The Central Library is the direct descendent of the original Sacramento Library founded by community leaders as a subscription library in 1857. The Carnegie building, opened in 1918, has been enhanced by the addition of a significantly larger, multi-story building, opened in 1992.
Central Library provides all the services of a neighborhood library and more. The collection includes nearly 300,000 volumes, with more than 1,000 periodical subscriptions. A number of special collections are housed here, including business, government documents, genealogy and literature. Professional librarians are available to assist clients in locating and using the wide variety of resources available for children and adults, including reference materials, online databases and Internet stations. Central Library has many on-line and CD-based resources and Internet stations for children and adults.
Central librarians staff the Telephone Information Service (TELIS) for all Sacramento area residents. This service is available seven days a week (during Sacramento Public Library open hours and Mondays 10-8) by calling 916-264-2920.Another service provided by Central Library staff is assistance with circulation questions, including address changes and queries about overdue notices. This service is available seven days a week (during Sacramento Public Library open hours by calling 916-264-2789.
The Schwab-Rosenhouse College Resource Center located on the second floor of the Central Library offers students and parents the unique opportunity to have free one on one consultions with professional college and career counselors in a library setting. We have many resources, including books, application forms and computers with access to current information on colleges, graduate schools and job opportunities. In addition we offer help in finding and getting scholarships, as well as help with application forms, math tutoring, essay writing and practice SAT test taking. Attend one of our many workshops. For further information call 916-264-2920.
The Sacramento Room at the Central Library opened in 1995, and is an archive of Sacramento and California history. Special collections include California history, Sacramento history, Sacramento Area Authors, Printing History and Book Arts and the History of the Sacramento Public Library. Each month selected materials from this collection are exhibited in the Sacramento Room and throughout the Central Library.
