The following list of Carnegie libraries in California provides detailed information on United StatesCarnegie libraries in California, where 142 public libraries were built from 121 grants (totaling $2,779,487) awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1899 to 1917. In addition, academic libraries were built at two institutions (totaling $60,000).
Building still operating as a library Building standing, but now serving another purpose Building no longer standing Building listed on the National Register of Historic Places Building contributes to a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places
Bayliss sought a grant in conjunction with rural parts of Glenn County, hence its unusual name. Opened in 1917, this W. H. Weeks design continues to operate as one of the most rural Carnegie libraries in the country.
Opened in 1914, this Neoclassical design by E. L. Hopkins has always served the Beaumont area as a library. An addition was added to the library in 1966 and a community room was finally added in 1981.
A 1905 John Galen Howard design, this library served the Berkeley area for only 24 years before it was razed in 1929—the first Carnegie library to be demolished in California.
Demolished in 1955. Designed by architects Swartz, Hotchkin and Swartz, in a Mediterranean Revival style, as one of the three high school district California Carnegies. The new Coalinga Library is on the site.
Now the Colton Museum. Designed by architect Franklin P. Burnham, a temple style Classical Revival building, with pediment and columns, two fireplaces and skylight above a central rotunda. It served as both library and community center. In 1982 it was carefully restored to house the museum.
Now the Dixon Unified School District Library. Dixon is one of only three California communities to obtain a Carnegie library as a high school district rather than city or county. Designed by architects Parker and Kenyon, in the Mission Revival-Classical Revival style, and designated as historically significant by the Dixon city council in 1988.
El Centro Public Library. Extensive earthquake damage in the late 1920s necessitated drastic strengthening procedures with steel banding; with successive additions, the Classical Revival building was plastered over to create a Modern look. Closed due to damage it sustained during the 2010 Baja California earthquake, it was demolished in 2016.
Demolished in 1956. Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Van Trees and Millar Inc., in the Classical Revival style, and one of the few to display the name "Carnegie Library." The new Escondido Public Library building is on the site.
Designed by architect Warren Skellings, in a bold Classical Revival style. The only Carnegie Grant Library in northwestern California still functioning as a library
Demolished in 1959. The Fresno Carnegie Library was one of the earliest and costliest of the Carnegies. Architects Copeland and Dole of New York designed the large building in the Classical Revival style.
Demolished in 1942. Designed by architects Hunt and Eager, in the Mission Revival-Spanish Colonial Revival styles. Another library built on site and it now houses the Fullerton Museum Center.
Formerly the Gilroy Free Library, now the Gilroy Historical Museum. The building is virtually unchanged. Designed by architect W. H. Weeks, one of his seven "classic Carnegies" of the Greek temple style, with pediments and columns.
Demolished in 1977. Architect Paul Tuttle designed the building in the Classical Revival style; a 1940 WPA project added wings to each side. New Glendale Public Library building was built nearby and the old library demolished once the new, larger building was open.
Replaced in 1988 by a new library building a few blocks away. Now serves as the Healdsburg History Museum. Classical Revival (Type B), reinforced concrete faced with a 1/2" layer of textured white concrete, scored to resemble stone blocks.
Demolished in 1969. Designed by architect S. L. Pillar, in the Classical Revival with a large raised open loggia. The new Hemet Public Library was built in 1971 on the site.
Now the Hollister City Hall. Designed by architect William Binder. The low, one story Classical Revival style building is constructed of concrete scored to resemble granite block.
Demolished in 1958. Designed by architects Marsh and Russell, one of only two California Carnegie libraries in the Tudor Revival style. In 1910 when Hollywood was annexed to Los Angeles, it became a branch library.
Demolished in 1951. Designed by architects Tuttle and Hopkins, in an elaborate Classical Revival style, in red brick with white elements. The new Huntington Beach Public Library was built on site in 1951.
Designed by an unknown architect in the Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles. It was severely damaged in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, and the city voted funds to rebuild and enlarge it. Demolished in 1967; the new Inglewood Public Library was built across Manchester Boulevard and completed in 1973. A temporary library existed on Queen Street.
Houses University of California, Davis scientists for Clear Lake research. Designed by architects Ward and Blohme, in an austere Classical Revival style in the city park on the shores of the lake.
Now a museum, the Livermore Heritage Guild History Center. The Classical Revival building, designed by W. H. Weeks, is an example of the library as "temple in the park," with its pedimented central portico supported by Greek Ionic columns and located in the center of Carnegie Park. The building's distinctive yellow brick came from the nearby Carnegie Brick Works.
Now the "Carnegie Forum and City Council Chambers". The temple style Classical Revival Lodi Carnegie is notable for the incorporation of brick in the formed columns, triangular area within the pediment, and finely detailed trim.
Now the Lompoc Museum, an historical and archeological museum. Designed by W. H. Weeks in the Classic Revival "temple style," and designated Lompoc Historical Landmark No. 1.
Designed by architects Kysor and Biggar, in the Classical Revival style. The Vernon open air reading room could be converted into a closed room by means of a sliding sash. Demolished in 1974.
Now the Doris Foley Library for Historical Research, in the Nevada County Library System. Designed by architect: W. H. Weeks, in the Romanesque Revival style, constructed of dark gray "man-made" cast stone, and rough and smooth concrete blocks fabricated at the site. It is part of the historic downtown district placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and was added in its own right in 1990.
Now the Newman Museum, the first pioneer museum in Stanislaus County when it opened in the library basement in 1941, and which now occupies the whole building. Designed by Antioch architect Francis Reid, essentially Classical Revival style with Colonial elements in a tall, red brick building.
In 1916 Sadie Haslam, one of the founding members of the Oakdale's Women's Improvement Club, donated the land to Stanislaus County to be used as library. Designed by Stockton architect and engineer Hugh Y. Davis in Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style, the building's upper floor housed the Oakdale Library from 1917 to 1976, while the bottom floor was used for court proceeding. The building was sold in 1976 for private use and is currently private offices.
23rd Avenue Branch 1918–1966, Ina Coolbrith Branch 1966–1972, and Latin American Branch 1972–1976. No longer a library since the 1990s, the building was destroyed by fire on 23 February 2018.
The last Carnegie library to be completed in California. Now the Orosi/Cutler Branch Library. It is one of only three wood frame (non-masonry) California Carnegies, designed by architect: Ernest J. Kump in the American CraftsmanBungalow style.
Carnegie Art Museum. Designed by Los Angeles architect F.P. Burnham, with four wide pedimented porticos, each supported by six Doric columns, the Oxnard Carnegie gives the impression of a temple on a hill. Designated a Ventura County landmark, and in 1971 was the first California Carnegie to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Pacific Improvement Company donated the land for the new library. The building was designed by the McDougall Brothers in the Mission style. The cornerstone was laid on November 9, 1907, and the Pacific Grove Carnegie Library officially opened on May 12, 1908.
The building, designed by W. H. Weeks, has housed the El Paso de Robles Area Historical Society Museum since 1998. In 1906 the Board of Library trustees "ladies" correspondence with Andrew Carnegie resulted a letter offering that if the Paso Robles City Council agreed to provide a suitable site and maintain the Free Public Library, he would be glad to give six thousand dollars to erect the building.
Designed by the Burnham & Bliesner architecture firm and C. E. Wolfe, a local architect, in the Classical Revival style. It opened in 1903, was expanded in 1912 with second Carnegie grant, and in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration. Closed and demolished in 1965. Later the main Pomona First Federal Savings & Loan (U.S. Bank) office built on site, since closed, and is home of the American Museum of Ceramic Art.
Demolished in 1964. California's first Mission Revival style Carnegie, was designed by Burnham and Bliesner who won an architectural competition. The current Riverside Public Library is adjacent to the site of the elaborate original.
Built in 1915, San Anselmo's Carnegie library is adjacent to the Town Hall to which it is connected by a wisteria-covered arbor replicating the library's carved rafters and contributing to an Old California aspect. The Spanish Revival style is also carried out in the red tile roof and use of decorative tile and arched windows. Expanded in 1960. Architects: Mitchell and Hodges.
Demolished in 1958. Architects Burnham and Bliesner won a competition with plans for a grand Classical Revival style building. A new library was completed in 1960 on its former site.
Demolished in 1952. San Diego received California's first Carnegie grant in 1899, with a large well detailed Classical Revival library building opening in 1902. The San Diego Public Library system continues elsewhere.
Civic Center, 200 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Open 1917–1995.[4] Now housing the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. The original grant of $750,000 was divided so that "[a]bout half (not more, I think less) of this sum should be expended on the central library and the remainder on branch libraries." Main library grant was supplemented by a $780,000 bond issue.[3]: 6, 9
Opened 1921. Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh.[3]: 9, 12 Today the branch library also houses the city's only Library for the Blind. San Francisco's seventh and last Carnegie branch is centered on a generous lot which extends through its city block uphill from Sacramento to Clay, with landscaping directed by John McLaren of Golden Gate Park. The brick Classical Revival building was designed by G. Albert Lansburgh, and is on San Francisco's "List of Architecturally Significant Buildings."
The 1904 Richardsonian Romanesque-style Santa Cruz Main, designed by W. H. Weeks, was the scene of a 1910 visit by Andrew Carnegie, a festive civic event. Demolished in 1966 and replaced by the current building.
South Pasadena Public Library. One of the few visited by Carnegie on his 1910 trip to California. Designated a South Pasadena Cultural Heritage Landmark in 1972.
Destroyed by fire but walls still standing. Historic building is being restored, within the context of a new, larger addition. Now the Carnegie Arts Center.
Designed by architects Dodge and Dolliver, in the Mission Revival Style; 1915 addition designed by W. H. Weeks. From 1915 until 1979 the building housed distinct city and Yolo County public libraries.
Academic library from 1906 to 1989, now administrative offices and upstairs reading room. The Mills College Margaret Carnegie Library Building, named in honor of Andrew Carnegie's daughter, is the only California Carnegie designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.
Building has housed Pomona College offices and classrooms since 1953. Carnegie funded only two academic libraries in California, with terms different than for public libraries. The college was offered $40,000 on condition that it raise an equal endowment for maintenance. Designed by Franklin P. Burnham in a Classical Revival temple style, using reinforced concrete in an imposing exterior. It served students and public until a 1914 L.A. County Library Claremont branch opened.
Notes
^ abAt various times, Bobinski and Jones disagree on these numbers. In these cases, Jones' numbers have been used due to both a more recent publication date and a more detailed gazetteer of branch libraries, which are often where the discrepancies occur.
Anderson, Florence (1963). Carnegie Corporation Library Program 1911–1961. New York: Carnegie Corporation. OCLC1282382.
Bobinski, George S. (1969). Carnegie Libraries: Their History and Impact on American Public Library Development. Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association. ISBN0-8389-0022-4.
Jones, Theodore (1997). Carnegie Libraries Across America. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN0-471-14422-3.
Miller, Durand R. (1943). Carnegie Grants for Library Buildings, 1890–1917. New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York. OCLC2603611.
Note: The above references, while all authoritative, are not entirely mutually consistent. Some details of this list may have been drawn from one of the references (usually Jones) without support from the others. Reader discretion is advised.
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