city, with more office and industrial buildings and less support for housing.

The city’s Community Equity Assessment report, released in August, pinpointed the issue:

“Residents from all over Sunnyvale noted the relative lack of city services and amenities in northern Sunnyvale,” the report said. “Without prompting, residents easily articulated the array of needs that exist in what they referred to as ‘North Sunnyvale:’ lack of walkable communities; insufficient access to public transportation; limited retail options; unmet need for low-cost childcare, free or subsidized school lunches, and afterschool programs; and impending loss of grocery stores.”

District 6 Councilmember Eileen Le, who represents North Sunnyvale, said it’s been hard for the city to keep pace with recent housing development.

“I think we’re on the way, but I wouldn’t say that we (in North Sunnyvale) are getting our fair share,” Le told San José Spotlight. “We’ve been adapting to more population moving in, although that’s difficult at the city planning level because the city is very much built out. But I think the Lakewood library is a great step forward.”

The Lakewood neighborhood, with 1,600 homes near Lawrence Expressway and Highway 101, is 4.5 miles from the main Sunnyvale library — a 15-minute drive or 25-minute bike ride — making it difficult for residents to take full advantage of library services. The branch library, which has a mix of 12 full-time and part-time employees, puts those services in easy reach.

“I feel like the library is a big win for our neighborhood,” Linh Ly, president of the Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association, told San José Spotlight. “It’s going to be a gathering place for the community.”

The city is also renovating Lakewood Park, adjacent to the branch library. An all-inclusive playground opened in July and the remainder of the project — including natural turf playing fields and a dog park — is due for completion in mid-2027.

Lang Xiang, who lives near the new library, came to the opening with her 4-year-old son Ethan. She said she’s looking forward to no longer having to take him all the way to the main library.

Her message to the city: “Thank you for building a library in this area.”

Contact Mike Langberg at [email protected].