The California Area Public Library is the public library serving California, Pennsylvania and is a branch of the Washington County Library System. The library is located in the former Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger Station, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

California Area Public Library
Type	Public library
Established	1935
Location	California, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°4′6″N 79°53′20.5″W
Branch of	Washington County Library System
Collection
Size	15,242 items (2008)[1]
Access and use
Circulation	10,042 (2008)[1]
Population served	10,640 (2018)[2]
Members	1,792 (2008)[2]
Other information
Director	Claudia L. Bennett (2019)
Website	www.calpublib.org
Map

It is designated as a historic public landmark by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation.[4]

On June 18, 1994, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission erected a historical marker at the California Area Public Library noting the importance of the California Boatyards.[5]

History

The building the library is located in was built in 1910 by the Pennsylvania Railroad to replace an older depot that was constructed in 1885.[6]

The California Area Public Library was founded in 1935, but moved to its current location in the former train station on May 24, 1958.[7] The library was closed in 1965 because of the lack of financial support. A year after the library building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 19, 1979, the Washington County Library System was formed, which was joined by the California Area Public Library.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Pennsylvania

References

External links

• California Area Public Library
• "2008 Library Statistics" (PDF). Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of Education. April 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
• Channing, Elsie; Zacher, Susan M (1979). "Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger Station" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form. Retrieved July 8, 2010.