Library Services Come to Crest – 1935

Residents of Crest petitioned the County of San Diego in May 1935 for a library. A limited-service library opened June 13, 1935, closed June 29, 1937 and reopened in September 1939. Most of the time the library was in the home of someone willing to serve as librarian, and it was open only a few hours a week. For some time it was in the home of Mrs. Margeurite Steen who opened a portion of her living room on Loma Vista Lane as a small library. The hours for residents were between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. .The library closed again in March 1945.
It wasn’t until May 1951 that the county opened its first official library. Mrs. Fern Podvin was named as the first Crest librarian working six hours a week at a pay rate of $5.25 a month. In the beginning, the library consisted of two large bookcases along the back wall of the La Cresta Clubhouse. From 1951-1976 it was opened just six hours a week. Dot Miller recalled, “The clubhouse building was unbearably hot in summer and freezing cold in winter. I think it was open one afternoon and one evening a week for a few hours. Mrs. Podvin was wonderfully suited to her job, always helpful and friendly. She even chose and delivered books to shut-in seniors on her way home. She was a great lady.”

The library was then moved to a tiny building constructed on the same site as the La Cresta Clubhouse. The 60 sq. ft. limited-service library located behind the clubhouse at 113 N. Park Dr. remained for 25 years and had a collection of 1,300 volumes. Mrs. Podvin was thrilled with her new library. What happened to that original little library building? It was relocated as an announcer’s booth to the horse arena at South Lane Park. Unfortunately, the building burned in 2003.

The library moved to its present location in the original Suncrest Market building, located at 105 Juanita Lane, on October 14, 1976.  After its renovation, the 1,400 sq. ft. building remained open 20 hours a week and held 10,000 volumes.