Menlo Park
Library has operated in a school, a hotel, city hall, a restaurant,
and a bungalow until settling down in the Civic Center. In 1916
the San Mateo County Library opened a branch library in the Central
School on El Camino Real in Menlo Park. It contained 50 books
and was presided over by Hanna Burke, a teacher at the school.
In 1926 the library moved to the Kuck Hotel at Derry Lane and
Oak Grove. Four years later it moved again to City Hall on Doyle
Street. For 9 years, 1062 borrowers used this facility until the
next move to what is now the British Banker's Club. Being situated
on the mezzanine required borrowers to climb 21 steps. But rent
was only $5 a month. This arrangement lasted until 1948 when the
library moved to a bungalow on Menlo Avenue. Not until 1957 was
a building designed specifically as a library. Kingsford Jones,
a Menlo Park architect, designed the one story ranch style building
with 2 patios and a brick and redwood exterior, giving it a rustic
and informal atmosphere.
Various groups assisted the library. The
Junior League delivered books to homebound readers. The Peninsula
Storyteller's Guild gave storytimes for children. The Friends
of the Library was founded to help with finances and give programs.
Their first Book Fair was held in 1960 and among the purchases
from the proceeds was a photocopier, making Menlo Park the first
public library in No. California to have this service. The one-millionth
book checked out was to 4-year old Willie Farrar on Feb. 10, 1962.
Two years later the library became independent of the county library.
The addition of a new wing in 1968
tripled its size with picture windows added for pleasant reading.
Another 7,000 square feet was added in 1992 and a complete remodeling
done.
