[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22477]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAN LEANDRO PUBLIC LIBRARY

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 5, 2006

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 100th 
anniversary of the San Leandro, CA, Public Library. San Leandro's first 
free public library was established in January 1906 and was located at 
the old City Hall on Davis Street.
  On January 31, 1906, the Library Board of Trustees appointed Mary 
Brown as San Leandro's first official librarian. Her starting salary 
was $12.50 a month and she served as librarian from 1906 to 1938.
  In 1907, plans were made to construct a library building. Library 
Trustee Talcott P. Cary donated the 35-acre plot and wealthy steel 
magnate Andrew Carnegie donated $10,000 towards its construction. 
William H. Weeks, an architect famous for designing Carnegie libraries, 
was selected. The library's dedication ceremony was held on May 14, 
1909.
  The old Carnegie library was demolished to make way for a new 1\1/2\-
story library building. The architect was Francis Joseph McCarthy. The 
new library, dedicated on January 15, 1961, was over 44,660 square feet 
and had a capacity for 120,000 books. Its features included two garden 
courts, a lecture hall, several meeting rooms and an art studio.
  Retrofitting and renovation of the 1961 main library began in 1997. 
The library was expanded to a two-story building and 75,000 square 
feet. Its grand opening was on December 16, 2000 and showcased its 
impressive features, which include 75 public computers, an electronic 
learning center, lecture hall, art gallery, 6 meeting rooms as well as 
a gift shop, cafe and book store. There are currently over 219,000 
books in the San Leandro Library's collection and the library serves an 
average of 50,000 patrons a month.
  I applaud the city of San Leandro and the administrators and staff of 
the San Leandro Public Library for their exemplary efforts to keep the 
library functioning with enhanced technology and outstanding patron 
services.
  Happy 100th birthday and best wishes for continued success.

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