National Library Week (April 7 – 13) is a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the invaluable contributions libraries make to our communities.
“GET READY, GET SET, LIBRARY”
Roots ofOur Library, A Coffee and Reading Room
by William Calhoun
April 20, 1887, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union of San Rafael established a coffee and reading room. A movement that consisted of 60 members, each of whom paid $1 per month for membership.
On April 30, 1890, the Library Association formally presents the library to the town trustees. The assets: furniture, more than 1,000 books, and $33.50 in the treasury. The Marin Journal proclaims, “It is a matter of congratulation that through the efforts of a few public-spirited women the town is now in a position to maintain a free library. The members of the old Board of Town Trustees deserve special mention for carrying out the will of the people in levying a library tax.”
Between 1897-1908, after a failed school bond measure in 1897, another measure was sent to the electorate again a year later and passed with the added incentive of having a room in the proposed high school dedicated to the Public Library. Due an increase in operating expenses, it took the Library Trustees four years, until 1903, to complete the move to the E Street High School.
In December 1904, the City Trustees had resolved to provide operating funds and secure a site for a new library if Mr. Andrew Carnegie would donate the money to erect the building. Fortunately for San Rafael, local resident Judge William W. Morrow served as a Trustee of the Carnegie Institution and was a friend of Carnegie. At a private luncheon Judge Morrow took occasion to complimented Carnegie on his generosity in providing libraries for many cities and towns and remarked casually that San Rafael, Cal., had not yet thus been honored. At that luncheon Mr. Carnegie committed $25,000 to constructing a Library for the San Rafael people.
January 9, 1909,builders completed construction of the new library at Fifth Avenue and E street.
From 1909 to the Present, the San Rafael Public Library has continued to grow and expand meeting the educational, recreational, informational, and cultural needs of the people of San Rafael and the surrounding communities. We the library staff thank the City and its citizens for their continued support.
In honor of National Library Week, here are some ways you can celebrate/participate:
Thank Library Staff: When you visit your local library, take a moment to express your gratitude to the staff who work tirelessly to provide resources, assistance, and support to library patrons.
Share on Social Media: Use your social media platforms to share about your favorite aspects of libraries. Whether it’s the diverse collection of books, engaging programs and events, or welcoming atmosphere, sharing your positive experiences can encourage others to utilize and support our libraries.
Are you familiar with our Zip Books program? Zip Books is a way for patrons to request books that are not available in our MARINet or Link+ catalogs. The item is free to you and shipped directly to you using Amazon.
Requirements:
1 item request at a time, 5 items maximum per fiscal year (July-June)
Items can only be requested that are currently NOT in the MARINet or Link+ catalogs
The cost of the item must be $50 or lower
Items may be a book, a large print book, or a book on CD—no textbooks
Items must be currently available through Amazon (no pre-order items)
Step 2: Library staff will email or call to let you know what day to expect the book to arrive from Amazon or let you know if it is not available. Please contact us at: library@cityofsanrafael.org if you don’t receive your book on the day estimated.
Step 3: Keep the item as long as you want, but in order to request another Zip Book you must first return the one you have. When returning your Zip Book, simply drop it in a return bin at the Downtown, Pickleweed, or Northgate libraries. Please place a note on the book indicating that it is a San Rafael Zip Book. We will mark it as returned so you will be able to order another Zip Book.
Downtown San Rafael Library: 1100 E Street, San Rafael 94901 Pickleweed Library: 50 Canal Street, San Rafael 94901
Northgate Library: Northgate Mall, Suite 083, near the Food Court.
The Zip Books project is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
Mrs. J.S. (Amanda B.) Stratton and the San Rafael Public Library by Pam Klein
In December of 1884, Mrs. J.S. (Amanda B.) Stratton initiated a Public Library planning committee in San Rafael. Mrs. Stratton was married to a contractor who specialized in house moving. House moving literally meant that Mr. Stratton would move entire residential or commercial buildings to new locations by land or by water. In 1887, Mrs. Stratton and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union established a Public Library/Coffee Room, in rented space on the upper story of the Francetta Building (4th Street between D and E).
Mrs. Stratton served as the principal librarian for six months before others stepped in. Membership fees were set at $1 per year. A flower festival was held to raise funds for the new library, featuring cakes and fancywork. $168 was raised for books and furnishings. Leftover fancywork was sold in the tiny reading room.
In 1903, the library moved to the old San Rafael High School on E Street. In November of 1906 the Marin Journal published an article praising the library and Mrs. Stratton.
“To whom are we indebted for all these literary treasures? The answer might well be printed in large letters —Mrs. Amanda B. Stratton. This noble, generous hearted woman, while other people contented themselves with talking about a public library, went to work and created one. She watched over it in its infancy. We recall the time when it occupied modest quarters on 4th St no larger than a bedroom. Mrs. Stratton never lost faith in the enterprise. Often times when it was in financial straits, she paid for its maintenance out of her own purse… We are glad that Mrs. Stratton who is still in her prime, has lived long enough to see her “pet” library assume its present majestic proportions, a source of incalculable benefit to the rising generation. Let it be her monument for all time! She needs no other. The library will soon be housed in a magnificent $25,000 structure, a generous gift from Andrew Carnegie, plans for which are now being prepared by the architects. A. lot for the building has been purchased and given to the city by several of our public-spirited citizens.”
On January 9, 1909, the San Rafael Public Library was opened at its present site on E Street between 5th and Mission avenues. Mrs. Stratton died at an Odd Fellows care facility in Thermalito, California on October 20th, 1909. Hopefully, she knew that her hard work had borne fruit. Her obituary (which did not contain her Christian name) read “Mrs. J.S. Stratton was one of the pioneer ladies of San Rafael, who was beloved by a large circle of friends. She was always foremost in doing good work in our city and was the founder of the San Rafael free library. She was the mother of C.C.Stratton, the contractor of this city.” Mrs. Stratton would be pleased to know that one of the library’s charter rules prevents the serving of alcoholic beverages at public events.
Please note, the Library hours will be changing temporarily. Starting March 4th, our new hours are | Tenga en cuenta que el horario de la Biblioteca cambiará temporalmente. A partir del 4 de marzo, nuestro nuevo horario es:
Please note that the entire Albert J. Boro Community Center will be closed through Jan. 6, including the Pickleweed Library.
Q: Will the book drops be open?
A: The book drops at the Downtown and Pickleweed branches, along with the Lucas Valley Road book drop, will remain open during the closure. Please note it may take up to a few days for your items to be scanned in and taken off your record. SRPL has been fine-free since July 2021 – no late fees will be collected.
Q: What will happen to my holds?
A:All holds on the shelves when we close will be extended for the length of our closure. No holds will be transferred to or from our libraries during this closure.
Q: Are other MARINet libraries or book drops going to be open? When?
A: Please check the status of each MARINet library you plan to visit or return items to.
Las Bibliotecas de San Rafael permaneceráncerradasdel 23 de diciembre hasta el 1o de enero. La Biblioteca Pickleweed estarácerradadel23 de diciembre al6 de enero.
La Biblioteca Pública de San Rafael y sucursales permanecerán cerradas la última semana de diciembre.
Downtown Cerrado: sábado, el 23 de dic
Abierto: martes, el 2 de ene
Northgate
Cerrado: sábado, el 23 de dic
Abierto: miércoles, el 3 de ene
Pickleweed
Cerrado: sábado, el 23 de dic
Abierto: martes, el 9 de ene
La Biblioteca Pickleweed y el Centro Comunitario Albert J. Boro cerrarán sus puertas a partir del sábado 23 de diciembre y reabrirán el martes 9 de enero.
¿Estarán abiertos los buzones para devolver materiales?
Los buzones de las Bibliotecas Downtown y Pickleweed así como el de Lucas Valley Road estarán abiertos durante el cierre. Puede que tome más de un par de días para que sus devoluciones sean registradas en el sistema, ya que a partir de julio 2021 la biblioteca no cobra multas por regresar material atrasado.
¿Qué pasará con mis pedidos?
Todos los encargos permanecerán en los estantes durante el cierre de la biblioteca. Ningún pedido será transferido ni removido a otra biblioteca durante el cierre.
¿Estarán abiertas otras bibliotecas del consorcio de MARINet? ¿Cuándo?
Visite el sitio web de MARINet para consultar los horarios y planear su visita. Podrían cambiar los horarios.
The City of San Rafael commits to standing against all forms of hate in our communities. United Against Hate brings together Bay Area communities every year to reaffirm that commitment.
Acts of hate can be individual as well as institutional. When we witness actions, words, or feelings driven by hate, it is important to stand in solidarity with those who are affected, to amplify voices that may not be heard, and to listen earnestly. When we realize that our institutions uphold values of hate, we must stand together to start the process of change and ensure that it is not hindered by those who benefit from a status quo built on hatefulness and the inequities it spawns.
We encourage everyone to do some reading during United Against Hate Week that opens a new window in your understanding of our communities, or that reframes some of the work you’ve already done to understand how hate impacts everyone, from individuals to groups as a whole. Check out these lists for kids, teens, and adults:
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 and October 15, and recognizes Americans whose families and histories hail from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. We’re kicking off this month with an author talk, and take a look at some book lists for more to read!
El Mes de la Herencia Hispana se celebra del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre y reconoce a los estadounidenses cuyas familias e historias provienen de España, México, el Caribe y América Central y del Sur. ¡Comenzaremos este mes con una charla de una escritora hispana! ¡También deles un vistazo a algunas listas de libros para leer y conocer más autores Hispano-Americanos!
Take a look at our summer newsletter at what we’ll be offering throughout the summer at all three of our branches: Downtown, Northgate, and Pickleweed! Please check our website’s events calendar for dates, times, and locations, as they are subject to change or cancellation.
Kids entering grades K-6 can pick up a reading log at any of our branches! Keep reading throughout the summer to earn a free book when you return your log.
¡Dele un vistazo a lo que ofreceremos durante el verano en las tres locaciones: Central, Northgate y Pickleweed! Para saber las fechas, horarios y locación consulte el calendario de eventos, o lea el boletin de verano.
Niños en grados K-6 pueden recoger un registro de lectura en cualquiera de nuestras sucursales! Sigue leyendo durante el verano para ganar un libro gratis cuando devuelvas tu registro de lectura.
The San Rafael Public Library stands with our queer community members in celebration of all facets of our identities: big or small, loud or quiet. It is more important than ever for all of us to come together in allyship, support, and joy.
This month, join us for Drag Storytime along with the Spahr Center, read books by queer authors, and take a moment to be proud of who you are—because we are proud of you! 🌈
You must be logged in to post a comment.