Grace Mellman Community Library
🏢 Riverside County Library System · Temecula, California
Grace Mellman Community Library
Named for the tenacious volunteer who raised more than half a million dollars to build Temecula's first dedicated library, the Grace Mellman Community Library is the Riverside County Library System's historic anchor in the wine-country city — a 15,000-square-foot neighborhood hub with 80,000+ items, a community room for 164 guests, and bilingual programming that has served the valley since 1972.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 11am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 11am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 1pm–5pm |
| Saturday | 1pm–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 41000 County Center Drive, Temecula, CA 92591
Phone: (951) 296-3893
Website: rivlib.net
Plus Code: 8554GRHQ+3G (Temecula, CA)
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📖 About Grace Mellman Community Library
The Grace Mellman Community Library traces its roots to August 9, 1972, when Riverside County opened its first library presence in Temecula at Rancho California Plaza. The current 15,000-square-foot building at 41000 County Center Drive opened on May 3, 1992, funded in part by a citizen fundraising campaign led by Grace Mellman — a longtime local volunteer and founding president of the Friends of the Temecula Libraries who raised more than $500,000 toward the Temecula library system. When the City of Temecula opened the larger Temecula Public Library on Pauba Road in December 2006, this county branch was renamed in Mellman's honor. A 2010 renovation modernized the interior with interactive self-checkout stations, two public computer labs, a quiet room, and updated furnishings. Today the library holds over 80,000 items, maintains a Friends-operated used bookstore on-site, and serves one of the fastest-growing cities in Southern California with bilingual storytimes, low-tech maker programming, and access to all 35 branches in the Riverside County Library System.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named in 2006 for Grace Mellman, founding president of the Friends of the Temecula Libraries, who personally led the fundraising campaign that raised more than $500,000 for the Temecula library system
- Temecula's original 1972 county library presence — now in the 15,000-square-foot County Center Drive building opened May 3, 1992
- Community Room accommodating up to 164 people (80 chairs, 14 tables), plus a Conference Room (6 people) and a Study Room — all reservable for community use
- Children's section features a beloved 'magic tunnel' passage — a local Temecula tradition for generations of young visitors
- Friends of the Temecula Libraries operate an on-site used bookstore (Mon–Thu 10 am–4 pm, Fri–Sat 1–4 pm) with regular sales and donation drop-off
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Riverside County Library System cardholders enjoy free 24/7 digital access:
📚 Services
- Over 80,000 physical items including books, DVDs, CDs, and magazines
- Two public computer labs with internet access
- Interactive self-checkout stations
- Wireless printing
- Quiet room for focused study
- Community Room (capacity 164), Conference Room (capacity 6), and Study Room — all reservable
- Friends of the Temecula Libraries on-site used bookstore
- RCLS library card gives access to all 35 system branches and 1.3M+ system-wide items
🎸 Programs
- Bilingual Storytime — Tuesdays 11:30 am–12 pm (fall/winter season)
- Toddler Storytime & Playtime — Wednesdays 10:30–11:30 am (fall/winter season)
- Make It Monday — low-tech makerspace drop-in for children ages 3–12 (no registration required)
- Monthly adult book club and mystery club
- Free movie nights and guest speaker series
- America's 250th anniversary programming (2026 special series)
📍 Nearby Libraries in Riverside County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Temecula · Browse all California libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Grace Mellman, and why is this library named after her?
Grace Mellman was a Temecula community volunteer and founding president of the Friends of the Temecula Libraries. She led the fundraising campaign that raised over $500,000 — including substantial private donations — toward building Temecula's library infrastructure. When the City of Temecula opened the larger Temecula Public Library on Pauba Road in December 2006, the county voted to rename this original branch in her honor, recognizing her decades of grassroots work for library services in the Temecula valley.
Is this the same library as the Temecula Public Library on Pauba Road?
No — they are two separate branches. The Grace Mellman Community Library at 41000 County Center Drive is the original Temecula county branch (founded 1972, current 15,000-square-foot building 1992) and is operated by the Riverside County Library System. The Temecula Public Library at 30600 Pauba Road is the newer, larger 34,000-square-foot facility opened by the City of Temecula in December 2006. Both are free to use with an RCLS library card.
Can Temecula visitors and seasonal residents get a library card?
Yes. Any California resident can obtain a free Riverside County Library System card at the Grace Mellman branch or online at rivlib.net. Your card works at all 35 RCLS branches and unlocks 24/7 digital access through cloudLibrary, Libby, hoopla, and Kanopy — useful even when you're away from Temecula.
What meeting rooms are available at Grace Mellman Community Library?
The library has three reservable spaces: a Community Room accommodating up to 164 people (with 80 chairs and 14 tables), a Conference Room seating 6, and a Study Room for smaller groups. Contact the branch at (951) 296-3893 or visit rivlib.net to check availability and reserve a room.
📚 This library has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.