EUREKA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY

The Humboldt County Library has 10 branches and 2 bookmobiles. It possesses over 200,000 titles as well as books on tape, audio musical tapes, and selected non-fiction and classic video tapes. Also offered is a literacy program for those who want to improve their reading skills, and a children's program to encourage reading and library visitation in young people.

In 1878, the City of Eureka founded California's first free public library. It operated out of rented space until 1903 when, with a $20,000 donation from steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie Library building was built. Designed in the Classical Revival style, it now, in part, houses the archives of the Humboldt County Historical Society. Which has since become the Morris Graves Memorial --- and is celebrating its 10th Anniversary.

The main branch of the Humboldt County Library opened in November 1995. Described as the "gem of government buildings", the $10.45 million, 60,000 square foot building on the waterfront offers space, high-tech equipment, access to the Internet, compact discs, CD-Roms, audio and video cassettes, and over 130,000 books. There are two meeting rooms, one of which is the lavish Humboldt Room, overlooking the waterfront. A small art gallery is adjacent to the Humboldt Room. Typewriters and computers are available for public use, and equipment for the disabled is on site. The library is the recipient of a design award from the American Society of Civil Engineers and is recognized as a "Project of the Year for 1996".