San Francisco Main Public Library

The Main Public Library, headquarters of the city's library services, is on the east side of the square, opposite City Hall. The building was constructed in 1917 by George Kelham in Beaux-Arts style; the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie provided generous financial support. The library has a stock of some 1.2 million books, not to mention a considerable collection of newspapers and manuscripts (temporary exhibitions on the 2nd and 3rd floors). The building has long been too small to meet all the demands placed on it.

A city library was founded in San Francisco as long ago as 1879, at first occupying rented rooms in Bush Street. It began to loan out books in 1880. The present Main Public Library, which supports 26 branches throughout San Francisco, stands where, in 1906, the fourth City Hall collapsed in the earthquake while in process of completion. Earlier still it was the site of the Yerba Buena cemetery (before Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco). Particularly noteworthy are two monumental murals by Frank DuMond in the reading and catalogue room; they depict scenes from California's pioneering days.