La Jolla/Riford Library
🏢 San Diego Public Library · La Jolla, San Diego
La Jolla/Riford Library
Two miles from UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the La Jolla/Riford Library stands on land gifted by centenarian philanthropist Florence Riford — and houses the first public biotech laboratory in an American library, a La Jolla History Room, and a maritime-themed 2004 annex with a two-story stained-glass sail wall.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 11:30am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 11:30am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 7555 Draper Avenue, San Diego, CA 92037
Phone: (858) 552-1657
Website: sandiego.gov
Plus Code: 8544RPRF+8H (San Diego, CA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About La Jolla/Riford Library
Opened in 1989 on land donated by La Jolla philanthropist Florence Seeley Riford (1892–1993) — a centenarian benefactor who gave more than $6 million to San Diego institutions, including UCSD research in AIDS and Alzheimer's — the La Jolla/Riford Library has grown into one of San Diego Public Library's flagship branches. The original building was more than doubled in size by the 2004 Joan Irwin Jacobs Library Annex ($4.7 million), bringing the facility to roughly 25,000 square feet. The annex introduced a maritime-inspired interior: a two-story stained-glass sail wall created by artist Christopher Lee, a catamaran chandelier, and wave-patterned steel stair rails, all evoking a 'voyage of discovery.' Nested two miles from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and UCSD, the library serves a community uniquely shaped by ocean science and biomedical research, reflected in its one-of-a-kind public Bio Lab and thriving IDEA Lab makerspace.
⭐ What makes this library special
- First public biotech laboratory in a U.S. library (Bio Lab, Biosafety Level 1), operated with volunteer scientists — featuring thermal cyclers, gel electrophoresis units, and digital microscopes, with programs including the La Jolla Cove Microbial Diversity Project with Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- IDEA Lab makerspace with 3D printers, photo/video editing stations, and Digital Memory Lab for converting VHS, cassettes, vinyl records, slides, and floppy disks to digital (appointments required, age 13+)
- La Jolla History Room — sole repository for bound La Jolla Light newspapers 1970–1994, plus microfilm of the La Jolla Journal and La Jolla Light 1919–1969, donated by historian Patricia Schaelchlin
- Maritime-themed 2004 Joan Irwin Jacobs Library Annex with a two-story stained-glass sail wall by artist Christopher Lee, a catamaran chandelier, and outdoor reading patio
- Named for Florence Seeley Riford (1892–1993), who lived to 100 and donated the land in 1988 — she was also UCSD's single largest individual donor of her era, funding AIDS, Alzheimer's, and oceanography research
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
La Jolla/Riford Library cardholders access San Diego's free digital collection:
📚 Services
- Book and media lending (up to 120,000-volume capacity)
- 10 public internet computers + free Wi-Fi
- IDEA Lab: Bio Lab (by appointment / hosted programs), 3D printing, Digital Memory Lab (VHS, cassettes, vinyl, slides, film, floppy disks — appointments required, age 13+)
- La Jolla History Room — reference-only local history archives; free Ancestry.com access on-site
- Community Room (75 people), Seminar Room (35 people), and Patio Room (15 people)
- Friends Bookstore open during regular library hours
- Museum passes and homebound delivery (via SDPL system)
- Bus Route 30 accessible; 20 parking spaces (2 accessible)
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes — Songs & Stories (Mon), Storytime (Tue), Bilingual Storytime (4th Wed), Stay & Play Storytime (Thu), Singing Storytime (Fri)
- Innovation Station — 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 11:30am (STEAM activities for families in the IDEA Lab)
- Bio Lab workshops — weekend genetics and microbiology sessions, including the La Jolla Cove Microbial Diversity Project with Scripps Institution scientists
- Teen and adult events: author visits, fitness classes, art exhibits, and educational presentations
📍 Other San Diego Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in San Diego · Browse all California libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Florence Riford, and why is the library named after her?
Florence Seeley Riford (1892–1993) was a La Jolla philanthropist who lived to be 100 and donated more than $6 million to San Diego institutions. She gave the city the land at 7555 Draper Avenue where the library now stands, enabling the branch to open in 1989. She was also UCSD's single largest individual donor of her era, funding research in AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, and oceanography. The Draper Avenue library bears her name in her honor.
Does the La Jolla/Riford Library really have a working biotech laboratory?
Yes — it opened in 2015 as the first public biotech lab inside a library anywhere in the United States. The Bio Lab (Biosafety Level 1) has thermal cyclers, gel electrophoresis units, centrifuges, and digital microscopes, staffed by volunteer scientists. Current programs include a La Jolla Cove Microbial Diversity Project run in partnership with the nearby Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
What local history materials are available in the History Room?
The La Jolla History Room holds the only surviving bound run of the La Jolla Light newspaper for 1970–1994 — unavailable elsewhere — plus microfilm of the La Jolla Journal and La Jolla Light for 1919–1969, the La Jolla Blue Book from 1937 onward, federal census records, and early architectural records. The core collection was donated by historian Patricia Schaelchlin during research for her book La Jolla: the Story of a Community, 1887–1987. All materials are reference-only and cannot leave the room.
How close is the library to UCSD and Scripps Institution of Oceanography?
The library at 7555 Draper Ave. is roughly 1.5–2 miles from the main UCSD campus and about 2 miles from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla Shores — a short bike ride or a 30–40 minute walk. The proximity has directly shaped the library's programming: volunteer Scripps researchers co-run the Bio Lab's genetics and microbiology workshops, and the library participated in the 3D Cabrillo collaboration with Scripps and the National Park Service.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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