The W. Anne Gibson-Esmond Station Library opened Tuesday, February 16. Located at 10931 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, the Library is now open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm for curbside/outdoor holds pickup. This library is the 27th in the Pima County Public Library system and will primarily serve those living in the greater Vail area, including Corona de Tucson and Rita Ranch.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no public entry at this time, but we look forward to the day when we can open the doors and welcome our customers to their new library.
While no entry is allowed, customers no longer have to drive far to pick up their books and appreciate this new gem of the southeast.
Books can reserved online or via Infoline at (520) 791-4010. The Library is managed by Mary McKinney, who has worked for the library system for more than 20 years.
Edward Buster, Library Advisory Board Member and Vice President of the Friends of the W. Anne Gibson-Esmond Station Library, had this to say about Mary, “She is superbly accomplished, mentored, and well-seasoned professionally… [She will] make a deeply positive and long-lasting impact in this role.”
In an interview with the library’s namesake, Anne Gibson, Mary said, “Opening a new library is exhilarating. Southeast residents have been waiting a long time for a library. I am happy and excited that the community can finally begin to use their new library. I feel fortunate that I will be there when it happens.”
The 8,000-9,000 square foot W. Anne Gibson-Esmond Station Library, designed by BWS Architects, features a meeting room that opens to the outdoors and movable shelving and furniture to create flexible spaces that can be adjusted to meet the needs of customers. Furnishings promote community gathering and provide a sense of neighborhood living. Connected by trailhead to the Esmond Station Regional Park, the building is within walking distance of Empire High School and Esmond Station K-8.
The Library features an outdoor sculpture by Troy Nieman made of intricately-cut steel. It honors Vail-area culture and history. The funding for the sculpture was made possible by the Pima County Public Art Program, which sets aside one percent of the cost of capital improvement projects for public art.