Redondo Beach Public Library

Mission Statement:

The Redondo Beach Library provides services and materials to persons of all ages. These services are provided in a friendly atmosphere for the purpose of meeting the informational, educational, recreational, and cultural needs of Redondo Beach residents.

Library History:

Redondo Beach established its first library in 1895 as a sailors' reading room in a donated building on Wharf No. 1. The success and popularity of library services were so overwhelming that by 1928 the City could no longer ignore the need for a new building. was designed by architect Lovel Bearse Pemberton and built in 1930. It served as the Main Library for Redondo Beach for sixty years, and in 1981 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In November, 1908 Redondo's City Trustees organized a five member Library Commission responsible for overseeing the library. On January 2, 1909 the library moved to Room 5 of City Hall at 301 Emerald and the newly-appointed librarian, Mrs. N.F. Allison, began her job at a salary of $25.00 a month.

The Library proved to be popular and successful, and by 1917 the collection filled the entire west wing of the City Hall. By 1928 the need for additional space could no longer be ignored, and the Chamber of Commerce suggested a new building on the site of the old Hotel Redondo. Voters approved a $50,000 bond for construction, and on July 2, 1930 the City dedicated its new main library in Veterans Park on the Esplanade. The new library, which cost $45,000 to build, housed 20,000 volumes for the city's 10,000 citizens. At the same time, a branch library was opened in North Redondo at the Grant Community Hall in the Redondo Villa Tract. In 1949 the "North Branch" was moved to larger quarters on Artesia Boulevard. These facilities were expanded and remodeled in 1960.

In 1933, as the Great Depression settled upon Redondo Beach, library staff took voluntary pay cuts and donated their time in an effort to maintain service to the public. In order to survive the Redondo Beach Public Library became a branch of the Los Angeles County System. In 1937, when the City was enjoying better financial times, the Library withdrew from the County System. By 1943 there were more than 32,000 books on the shelves of the Redondo Beach Public Library.

In later years the Library struggled to keep up with population growth and redevelopment. In 1963 the Library began sending a bookmobile to the Redondo schools; in 1968 the Library joined the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System; in 1970 the Library began using volunteer help in delivering books to shut-ins, and about this time an audio-visual librarian was added to the staff.

Although the Library's remarkable architecture and its beautiful seaside location secured it a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, there were growing concerns about the building's age and ability to withstand earthquakes.

Several years of campaigning by local citizens contributed to growing interest in replacing the Veteran's Park building. A June, 1988 report to the City, "Report of Findings: A Survey Among Redondo Beach Relative to Public Improvements," stated that residents believed a new library to be the most important capital improvement project listed.

In 1988 California voters passed the Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act, which provided $754 million for library construction grants. In February 1991 Redondo Beach was among 50 libraries to apply for funding, and Redondo was ultimately awarded the largest of all the grants for construction: $10,019,792, or about 65% of the cost for constructing a new main library. The grant helped assure that the new library would be functional, cost effective to operate, energy-efficient, and capable of accommodating technological advances as well as collection growth over the next 20 years.

On July 5, 1991 the City closed the Main Library in Veterans Park and reopened in temporary quarters in the Redondo Shores Shopping Center. On July 20, 1993 ground was broken for construction of a permanent library adjacent to City Hall, and two years later on July 8, 1995 the new Redondo Beach Main Library opened at 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway.

The Veterans Park Library was internally remodeled and opened in 1996 as a venue for special events. To rent the building for weddings, receptions, and other social events call Spectrum Catering at  310-937-6844

More about the history of Redondo Beach can be found in the Local History Collection in our Reference Department. The collection includes City Directories, High School Yearbooks, and local newspapers.