News Release

The Chinatown Branch, located at 1135 Powell St. (near Jackson), will celebrate its 85th birthday with tea, snacks, music and an open house on June 13 and 17. This month also marks the library’s 10th anniversary of its renovation.

On June 13, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Chinatown Branch patrons and supporters are invited to join the branch staff for tea and cookies. On June 17 at 2 p.m., the branch will kick off the celebration with a special presentation from Supervisor Aaron Peskin. The Gold Mountain Cantonese Music Ensemble will perform 2:30–3:30 p.m. Tours of the branch will be given at 3:45 p.m. Tea, cake and snacks will be served. A video and scrapbooks highlighting the history of the library will also be available for viewing.

The Chinatown Branch Library, the third San Francisco Public Library branch to be established, was originally named the North Beach Branch. Built in 1921 by architect G. Albert Lansburgh with $67,589 in Carnegie funds, it features a façade of pressed brick and terra cotta. Located in the Chinatown district on Powell Street, between Washington and Jackson streets, the branch name was changed in 1958 to reflect more accurately the community it serves.

Community Block Development Grant funds were used to create a community garden behind the branch in the early 1980s. In 1982, the children’s collection was moved to a separate Children’s Room at street level.

In 1991, public and private funds were obtained for a major renovation and expansion of the library. The branch was seismically retrofitted and expanded to twice its original size. During the 1994-1996 rebuilding period, Chinatown Branch was relocated to a temporary site at 445 Grant Avenue. It reopened on June 15, 1996.

This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, please call (415) 557-4277.