For the past several years, the Friends of the Cambria Library have been pursuing all options for a larger Library.
Per capita, the Cambria Library is one of the most heavily used branches in the County system. Being the only freestanding public library for an 80 mile stretch on the coast – from Morro Bay to Big Sur, this little Library serves over 8,000 residents. Cambrians check out over 10,000 items, and use the Library’s three computers for more than 300 hours EVERY MONTH. We have 4,700 cardholders – over 600 of them children!
Vision and Progress
Please consider making a stretch gift to the Library Capital Campaign today!
To best serve the the community today, a larger library is needed for:
The Library moved around town – first, to the Bank of Italy building. (later to become the Bank of America), then to the Water District office in what’s now the Cambria Historic District. From there it went around the corner to Burton Drive, close to what’s now the Burton Inn.
In 1981, the Library was relocated in its current location in the center of town at 900 Main Street.
A library has been at the heart of Cambria for over ninety years,. First located in the Maghetti store, the meager collection that made up the Cambria Library moved to Judge Gay’s home in 1921. Mrs. Annie Gay was the first librarian and received the whopping salary of SEVEN DOLLARS A MONTH, including the use of her house.
If we think the library hours are short now, back then the Library was open only two and a half days a week. The collection was only forty-seven books. Nonetheless, the Library signed up 26 people in its first month. By the end of the year, there were 119 borrowers, and the Cambria Library was here to stay!
The Library's History
1952
1950
1948
1921
1964
Friends of the Cambria Library, 900 Main Street, Cambria Ca 93428
The County Board of Supervisors purchased an unfinished 5,800 sq ft building at 1043 Main Street in Cambria for the new Cambria Library!
The building is currently a shell. The Friends and the County will select an architect to design the interior space to fit the bill for the Library.
Construction and equipping of the new Library will begin when the Friends and the community have raised their portion of the funding for the project. The Friends of the Cambria Library are responsible for $1.4 million of the estimated construction and equipment costs. The Friends have already raised $500,000, and have an additional $900,000 to raise over the next 15 months.
June 21, 2010 ... a new 2009-2010 study from the Gates Foundation and the American Library Association. Libraries continue to expand their digital services while ... By Omar L. Gallaga
Broadband and dial-up service had a positive effect on job seekers across different ages, races, socio-economic backgrounds and education levels. Internet access helped those looking for work avoid becoming discouraged and that a high speed, quality internet connection (the kind at a pulic Library) is best.
