The Northwest Santa Rosa Regional Library building marks its 50th anniversary with a public celebration on Saturday, October 13.
The Northwest Branch of the Sonoma County Library has been providing library services to the citizens of Santa Rosa since 1968. Prior to Coddingtown Mall construction, the region in which the Northwest Library resides was farmland largely devoted to prune orchards. A 1963 General Plan called for building three Santa Rosa libraries, in addition to a Central library. Three years later, focus turned to a library to serve the northwest Santa Rosa area. The shopping center's location was chosen for its easy freeway access and plentiful parking.
The 8,000-square-foot one-story brown building opened Oct. 14, 1968 with a collection of 13,000 books. A mural commissioned to honor the memory of a beloved children’s librarian, Janet Guerrini, was dedicated in November 1995. In early 2018, the library closed for a three-month renovation, resulting in reconfigured and enhanced spaces for children and teens, newly installed carpeting and furnishings, and improved disability access and seismic retrofitting. The library serves residents of numerous senior housing complexes and workers at multiple government offices including the Social Security and County Administrative complex. Visitors from Santa Rosa district schools, the Santa Rosa Junior College and area preschools find books, use computers and attend library programs in the library.
The Northwest Regional Library’s 50th Anniversary Celebration will be held on Saturday, October 13; join us for festivities all day long, including:
- Muralist and local artist, Dave Gordon at 11:00 am: Discuss the arts and the library mural he created for the Northwest library.
- Cake-cutting and commemoration at 12:00 PM
- SNOOPY in person at 12:30 PM
- 60's Dance Party at 2:00 pm Come dance the afternoon away with a Local band the Remedies.
- Sound of Music- all day! Take a seat and enjoy this iconic film from the 60's.
- Scavenger Hunt - all day! Find our special resources to win prizes and enter a raffle.
Come walk down memory lane with us, and celebrate the impact the Library has made on the residents of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County community!
