San Francisco Public Library facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids San Francisco Public Library


Type	Public
Established	1878
Location	San Francisco, California, United States
Branches	27
Collection
Size	3,946,841
Access and use
Circulation	10,971,974
Population served	870,887
Other information
Budget	$126 million (FY 2017)
Director	Michael Lambert, City Librarian
Website	www.sfpl.org

The San Francisco Public Library is the main library system for the city of San Francisco. Its biggest building, called the Main Library, is located at Civic Center. This library system has won many awards, including the Library Journal Library of the Year award in 2018. The library gets a lot of money to operate. This is thanks to a special fund called the Library Preservation Fund. People voted to create this fund in 1994, and then voted again in 2007 to keep it going until 2022.

History of the Library
- New Main Library Building
- Recent History of the Library
Branch Libraries
Library Services
See also

History of the Library

In August 1877, some people in San Francisco wanted to create a free public library. State senator George H. Rogers and Andrew Smith Hallidie led a meeting to discuss this idea. In 1878, the Free Library Act was signed by Governor of California William Irwin. This law created a group of trustees to manage the library. It also set up a special tax on property to help pay for the library.

The San Francisco Public Library, first known as the San Francisco Free Library, opened on June 7, 1879. It was located at Pacific Hall on Bush Street. Albert Hart was hired as the first librarian. In 1888, the library moved to the City Hall building. The first three branch libraries opened between 1888 and 1889. They were in the Mission, North Beach, and Potrero Hill areas. In 1889, the library became a place where people could find government documents. This happened because Senator George Hearst suggested it.

The 1916 main library building now houses the Asian Art Museum.

In 1905, an architect named Daniel Burnham planned a new Civic Center for San Francisco. This plan included a new library building. But these plans were put on hold after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The earthquake destroyed about 140,000 books, which was almost 80% of the library's collection. The library moved to a temporary spot while a new building was designed. In 1917, the new main library building opened. It was designed by George W. Kelham and was also in the Civic Center. Inside, there were ten large paintings by California artist Gottardo Piazzoni.

New Main Library Building

In 1986, a group was formed to plan the Civic Center. They decided to build a brand new main library next to the old one. This new building was finished in 1995 and opened on April 18, 1996. The old main library building had been damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It was later rebuilt and became the new Asian Art Museum. The large Piazzoni paintings were moved to the de Young Museum in 1999.

Recent History of the Library

In 2018, the San Francisco Public Library won the "Library of the Year" award from Library Journal.

In March 2019, the library decided to stop charging overdue fines for books and other items. They also cleared all past fines. This was done because fines made it harder for some people to use the library. The city's leaders, including Mayor London Breed, supported this change. On September 15, 2019, all fines were officially removed.

The library started to reopen its doors to visitors on May 3, 2021. This was the first time since March 2020, when it closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first floor of the Main Branch opened with new rules. For example, visitors could only stay for an hour, and there were clear dividers between computers.

Branch Libraries

Besides the large Main Library, the San Francisco Public Library has 27 smaller branch libraries located throughout the city.

Anza
Bayview
Bernal Heights
Chinatown
Eureka Valley
Excelsior
Glen Park
Golden Gate Valley
Ingleside

Marina
Merced
Mission
Mission Bay
Noe Valley
North Beach
Ocean View
Ortega
Park

Parkside
Portola
Potrero
Presidio
Richmond
Sunset
Visitacion Valley
West Portal
Western Addition

Anza Branch Library

Anza Branch (2016)

In 1930, people in San Francisco voted to approve money for the Anza Branch Library. The new building was designed by architect John W. Reid, Jr. and opened on April 10, 1932. It had 11,823 new books. The Anza Branch Library was the 17th branch in the San Francisco Public Library system. It closed for repairs in May 2009 and reopened on June 18, 2011.

Bayview Branch Library

The new Bayview Library opened on February 23, 2013. The first Bayview/Anna E. Waden Branch Library opened in 1927 in a small storefront. It was the 13th branch in the library system. In 1969, a new brick building was built. This was possible because of a gift from Anna E. Waden, a city employee. The building was finished in February 1969.

Bernal Heights Branch Library

Bernal Heights Branch (2010)

The Bernal Heights Branch was renovated and finished on January 30, 2010. A small library spot first opened in 1920. As the neighborhood grew, the library moved to bigger places. The current one-floor branch library opened on October 21, 1940. It was the 21st branch in the system. It was designed by Frederick H. Meyer and built with help from the Work Projects Administration.

Chinatown Branch Library

Chinatown Branch (2017)

The Chinatown Branch Library was built in 1921 by architect G. Albert Lansburgh. It was first called the North Beach Branch. It is the third branch in the library system. In 1958, its name was changed to Chinatown Branch to better fit the community it served. In 1972, the library started collecting books in Chinese and about Chinese American history. In 1991, the branch was renovated and made twice as big. It added a meeting room and a story-time room. The renovated Chinatown Branch Library reopened on June 15, 1996.

Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library

Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Branch (2010)

The Eureka Valley Branch was renovated and finished on October 24, 2009. The first building for this branch opened on January 2, 1902. It was damaged in the 1957 earthquake and torn down. A new building opened on December 20, 1961. In 1981, the library changed the branch's name to Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library. This was to honor Harvey Milk, a public official who was killed in 1978. In 2006, a street next to the library was named José Sarria Court. This honored José Sarria, another important community leader.

Excelsior Branch Library

Excelsior Branch (2016)

The Excelsior Branch Library was the 10th branch in the San Francisco Public Library system. It started as a small "library station." The current building opened to the public on October 1, 1967. It was designed by architects Appleton and Wolfard. The Excelsior Branch was the first to be renovated under a special program and reopened on July 8, 2005.

Glen Park Branch Library

Glen Park Branch (2016)

The Glen Park Branch Library first opened in January 1927. It stayed at that location for almost 38 years. Then, the building was torn down to build a highway. The Glen Park Branch moved to several different places over 42 years. Finally, a new building was built in the neighborhood, and part of it was for the library. The branch opened there on October 13, 2007.

Golden Gate Valley Branch Library

Golden Gate Valley Branch (2016)

In June 1917, construction began on the Golden Gate Valley Branch Library. This was to serve the growing neighborhoods nearby. The building was designed by local architect Ernest Coxhead. Money from a grant helped pay for the building. The branch opened to the public on May 5, 1918. The Golden Gate Valley Branch was the ninth branch in the San Francisco Public Library system.

Ingleside Branch Library

Ingleside Branch (current building, 2016)

The new Ingleside Branch opened on September 12, 2009. The Ingleside Branch was the 11th in the system and opened in 1925. The neighborhood had small "library stations" in different places before. In 2001, the library moved into a rented building that used to be a bank. The new branch building opened in 2009.

Richmond Branch Library

Richmond Branch (2010)

The Richmond Branch was renovated and finished on May 16, 2009. The Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch was the fourth branch in the San Francisco Public Library system. Its first location was in 1892. In 1914, a new Richmond Branch opened at its current spot. This was the first library building in San Francisco built with money from Andrew Carnegie. In 2000, the library was suggested to become a city landmark. After renovations, a new and safer building opened in 2009.

Library Services

The San Francisco Public Library offers special services to help people in need. For example, they have a team that works with the Department of Public Health. This team helps homeless people find housing and other support. In 2009, Leah Esguerra became the first social worker to be based in a library.