Santa Monica Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Monica Public Library |
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|---|---|
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| Country | United States |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1890 |
| Location | Santa Monica, California |
| Collection | |
| Size | 385,000+ |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 1 million+ |
| Population served | 92,472 |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $6,804,960 |
| Director | Maria Taesil Hudson Carpenter |
| Staff | 93 |
The Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) is a public library system in Santa Monica, California. A public library is a place where everyone can borrow books, movies, and music for free. It also offers many other helpful services.
The library system is managed by a City Librarian. This person works with a Library Board. The board has five members chosen by the Santa Monica City Council.
What Can You Do at the Library?
The Santa Monica Public Library has a main building and four smaller branch libraries. The Main Library is at 601 Santa Monica Boulevard. The branch libraries are:
- Fairview Branch (2101 Ocean Park Boulevard)
- Montana Avenue Branch (1704 Montana Avenue)
- Ocean Park Branch (2601 Main Street)
- Pico Branch (2201 Pico Boulevard)
Getting a Library Card
If you live in California, you can get a library card for free! With a card, you can borrow many things. These include books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, and audiobooks. You can also read ebooks and use special online research tools.
Computers and Wi-Fi
All library locations have computers you can use to access the internet. These are free for California residents and visitors. The libraries also offer free Wi-Fi, so you can connect your own devices.
Study and Meeting Spaces
The Main Library and Pico Branch Library have small rooms. You can use these for group study if you have a library card. Each library also has larger meeting rooms. These can be rented for events or gatherings.
Fun Programs and Events
The library offers many exciting programs for everyone. You can join book clubs or take computer classes. There are also music shows and visits from authors. Two popular programs are "Santa Monica Reads" and the "Green Prize for Sustainable Literature."
Programs for Kids and Teens
The Youth Services Department has lots of fun activities. They offer story times for younger kids. They also have special events and a very popular summer reading program.
Special Collections and History
The Main Library has a special "Santa Monica Collection Room." This room holds books and other items about the Santa Monica Bay area. You can also explore "Imagine Santa Monica" online. This website has old photos, postcards, and maps. It also has old newspapers from the Santa Monica Outlook.
Dial-A-Story Service
The library has a unique "Dial-A-Story" service. You can call 424-610-8600 any time, day or night. You can then choose from different recorded stories and content. Kids especially enjoy the story time, and it works without the internet!
How the Library Started and Grew
Early Days of the Library
Santa Monica became a town in 1875. In 1884, a small reading room opened in a drug store. This room had about 400 books, magazines, and newspapers. In 1888, the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) took over the reading room.
By 1890, the WCTU offered their 800 books to the city of Santa Monica. The city accepted the gift. In December 1890, Ms. Elfie Mosse became the first City Librarian. The library moved into two rooms in the Bank of Santa Monica building.
At first, borrowing books cost 25 cents a month. But in March 1893, the library became free for everyone. By then, it had 1,800 books. In 1903, the library moved again to the new City Hall. This gave it even more space.
Carnegie Library Buildings
As Santa Monica grew, so did its need for books. In 1903, a woman named Mrs. J. H. Clark asked Andrew Carnegie for money. Carnegie was a very rich businessman who helped build many libraries. He agreed to give $12,500 for a new library building in Santa Monica.
Citizens raised money to buy land. The new library opened on August 11, 1904. It was a big success! By 1913, the library had over 18,000 books. It was already getting too small.
The city also needed smaller branch libraries. Carnegie gave another $12,500 for a branch. The Ocean Park branch library opened on February 15, 1918.
Main Library in the 1920s and 1930s
In 1926, the Main Library building was expanded and updated. It was redesigned in a Spanish style. It reopened on November 18, 1927.
A famous artist named Stanton Macdonald-Wright painted a huge mural inside the library. It took him 18 months to finish this amazing 2,000-square-foot artwork. It was unveiled in 1935.
The children's section also got special murals. Eulalie Wilson, a children's book illustrator, painted characters like Peter Pan and Cinderella on the walls.
More Branch Libraries Open
By 1930, Santa Monica had grown a lot. A new branch, the Fairview Heights branch, opened in 1931. It was a small storefront library.
In 1942, the Fairview Branch moved to a bigger location. During World War II, the librarian there started preschool story times. This was one of the first programs of its kind on the West Coast!
In the 1950s, the Fairview branch needed an even bigger building. The third Fairview branch opened in 1956.
To serve the north side of the city, the Montana Avenue Branch opened in 1952. It quickly became very popular. A new, larger Montana Avenue branch building opened in 1960.
A New Main Library for the 1960s
In 1962, plans were made for a brand new Main Library. Construction began in 1964, and the library opened in September 1965.
The famous Macdonald-Wright murals were moved from the old building. They were stored for a while, then moved to the Smithsonian Institution. Later, they were loaned back to the Santa Monica Public Library. You can see them on the second floor of the Main Library today!
In 1989, the library started answering questions by email. In 2000, it became the first public library to offer online chat help. They even added text message help in 2009.
The library also started lending DVDs in 2000. In 2005, they offered downloadable audiobooks. In 2010, they began lending ebooks.
A Modern Main Library for the 21st Century
In 1996, the library started planning to expand the Main Library. They asked the community for ideas. In 1998, people voted to fund the library improvements.
The old Main Library building was taken down. A new, larger building was constructed. While it was being built, the library's main collections were moved to a temporary spot. The children's books went to the Ocean Park Branch.
The new Main Library opened in January 2006. It is a huge, modern building. It has many public computers and large meeting spaces. It even won an award for being environmentally friendly.
In 2007, the library started the "Green Prize for Sustainable Literature." In 2008, it hosted the first "Living Library" event in the United States. Library visits continued to grow, reaching over one million in 2009!
The Newest Branch: Pico Library
For many years, people in the Pico neighborhood wanted a library. In 2009, the City Council approved building a new branch library in Virginia Avenue Park.
The Pico Branch Library has two buildings. The main library building is large and bright. There is also a separate community room. Solar panels on the roof help power the library.
The Pico Branch Library had its official opening on June 28, 2014. It was the first new branch library in Santa Monica in over 50 years!
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