Library History

About Sonoma County Library

The Sonoma County Library is a countywide system, encompassing all nine cities and the unincorporated areas. A Joint Powers Agreement created in 1975, and revised in 2014, established the library as a separate public agency. Today, the library serves half a million county residents, at 12 regional libraries, two rural stations, three special collections, and a wide variety of digital resources.

A countywide library system is a good investment for the people of Sonoma County – it provides the community access to the rich resources of every library in the county, and beyond through inter-library lending programs. The cities and the county provide the buildings that house libraries in each community, and the library provides comprehensive services and outreach.

The Sonoma County Library Commission is an 11-person body responsible for governing the library. Commissioners are appointed by the cities in Sonoma County and the county Board of Supervisors.

We are known nationally for our innovation, and locally for our connection to our residents and communities. We are a community hub where learning, the arts, technology, and people come together to discover, learn, and share.

Combined Systemwide Timeline

1858 Petaluma’s Odd Fellows Library was established, the nucleus of the later city library.
1859 A private library association established the Santa Rosa Free Library, founding what was the 14th public library in California. The Santa Rosa Library would be the ancestor of the Central Library of the Sonoma County Library system.
1867 Petaluma Odd Fellows Library Association holdings transferred to found the city of Petaluma Library.
1871 Land allocated for a library in Sebastopol, though the land first used for a schoolhouse.
1878 Petaluma’s Odd Fellows Library ownership transferred to the City of Petaluma and the collection moved to the upper floor of the old City Hall.
1884 Cloverdale Library Association established, renting books to patrons at 30 cents/month.
1894 First Cloverdale public library established.
1896 Healdsburg Library established, administered by the city and housed in the City Hall.
1903 Sonoma Free Public Library established in the town of Sonoma.
1904 With a Carnegie grant, the new Santa Rosa Library was completed on the corner of 4th and E Streets.
1906 Petaluma Library opens its new Carnegie building on 4th and B Streets. Designed by local architect Brainerd Jones, the building served as a public library until 1976.
1906 Santa Rosa’s new Carnegie library damaged in the earthquake, but was quickly repaired and re-opened.
1909 Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club presented the Sonoma Free Public Library to the city of Sonoma.
1911 Cloverdale library burned. Women’s Improvement Club stepped in, staffed by volunteers.
1911 Healdsburg’s new Carnegie library completed, serving the community until 1988.
1913 Carnegie grant library erected in the town of Sonoma.
1916 Sonoma County Supervisors established a County Library, though no funds were allocated.
1916 Sebastopol’s Carnegie library built.
1921 Cloverdale Free Library completed, built on donated land and through the efforts of the Women’s Improvement Club.
1924 Guerneville Community Library established on Main Street.
1945 Sonoma County Free Public Library founded. Within five years there would be a Central Library and four branches, a bookmobile, and many outlets, among them 80 school libraries.
1945 Guerneville library was renamed the Jan Herr Memorial Library and joined the Sonoma County Free Public Library system as a station.
1946 A branch of the Sonoma County Free Public Library was established in Cotati.
1946 Guerneville Library moved from Main Street to First Street, and changed from a station to a branch of the Sonoma County Free Public Library system.
1950 There was a County Library outlet at Windsor.
1950 Petaluma Library was staffed by four fulltime librarians and two part-time, this at a time when the population of the city was 10,000.
1952 Cotati Library moved.
1956 City of Cloverdale affiliated with the Sonoma County Free Public Library system.
1961 Guerneville Library moved to the Veterans Memorial Building.
1962 A City of Santa Rosa General Plan called for building three Santa Rosa libraries, in addition to the Central Library.
1964 Petaluma Library card holders numbered 8,800, using a collection of 33,000 books. Six fulltime and three part-time employees.
1965 Santa Rosa Public Library merged with the Sonoma County Free Public Library.
1965 By resolution of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Public Library is designated as official archives for the county.
1966 The location for a second library for the City of Santa Rosa was chosen on the city’s northwest side, next to the Coddingtown Mall. On this site would be built the Northwest Library.
1966 Cloverdale Library became part of the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Library.
1967 New Santa Rosa Central Library opened.
1967 The “California Room” was established in the new Central Library. This became the nucleus of the History and Genealogy Library (Annex) collection.
1967 Cotati Library moved to College View Drive in Rohnert Park.
1968 Santa Rosa’s Northwest Library was opened.
1969 Earthquake irreparably damaged the Sebastopol Library.

1969 The city of Sonoma Library merged with the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Free Public Library.
1974 Bond Issue approved by the Petaluma City Council and Sonoma County Board of Supervisors for the construction of a new Petaluma Library.
1974 New Sebastopol Library opened on site of the previous Carnegie building.
1975 County-wide Library Joint Powers Agreement signed, uniting all public libraries in Sonoma County in one system.
1975 Sonoma County allocated funds for a new Guerneville Library.
1975 Petaluma Library staff of nine with two part-time. Collection of 51,000 books. Population 16,000.
1975 Healdsburg Public Library became a part of the Sonoma County Library system.
1976 Guerneville Library designated a Regional Library on implementation of Joint Powers Agreement.
1976 New Petaluma Library opened with an existing collection of 60,000 books and room for an additional 40,000.
1976 Rohnert Park-Cotati library established on Hunter Drive.
1978 New city of Sonoma Library opened.
1978 Site on Armstrong Woods Road selected for new Guerneville Regional Library.
1979 Historical Records Commission established by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to oversee the County Archives (in the care of the County Library since 1965). The Commission to consist of five members, one of whom is the County Librarian (or designate).
1979 Cloverdale Regional Library completed, facilitated by the generosity and efforts of the Women Improvement Club.
1981 Guerneville Regional Library dedicated and opened.
1988 Healdsburg Regional Library (including the Sonoma County Wine Library) completed.
1988 Funding by the City of Santa Rosa and California state grant allocated for a library in Rincon Valley.
1991 Bookmobile service provided to Windsor, previously reliant on Healdsburg and Santa Rosa’s Northwest and Central Libraries.
1993 Launched Internet services to the public.
1993 Held the first countywide Summer Reading Program
1994 Opening of the Rincon Valley Library in eastern Santa Rosa.
1995 Contracted with Mendocino County Library for shared catalog and services.
1996 Windsor Regional Library opened.
1996 Central Library’s California Room collection moved to the Annex: the Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library. Managers: Audrey Herman, 1996-2000; Linda Phillips, 2000-2001; Tony Hoskins, 2001-2015; and Katherine Rinehart, 2015 to the present (2017).
2000 Contracted with Lake County for shared catalog and services.
2000 Online catalog was introduced to the public
2002 Staff began using e-mail.
2003 Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library opened.
2004 Launched wireless services to the public.
2008 Launched downloadable audiobooks to the public.
2008 Began retro RFID tagging project in preparation for self-checkout.
2009 Rolled out self-checkout at Rohnert Park.
2012 Completed installation of RFID checkout and check-in at all branches.
2012 Library Joint Powers Agreement review and revisions began.
2013 Launched e-books.
2014 Revised Library Joint Powers Agreement was approved and instituted.
2015 Roseland Community Library opened.
2016 Measure Y, a 1/8 cent sales tax approved by voters, boosting Library budget by nearly 2/3rds.
2016 Library Strategic Plan was approved and instituted.
2016 Sonoma County Library mobile app launched.
2017 Hours increased at all branches. Monday hours reinstated in May. Libraries opened two evenings a week (both Monday and Wednesday).
2018 Saturday hours increased to remain open until 6 pm. Student OneCards made available to classrooms across the county.
2019 Library went fine-free. WiFi hotspot lending program was established.
2020 Curbside services instated during the pandemic.
2021 Reimagining Plan was released. Extended hours implemented at all regional branches. BiblioBus hit the road.
2022 Sunday hours implemented at all regional branches. First BiblioBox opened at the Sonoma Valley branch.
2023 BiblioBoxes opened at Guerneville, Healdsburg, and Rincon Valley branches.

Individual branches

Cloverdale

1884 Cloverdale Library Association established, renting books to patrons at 30 cents/month.
1894 First Cloverdale public library established.
1911 Cloverdale library burned. Women’s Improvement Club stepped in, staffed by volunteers.
1921 Cloverdale Free Library completed, built on donated land and through the efforts of the Women’s Improvement Club.
1956 City of Cloverdale affiliated with the Sonoma County Free Public Library system.
1966 Cloverdale Library became part of the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Library.
1979 Cloverdale Regional Library completed, facilitated by the generosity and efforts of the Women Improvement Club.
2017 Cloverdale Regional Library refresh completed.

More Cloverdale Library history

Guerneville

1924 Guerneville Community Library established on Main Street.
1945 Guerneville library was renamed the Jan Herr Memorial Library and joined the Sonoma County Free Public Library system as a station.
1946 Guerneville Library moved from Main Street to First Street, and changed from a station to a branch of the Sonoma County Free Public Library system.
1961 Guerneville Library moved to the Veterans Memorial Building.
1975 Sonoma County allocated funds for a new Guerneville Library.
1976 Guerneville Library designated a Regional Library on implementation of Joint Powers Agreement.
1978 Site on Armstrong Woods Road selected for new Guerneville Regional Library.
1981 Guerneville Regional Library dedicated and opened.

More Guerneville Library history

Healdsburg

1896 Healdsburg Library established, administered by the city and housed in the City Hall.
1911 Healdsburg’s new Carnegie library completed, serving the community until 1988.
1975 Healdsburg Public Library became a part of the Sonoma County Library system.
1988 Healdsburg Regional Library (including the Sonoma County Wine Library) completed.

More Healdsburg Library history

Petaluma

1858 Petaluma’s Odd Fellows Library was established, the nucleus of the later city library.
1867 Petaluma Odd Fellows Library Association holdings transferred to found the city of Petaluma Library.
1906 Petaluma Library opens its new Carnegie building on 4th and B Streets. Designed by local architect Brainerd Jones, the building served as a public library until 1976.
1950 Petaluma Library was staffed by four fulltime librarians and two part-time, this at a time when the population of the city was 10,000.
1964 Petaluma Library card holders numbered 8,800, using a collection of 33,000 books. Six fulltime and three part-time employees.
1974 Bond Issue approved by the Petaluma City Council and Sonoma County Board of Supervisors for the construction of a new Petaluma Library.
1975 Petaluma Library staff of nine with two part-time. Collection of 51,000 books. Population 16,000.
1976 New Petaluma Library opened with an existing collection of 60,000 books and room for an additional 40,000.

More Petaluma Library history

Rohnert Park-Cotati

1946 A branch of the Sonoma County Free Public Library was established in Cotati.
1952 Cotati Library moved in 1952.
1967 Cotati Library moved to College View Drive in Rohnert Park.
1976 Rohnert Park-Cotati library established on Hunter Drive.
2003 Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library opened.

More Rohnert Park-Cotati Library history

Santa Rosa (Central)

1859 A private library association established the Santa Rosa Free Library, founding what was the 14th public library in California. The Santa Rosa Library would be the ancestor of the Central Library of the Sonoma County Library system.
1904 With a Carnegie grant, the new Santa Rosa Library was completed on the corner of 4th and E Streets.
1906 Santa Rosa’s new Carnegie library damaged in the earthquake, but was quickly repaired and re-opened.
1945 Sonoma County Free Public Library founded. Within five years there would be a Central Library and four branches, a bookmobile, and many outlets, among them 80 school libraries
1962 A City of Santa Rosa General Plan called for building three Santa Rosa libraries, in addition to the Central Library.
1965 Santa Rosa Public Library merged with the Sonoma County Free Public Library.
1965 By resolution of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Public Library is designated as official archives for the county.
1967 New Santa Rosa Central Library opened.
1967 The “California Room” was established in the new Central Library. This became the nucleus of the History and Genealogy Library (Annex) collection.
1968 Santa Rosa’s Northwest Library was opened.
1996 Central Library’s California Room collection moved to the Annex: the Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library. Managers: Audrey Herman, 1996-2000; Linda Phillips, 2000-2001; and Tony Hoskins, 2001 to the present (2014).

More Central Library history

Santa Rosa (Northwest)

1962 A City of Santa Rosa General Plan called for building three Santa Rosa libraries, in addition to the Central Library.
1968 Santa Rosa’s Northwest Library was opened.

More Northwest Library history

Santa Rosa (Rincon Valley)

1962 A City of Santa Rosa General Plan called for building three Santa Rosa libraries, in addition to the Central Library.
1991 City of Santa Rosa and CA State grants awarded to fund what became the Rincon Valley Branch.
1994 Opening of the Rincon Valley Library in eastern Santa Rosa.

More Rincon Valley Library history

Santa Rosa (Roseland)

2015 Roseland Community Library opens in temporary quarters through the combined efforts of the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, the Sonoma County Library, the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Santa Rosa Library, Los Cien, the Rohnert Park Rotary, and other generous public service groups and private donors.
2016 Coalition to Support the Roseland Library is created.
2017 Expanded hours and permanent staff added with Measure Y support.

More Roseland Community Library history

Sebastopol

1871 Land allocated for a library in Sebastopol, though the land first used for a schoolhouse.
1916 Sebastopol’s Carnegie library built.
1969 Earthquake irreparably damaged the Sebastopol Library.
1974 New Sebastopol Library opened on site of the previous Carnegie building.

More Sebastopol Library history

Sonoma

1903 Sonoma Free Public Library established in the town of Sonoma.
1909 Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club presented the Sonoma Free Public Library to the city of Sonoma.
1913 Carnegie grant library erected in the town of Sonoma.
1969 The city of Sonoma Library merged with the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Free Public Library.
1978 New city of Sonoma Library opened.

More Sonoma Valley Library history

Windsor

1950 There was a County Library outlet at Windsor.
1991 Bookmobile service provided to Windsor, previously reliant on Healdsburg and Santa Rosa’s Northwest and Central Libraries.
1996 Windsor Regional Library opened.

More Windsor Library history

Compiled by Tony Hoskins, Sonoma County History & Genealogy Librarian, July 16, 2014;
expanded by Geoffrey Skinner, Cataloging and Metadata Supervising Librarian, Dec. 14, 2017