100 Years of Service

Karen Bosch Cobb, County Librarian



On the eve of our establishment as a County Library Service, I have been reflecting on our century of service. Thanks to Measure B, the last decade has been one of the strongest in our century as a County Library. Engaged and dedicated staff, doubled hours of service, strong Library collections, literacy services, valuable programs for our community, and larger buildings: these are our gifts each day of the year to the residents of our County. Their gift to us has been their support of the Library.

As I reflect on the ever-increasing use of our Library by the community during these very tough times and think back to the era of subscription libraries, I have come to realize that the greatest significance of county libraries is that they are free to all. Thank you each for putting People First! in our libraries and continuing to enlighten residents about the resources of this great free resource.

We do not know when the economy will turn around and what the next 10 years or 100 years will bring, but I am certain that libraries will remain a core institution. As we reflect on the past and think about the future, let us resolve to continue the innovation and change which have been the hallmark of our Library and that have helped our Library meet the needs of Fresno residents.

I wish you and your family and friends the best during the holidays. We all wait for a stronger economy that we hope will arrive soon in the New Year, and we look forward to our Centennial Celebration, our next decade of service, and our next century of service.

In the meantime, enjoy the photos here of Fresno library staff posing on the steps of the original Carnegie Library in 1923 with Sarah McCardle standing front center, and a more lighthearted photo of Fresno librarians "lunching in the woods" in 1929.