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San Rafael library hits 130 years of service, looks to expand
Story in the Marin IJ, June 3rd
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Most of us assume that our library started out in its present Classical Revival Carnegie-endowed building.  But library roots go back to 1887, when the Women’s Christian Temperance Union started a coffee and reading room with a free library in downtown San Rafael.  By 1890, this library had been turned over to the City of San Rafael.  In 1904, the Good Government Club and a local judge who was a personal friend of Andrew Carnegie asked Carnegie for funds for a proper library building.  A grant of $25,000 brought the structure into existence in 1909.  It was designed by the same architects who designed San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel.

The Carnegie endowment gave San Rafael a gracious, lovely, building of civic importance that our citizens have viewed with great pride for 108 years!

Civic Center Tours

One-hour docent-led tours of the Civic Center are offered every Wednesday at 10:30 am