A New Chapter for Horizon West: Library Opening Date Announced
From a Media Lab to Meeting Space for the Whole Community, Here's What Makes the Horizon West Branch One of a Kind
Photo: Orange County Library System
The wait is almost over. Orange County Library System (OCLS) has announced that the long-awaited Horizon West Branch will officially open its doors on October 10, marking the start of a new chapter for a community that has been asking for a library of its own for over a decade.
Located at 4657 Hamlin Groves Trail, the 20,000-square-foot branch sits between Town Center and the village of Bridgewater, co-located with Horizon West Regional Park. It's the biggest branch OCLS has ever built, and after a groundbreaking in November 2024, a topping-out ceremony the following June, and more than a year of construction, Horizon Westers will finally get to walk through its doors and browse a collection of more than 45,000 books across Adult, Juvenile, Easy, Young Adult and New & Popular genre.
OCLS has served Orange County for more than 100 years. Library cards are free for Orange County residents and unlock far more than just borrowing books. Cardholders can borrow audiobooks and movies, access home delivery and online learning, and get cultural attraction passes through the Local Wanderer program.
Photo: Orange County Library System
A Gathering Place for Horizon West
True to its design, the new branch is built to be a gathering place as much as it is a library. Inside, residents will find dedicated spaces for children, classes, meetings and quiet study, along with computers and creative technology.
If you've ever struggled to find a space for your hobby club or civic group to meet, there is exciting news. The branch includes three large meeting rooms that can be reserved individually or combined into one larger space.
On their own, the rooms hold 26, 34 and 40 people. Combined, the space holds up to 100. For cardholders, rooms cost $10 per hour, or $25 per hour when all three are used as a combined space. Two additional study rooms are free to reserve for smaller, focused work, holding up to six people each.
A Creative Hub: The Media Lab
One of the branch's standout features is its Media Lab, a dedicated creative space that accommodates up to four people at a time. Cardholders can reserve this space free for up to four hours a day. Equipment includes a green screen, lighting, a lightbox for product photos, microphones, and video, audio and photo recording and editing software. It's built for anyone with a project to bring to life, whether that's a podcast, a product shoot or video production.
A Playful, Purposeful Children's Area
The children's area is themed around local flora and fauna, including the blue calamintha bee, a pollinator unique to this region. A large wall mural by MAD Creative Fabrication features oversized images of native species, paired with an interactive wall designed to promote creativity and play.
Sensory activities give toddlers and preschoolers a hands-on way to explore, and AWE Learning Early Literacy Stations add educational games that support early reading skills.
Photos: Orange County Library System
A Florida-Inspired Design, Indoors and Out
The branch's Florida-inspired design extends outdoors with gardens, a native flower teaching garden, and a nature path featuring a permanent StoryWalk® installation.
Additionally, along the Percussion Path, musical instruments invite kids and adults to experiment with sound while they move through the outdoor space, with chimes and a bright, flower-shaped instrument adding a playful rhythm.
Behind the building, a performance play area includes a shade structure for outdoor programming and AstroTurf for versatile, casual seating and play.
Photos: Orange County Library System
A Community That Made It Happen
At the groundbreaking in November 2024, Crockett Bohannon, president of the OCLS Board of Trustees, put it simply: libraries "are not just buildings filled with books" but "gateways to knowledge, imagination and opportunity."
District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson echoed that sentiment, calling a library a place where you can "travel the world," even "ride on the back of a dragon," without ever leaving home.
Now, more than a decade after the idea was first proposed, the library is ready to open its doors and become a place for discovery, creativity and connection in the community that helped make it happen.
Meet the Branch Manager
Lelia Higgins will lead the new location branch manager. Horizon West residents will likely recognize her as she has managed the Windermere Branch since 2010.
Photo: Orange County Library System
Get Ready for Opening Day!
The public is invited to celebrate the milestone with a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening on October 10 at 10 a.m.
- Don't have a library card yet? Get one online ahead of opening day.
- Visit our Horizon West Library Page for the full project timeline and photo gallery.
Photo: Orange County Library System
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