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Missions
California's missions, which were established in the late 1700s, each housed a small library. Access to these libraries was limited. -
First Public Library
California's first public library was established in Monterey, CA, in 1849. The library charged a fee of $1/month or $8/year. -
University of California Established
The UC system was established, which led to the creation of many of the best libraries in the state. -
Roger's Free Library Act
The Roger's Free Library Act passed through California legislature in 1878, allowing cities to levy taxes to support public libraries. During the year the law was in effect, 11 additional public libraries opened their doors. -
California Library Association Established
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First State Librarian
In 1899, James L. Gillis was appointed as the first California State Librarian. -
The State Library
State Librarian James L. Gillis changed the law regarding who could borrow books from the State Library, mandating that the State Library provide service to all Californians. -
The County Library System
Realizing that California was too large a state to be supported by a single state library system, Assembly Bill No. 196 was passed through the senate-- allowing county supervisors to establish a country library system of their own volition. -
Andrew Carnegie
Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie directly offered grants to 122 municipalities in California to develop their own public libraries. -
CA Libraries Today
Today there are 1,127 public libraries throughout California, supporting 20.7 million card-carrying patrons.