Marin County Free Library, 1914–2014
by Laurie Thompson
The formation of the Marin County Free Library was part of a larger statewide trend to establish library service throughout California in the early Twentieth Century.
The California legislature passed the first County Free Library Law in 1909 and a revised version in 1911 which stipulated that libraries were to be county institutions.
On February 2, 1914, the Marin County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in favor of a county library.
Simultaneously, forward-thinking citizens such as Mrs. Daisy Lawton, a Tomales School teacher, Anne T. Kent, a librarian from Long Island who had married into the prominent Kent family, and Harriet G. Eddy, the county library organizer for the State Library, helped to foment support for the Marin County Free Library system by networking with influential stakeholders such as women’s clubs, local PTAs and elected officials.
On August 3, 1926, the Marin County Free Library was established. Its mission was to serve all Marin County residents, particularly those outside the townships of San Rafael, San Anselmo, Larkspur, Sausalito and Mill Valley, where city libraries had already been created.
The main branch of the Marin County Free Library (MCFL), located in the basement of the old Marin County Court House in San Rafael, opened its doors on February 14, 1927. Miss Muriel Wright, formerly librarian for Tuolumne County, was appointed head librarian.
The library sign, pictured here, provided by the California State Library, was MCFL’s original logo. Early MCFL brochures announce “Around the County under the Orange Sign in Marin, Marin County Free Library.”
During the first three months, 298 patrons checked out 1229 books. During its first fiscal year of operation, the Marin County Free Library circulated 36,105 book.
The Anne T. Kent California Room invites you to view its new exhibit celebrating the Marin County Free Library, 1914–2014
Originally published at https://annetkent.kontribune.com.
