Oakland Public Library Historical Timeline

1878-1900

• Oakland Public Library opens, November 7, 1878
• Poet Ina D. Coolbrith appointed as Oakland's first City Librarian
• First branch library, the West Oakland Reading Room, is established, 1878
• Henry F. Peterson named City Librarian, 1893
• Construction is begun on a new Main Library, endowed by Andrew Carnegie, at 14th Street & Grove Street (now Martin Luther King, Jr. Way), 1899
• Alden Branch Library, now Temescal, is established, 1899
• Golden Gate Branch Library is established, 1899
• Charles S. Greene appointed City Librarian, 1899

1901-1910

• New Main Library opens at 14th Street & Grove Street, June 30, 1902
• Oakland hosts the first meeting of the California Library Association, 1903
• The Children's Room in the Oakland Main Library opens with Tiffany-made furnishings, 1904

1911-1920

• Telephone reference service is initiated, 1911
• Elmhurst & Melrose Branch libraries are established, 1911
• Piedmont Branch Library is established, 1912
• Dimond Branch Library is established, 1915
• Melrose Branch Library occupies its current Carnegie-endowed building, 1916
• Golden Gate Branch Library occupies its current Carnegie-endowed building, 1918 
• Temescal Branch Library occupies its current Carnegie-endowed building, 1918
• Rockridge Branch Library is established, 1919

1921-1930

• John B. Kaiser appointed City Librarian, 1927
• Lakeview Branch Library is established, 1930
• Montclair Branch Library is established, 1930

1931-1940

• Workers from the federal Works Projects Administration accomplish major indexing and historical projects for the Oakland Public Library, including the first comprehensive history of the city
• Piedmont Branch Library occupies its current location, 1932
• Oakland voters fail to pass a bond proposition to provide funds for construction of a new Main Library, December 19, 1933

1941-1950

• Peter T. Conmy is appointed City Librarian, 1943
• Eastmont Branch Library is established, 1945
• Bond measure passed to finance construction of a new Main Library and new buildings to house the Elmhurst and Lakeview branch libraries, 1945
• New Elmhurst Branch Library moves to its current location, 1949
• Lakeview Branch Library moves to its current location, 1949
• Friends of the Oakland Public Library is formed, 1950

1951-1960

• Adult education programs are expanded
• The Oakland Main Library occupies its current location at 14th and Oak Streets, 1951
• The California Room (now the Oakland History Room) is founded, 1951
• Brookfield Branch Library is established, 1957

1961-1970

• Bookmobile service begins, 1965
• The Latin American Branch (now César E. Chávez Branch) Library, the first branch devoted to serving the Spanish-speaking community in the U.S., is established, 1966
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch is established, 1970
• William H. Brett appointed City Librarian, 1970

1971-1980

• Oakland Public Library establishes special services for the blind, visually impaired and deaf
• Oakland Public Library joins BARC (Bay Area Reference Center), which provides supplemental reference services
• Project Outreach to serve senior citizens is established, 1973
• Lelia White appointed Library Director, 1976
• Asian Branch Library is established, 1976
• New West Oakland Branch Library opens, 1977
• Oakland Public Library celebrates its centennial, 1978
• Oakland Public Library Association is formed, 1978
• BALIS (Bay Area Library and Information Service), a cooperative network of Bay Area libraries, is established with Oakland Public Library as a charter member, 1978
• Cityline is established, 1978
• American Indian Library Service is established, 1979
• Dimond Branch Library moves to its current location, 1980
• 1981-1990
• Eastmont Branch Library moves to Eastmont Mall, 1983
• Second Start Adult Literacy Program is launched, 1984
• Rockridge Branch Library moves to Birch Court, 1987
• Oakland Public Library automates its card catalog and procedures for cataloging and circulation, 1989
• Martín J. Gomez is appointed Director of Library Services, 1990

1991-2000

• New Brookfield Branch Library opens, 1992
• Oakland voters pass Measure O, the Library Services Retention and Enhancement Act, to provide supplemental financial support for the Oakland Public Library, June 7, 1994
• The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) is created, 1994
• PASS! (Partners Achieving School Success) homework centers are launched, 1994
• A 15-year Strategic Plan, "A Library for the 21st Century," is published, 1995
• New Asian Branch Library opens, 1995
• Oakland Public Library Foundation is incorporated, 1995
• Oakland Public Library begins providing Internet access to the public, 1995
• Books for Wider Horizons, a partnership with the City's Head Start program, is launched, 1995
• Business Information Center is established, 1995
• Billy Dancy is appointed as Director of Library Services, 1996
• New Rockridge Branch Library opens, 1996
• Oakland voters approve Measure I, a general obligation bond, which includes funding to seismically retrofit several Carnegie libraries, 1996
• Library begins extended services for patrons with disabilities, 1997
• First teenaged member, Esther Fuentes-Garcia, appointed to the Oakland Public Library Commission, 1997
• New Eastmont Branch Library opens, 1998
• Renovations completed at Temescal Branch Library, 1999
• Tool lending begins at Temescal Branch Library, 1999
• Renovation and expansion of Montclair Branch Library's Children Room completed, 1999
• Cityline is transformed into the Oaklanders' Assistance Center, 1999
• Renovations completed at Melrose Branch Library, 2000
• Renovations completed at Golden Gate Branch Library, 2000
• Carmen Martinez appointed Director of Library Services, 2000

2001-

• Oakland Main Library celebrates its Golden Jubilee, 2001
• Books in electronic format (e-books) are offered via the Internet, 2001
• The African American Museum & Library at Oakland opens in the renovated Charles Greene building (the old main library), 2002
• Reference service via electronic mail and live chat begins, 2002
• TeenZone is created in Main Library, 2002
• Oakland Public Library celebrates its 125th anniversary, 2003
• New César Chávez Branch Library opens in Fruitvale Transit Village, 2004

 1878-1995 Compiled by William Sturm, Oakland History Room1995- Compiled by Steven Lavoie, Oakland History Room