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! 🌈
National Library Week is April 23rd – 29th, celebrate with us by checking out some of these great resources!
Check our event calendar for year-round programming! We’ve got programs for all ages: toddler storytimes, adult author talks, book clubs, gardening, and tons more—both virtual and in-person. Our programs are facilitated by library staff, local community organizations, and other City departments.
Did you know that Louise Boyd, a famous Arctic explorer, was a San Rafael native? The library is proud to host a selection of the Louise Boyd collection online as part of our San Rafael Creates: Local History collection. Are you a local history buff? Contribute your own materials to our online collection!
With our selection of local and state parks passes, you can get free parking at many of the beautiful parks and waterfronts in Marin County and the North Bay. Check out our parking passes for the Marin Municipal Water District, Marin County Parks, and California State Parks.
We’ve got video games available for checkout at all three of our locations—come grab a Playstation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch game to play! Our games check out for three weeks with two renewals. Can’t find something you’re interested in? Place a hold online or ask library staff to help you out.
Did you know your San Rafael Library Card can double as a ticket to museums, gardens, and aquariums across the Bay Area? With Discover & Go, library card holders can get free and discounted passes to the SF MOMA, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the Oakland Museum of California, and many more great spots! Head to marinet.discoverandgo.net to reserve a pass!
Take some time to explore local Black history this month. Black communities in Marin County, along with the rest of the Bay Area, have a rich and complex past, present, and future—while we are highlighting the past this month, let us be sure that we work to support a just present so we can create an equitable future.
Marin City
The 1944 California Supreme Court case James v.Marinshiporiginated in the Marin City shipyards andultimately ruled that union membership could not be withheld from individuals on the basis of race. To learn more about the history of Marin City, directly from the stories of those who live and have lived there, check out Marin City Memories by Marilyn L. Geary. You can also attend our VR Experience Highlight drop-in program this monthto learn more in A Way Out Of No Way: Marin City’s Hidden Shipbuilders. Researchers can also contact us via email about local history resources in our California Collection.
San Francisco
Though it has changed quite a bit in recent years, San Francisco’s Fillmore District has a deep history as a hub of Black culture. Between the 1940s and 1960s, justone square mile of the district contained at least two dozen night clubs and music venues that were home to a great number of Black musicians. Check out more in Elizabeth Pepin’s book Harlem of the West, which documents San Francisco’s Fillmore Jazz Era.
Oakland
The East Bay’s dense Black history and culture intersects with the sometimes lesser–known Black cowboy and rodeo community. Gabriela Hasbun spent over a decade photographing the Black contestants at Oakland’s annual Bill Pickett Rodeo, and you can experience this iconic event through her photographs inThe New Black West.
Libraries now: Discover & Go
Visit the Oakland Museum of California and experience the special exhibit “Angela Davis: Seize the Time” through June 11—you can use your library card to get a museum pass with Discover and Go!If you want to learn more about Angela Davis, check out her autobiography or her other writings, such as Freedom is a Constant Struggle.
Libraries then: Segregation and civil rights
Those who fought for the desegregation of public libraries played a huge role both in the civil rights movement and in shaping the libraries we have today. Check out more on the history of libraries and segregation in Not Free, Not for All by Cheryl Knott and Freedom Libraries by Mike Selby.
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