A Stronghold for Stockton’s Future: The Ursula Meyer Library & Community Center

Photos by Architectural Nexus & Photographer Bento Viana

Libraries are strongholds of civilization. In a library, all status markers fade away. Everyone is welcome regardless of background or bank account. Information and resources are not kept behind a paywall, instead remaining free for public use and education. When we invest time and energy into our community’s libraries, we invest in the future of hundreds of thousands of lives, from the person checking out the latest bestseller to the young future engineer playing with the 3D printer in the library’s maker space.

Stockton’s newest library, the Ursula Meyer Library and Community Center, opened its doors to the public on April 30, 2026, and it has already made a lasting impact on the community. Xia Thao, the new library’s interim librarian, is also a library manager and a life-long Central Valley resident. She grew up walking to Stockton’s Margaret Troke Library as a child with her sisters, coming home with armfuls of books. “I always loved reading,” Xia said. She is thrilled to continue to share her love of reading with the community she loves so much.

The Ursula Meyer Library and Community Center was a labor of love, taking over a decade of careful design and construction. The building itself is playful and soothing with swirling motifs throughout both its structure and décor that are reminiscent of the venation in tree leaves. “I love how modern it is,” Xia said. “The color schemes are very bright and inviting.”

The library was designed by Architectural Nexus, and as they say in their description of the project, it was intentionally made to be a place that “[blurred] boundaries between recreation and library.” Not only is it a place where people come to rest and read; it is also a bustling community center with its own wellness facilities, outdoor seating, outside gym and an indoor fitness area. “It’s basically a single facility [for] parents, teenagers, grandparents, children from toddler to tweens,” Xia said. “It’s intended for the whole family. We really try to make our spaces where the whole family can learn and gather together.” The library also offers a variety of activities and events, from a beginner’s sewing class and a 3D printing class to magic shows and archery classes.

The namesake of the library, Ursula Meyer, was a staunch defender of public libraries and the services they offer, and she dedicated her life to furthering their reach. “She’s recognized as a statewide and national advocate for literacy and youth engagement,” Xia said. Born to a Jewish family in Poland, she fled the impending rise of fascism to the United States with her family in 1938. They settled in California, and Ursula found her vocation working in the public library system. She became the director of library services in San Joaquin County in the 1970s, and continued on to serve a term as the president of the California Library Association. The California Library Hall of Fame sings her praises, saying, “She was known as an outspoken advocate for public library services and intellectual freedom.” Now, Ursula is immortalized in both the California Library Hall of Fame and in the Stockton library named after her and her legacy.

The Ursula Meyer Library and Community Center is more than just another city library; it’s a place that cultivates Stockton’s future, ensuring that even the most disadvantaged members of our community have access to the resources they need. The funding for the facility was provided by Measure M, a one-quarter cent tax dedicated to library and recreation services that Stockton’s voters approved in 2016. “That funding has not only funded a wonderful facility like us, but also made it possible for both library and recreation/community centers to expand with different types of programs,” Xia said.

Now we can see the benefit of our tax dollars ourselves: a child’s eyes lighting up during weekly Story Time; a young reader checking out a stack of books as tall as they are; a senior teaching a skill to the next generation. And over all of it, the librarians keep watch. “We really put our whole heart into it. We really believe in public libraries,” Xia said. “I find my job incredibly rewarding.”

Visit the Ursula Meyer Library and Community Center at1461 E Morada Ln, Stockton, California; call (209) 875-3521 for more information.