[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 158 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SACRAMENTO PUBLIC LIBRARY

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                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 18, 2007

  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of the Sacramento Public 
Library's 150 years of providing excellent service to Sacramento 
residents. In 1857 the Sacramento Library was established by community 
leaders and has grown to include 26 other branches and bookmobiles. I 
ask all of my colleagues to join with me in saluting 150 years of 
first-rate service provided by the Sacramento Public Library.
  The Central Library, located in downtown Sacramento has evolved since 
Sacramento's leaders established it as the center for scholarly thought 
in the region in 1857. Led by the efforts of distinguished Sacramentans 
such as Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Collis Potter Huntington, 
Mark Hopkins and Newton Booth, the library officially opened on 
November 6, 1857. At its inception, the library originally served about 
40 visitors per day and issued 150 books per week. A decade later the 
library association's prosperity continued to increase, and they were 
able to purchase a downtown lot on I Street. Eventually, through 
donations from the Carnegie Foundation and the city, the Central 
Library moved into the distinctive 3 story brick building on April 23, 
1918. Today, the Central Library's vast collection has grown to include 
nearly 300,000 volumes, with more than 1,000 periodical subscriptions. 
Their catalog also includes special collections and a variety of 
historic government documents.
  The Sacramento Public Library provides service to 1,269,000 residents 
in the Sacramento region making it the fifth largest library in 
California. Its extensive collection makes it the sixth largest library 
in terms of materials held. The library's 340 staff members help to 
operate the 27 branches. The library owns over 100,000 audio-visual 
items, subscribes to 4,000 periodicals and provides 345 technology 
workstations for public use.
  In 1984, The Sacramento Public Library Foundation was created as a 
nonprofit corporation to encourage and support the benefits of the 
Sacramento Public Library. The Foundation has been instrumental in 
raising money to purchase books, computers, reading enrichment 
programs, bookmobiles, literacy classes, and after school homework 
centers. Without the $7 million raised by the Foundation to date, many 
of these vital services would not be possible. The Foundation's 
strength stems from its wide support of over 16,000 donors who have 
been supportive of the Sacramento Public Library and its abundance of 
resources.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize the 150 years of service 
provided by the Sacramento Public Library. In the coming years the 
library will continue to expand its collection and make its services 
more readily available to Sacramento residents. As the Sacramento 
Community and library's supporters gather to celebrate 150 years of 
success, I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring the Sacramento 
Public Library.

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