Escondido Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Escondido Public Library is a public library
system serving the city of Escondido, which is situated in San Diego County, California
.
The collection of the library contains 275,000 volumes, circulates 750,000 items per year and serves a
population of 147,500 residents.
The library system consists of the Main Branch, the East Valley Branch, Pioneer Room, Career Center, and a bookmobile
.
funds and a gift of land, a new library was built in 1910 on Kalmia and Third Avenue.
In 1956, because of limited space to serve a community of over 6,000, a new library building, now the Mathes Center, was constructed on the same spot. By 1980, Escondido
had grown to 67,000 persons and the library incorporated children's and audiovisual services.
Through the efforts of its trustees and City officials, revenue-sharing funds were set aside for a new facility. Library operations were moved in December 1980 into the present two-story, 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) building. In June 1996, the 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) East Valley Branch was opened in the East Valley Community Center on East Valley Parkway. In December of the same year, the Pioneer Room was opened in the Mathes Center adjacent to the main library, and in 2000 the Computer Center was incorporated into this space.
, jazz
, country
, latin, folk
.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
system serving the city of Escondido, which is situated in San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
.
The collection of the library contains 275,000 volumes, circulates 750,000 items per year and serves a
population of 147,500 residents.
The library system consists of the Main Branch, the East Valley Branch, Pioneer Room, Career Center, and a bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
.
History
The library has been serving Escondido since 1894 when it was a private library located in the small building which now sits in Grape Day Park. In 1898, the City of Escondido took over this library's operation, making the library a City-funded department. With Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
funds and a gift of land, a new library was built in 1910 on Kalmia and Third Avenue.
In 1956, because of limited space to serve a community of over 6,000, a new library building, now the Mathes Center, was constructed on the same spot. By 1980, Escondido
Escondido, California
Escondido is a city occupying a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills, just north of the city of San Diego, California. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city had a population of 143,911 at the 2010 census. Its municipal government set itself an operating...
had grown to 67,000 persons and the library incorporated children's and audiovisual services.
Through the efforts of its trustees and City officials, revenue-sharing funds were set aside for a new facility. Library operations were moved in December 1980 into the present two-story, 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) building. In June 1996, the 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) East Valley Branch was opened in the East Valley Community Center on East Valley Parkway. In December of the same year, the Pioneer Room was opened in the Mathes Center adjacent to the main library, and in 2000 the Computer Center was incorporated into this space.
Pioneer Room
Located in the brick Mathes Center building next to the Main Library on 247 S. Kalmia Street, the Pioneer Room was established in 1992, with bequest from local historian Frances Beven Ryan (1901–1990). The research room and archives is a part of the Escondido Public Library that provides the community non-circulating reference material. The local history collection includes books, journals, photographs, and archival material. The family history genealogy research material primarily contains reference books.Free WiFi (Wireless) Access
The library provides free Internet access points for users with portable computers or devices capable of receiving wireless signals.Second Saturday Concerts
The library hosts a monthly musical concert, with a wide variety of musical styles: zydecoZydeco
Zydeco is a form of uniquely American roots or folk music. It evolved in southwest Louisiana in the early 19th century from forms of "la la" Creole music...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, latin, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
.