Sanger, Fresno County

San Joaquin Valley/South area, Central Valley region

opened 1916
Public library from 1916-1968
demolished, 1969

grant amount: $10,000
architectural style: Classical Revival (Type C)
architect: C. K. Kirby, Jr.

Sanger's first library, under the auspices of the Sanger Episcopal Church, was a reading room in the Mission Guild Hall. In 1910, a year before Sanger incorporated, Fresno County inaugurated a county library system and included Sanger's library. The library was moved to several different locations. In 1913, Carnegie funding was sought and a grant of $10,000 was received. Faced with the requirement to purchase a lot, the city decided upon the site of the City Water Works. The Classical Revival style building was designed by C. K. Kirby, Jr. of Fresno, who had also designed the 1905 Selma Carnegie; local contractor W. H. Jones was awarded the contract for its construction. Its formal opening in March 1916 was an important public occasion. When the Carnegie was outgrown a new public library was constructed and disposition of the Carnegie was the subject of much debate, culminating in the sale of the site for $40,000 with the city required to first demolish the building; this it did in October, 1969. A plaque was planned to commemorate the site of the Carnegie Library.