The Sacramento City Library, also called the Central Branch, sits here in Sacramento, California, close to Sacramento City Hall. This three-story Italian Renaissance Revival library opened in 1918 on I Street between 8th and 9th, replacing an earlier 1872 building one block to the west. The building you see was designed by Loring P. Rixford and was financed in large part by a $100,000 grant from Carnegie.
Much of the exterior retains its original appearance, while the interior has been significantly updated to meet modern needs. In 1992 the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The library was built adjacent to City Plaza Park, today called Cesar E. Chavez Plaza, so this corner has long been a civic gathering place.
This is part of the Sacramento Public Library system, where volunteers help with large and small one-time projects and assist librarians with ongoing special tasks, supporting library services for over 1.3 million residents in Sacramento County. Notice I Street leading to Sacramento City Hall and the nearby Cesar E. Chavez Plaza.