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Park Branch, the fifth branch established in the San Francisco
Public Library system, began serving the public in 1895. The
branch building at 1833 Page Street was opened on October 29th,
1909, and is the oldest existing San Francisco Public Library
building. Although built at the time that Andrew Carnegie was
funding the construction of other city libraries, Park Branch
is not a Carnegie building; rather, it was built with City funds,
$7,000 for the land and $27,000 for the building. Designed by
the McDougall Brothers, the two-story brick and terra cotta
building is set 30 feet back from the street to complement the
primarily residential area around it.
The Branch was closed for renovations from September 15, 1990, to
February 10, 1992. During this period, the basement was remodeled
to include a meeting room and a crafts room. Seismic retrofitting,
electrical upgrades, asbestos abatement and the installation of an
elevator for handicapped access were also completed during the
closure.
In October 1999, Park Branch Library celebrated the 90th anniversary
of its opening.
Interior of the Park Branch Library c.1916...
...and the branch interior in 1970
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