Exploring our public libraries
We all know that public libraries exist. Some of us (sadly) may never visit one, but we know they are there, ready to welcome us when we need them. That wasn’t always the case. The first known library was the library of Ashurbanipal, thought to have been created at some point during the 7th century, B.C. for Ashurbanipal, the Assyrian ruler of what is, today, modern Iraq. Most early libraries were created for rulers, exceptional scholars and religious leaders. The average person was not allowed to use them. Here in the U.S., Benjamin Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731, but its use was limited to subscribers and members. In other words, only those who could afford to pay for the privilege of visiting were welcome. It was not until 1833 that the first free libraries, the Peterborough Town Libraries, were established in the United States. We can thank the great state of New Hampshire for that.
And yet, across the country, libraries were still not accessible to all. Under Jim Crow laws throughout the southern states, libraries were segregated, and access to books and information for Black Americans was difficult. In an article for American Libraries, writer George M. Eberhart details a presentation by authors Wayne and Shirley Wiegand speaking about their book, The Desegregation of Public Libraries in the Jim Crow South: “The few public libraries in the South that did provide limited services to blacks often subjected them to experiences that were humiliating.” Even more than halfway through the 20th century, not all Americans had access to their public library. When they did, their experiences were often dehumanizing. Eberhart also notes in his 2018 article, “On Sunday, June 24 [2018], the governing Council of American Library Association (ALA) passed a historic resolution that ‘apologizes to African Americans for wrongs committed against them in segregated public libraries’ and commends those ‘who risked their lives to integrate public libraries for their bravery and courage in challenging segregation in public libraries and in forcing public libraries to live up to the rhetoric of their ideals.’”
Packhorse librarians ready to start delivering books 
A packhorse librarian reads aloud to a man in the Kentucky mountains.
In rural America, access to libraries was also a challenge. During the Depression Era, detailed in a Smithsonian article penned by Eliza McGraw, “Librarians rode up into the Kentucky mountains, their saddlebags stuffed with books, doling out reading material to isolated rural people. The Great Depression had plunged the nation into poverty, and Kentucky—a poor state made even poorer by a paralyzed national economy—was among the hardest hit.” Dedicated librarians were not only setting out on horseback. Bookmobiles also headed out to rural areas, to the homes of those who could not leave them and to places where no brick and mortar libraries existed, often in poorer neighborhoods. According to American Libraries Magazine, “Today, bookmobiles are still going strong, with more than 900 such mobile libraries still providing the same spirit of community—indeed, friendship—through innovative new services in cities, towns, and rural areas.”
Today, dear friends, let us count our blessings. In addition to our own Zoph Library which serves the Serra community, we are awash in fantastic public library services in our own county and beyond. Providing books, ebooks, digital resources, internet access for those who have none at home and tutoring programs for those who need help, our public libraries offer so much more than they ever have before. Though the current pandemic has curtailed a portion of our access to their services, our public libraries are striving to get us what we need and to open more fully as soon as it is safe to do so. Let’s have a look at what we have access to now:
The Peninsula Library System
The San Mateo County Libraries
The Peninsula Library System is a consortium of the San Mateo County libraries, various city libraries, and the community college libraries. The San Mateo County Library (SMCL) system (with libraries in Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Pacifica (Sanchez, Sharp Park), Portola Valley, San Carlos, and Woodside) offers a helpful page online with information about their curbside services, requesting information online, and ordering a SMCL library card.
- On Saturday March 20th, the county library system is virtually hosting its 6th annual Young Adult Novelist Convention (YANovCon) that will include 2 panel discussions with award-winning, notable, and new YA novelists.
- Just looking for a page that has the latest library releases in books and films for teens? Visit the San Mateo Counties Libraries teen services page for everything in one place!
- For other SMCL information and events, check out these helpful links:
City Libraries
The individual city libraries (Burlingame, Daly City, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Mateo, and So. San Francisco) operate independently of, but in cooperation with, the other city and county libraries. Each of them offers teen resources. Have a look here at upcoming fun events and visit their teen pages!
- Burlingame: The Burlingame Public Library is hosting a Rocket League gaming tournament on Saturday, March 27th. All skill levels welcome. Visit their virtual teen space any time: Burlingame Library teen space
- Daly City: Tuesday March 18th is Virtual Game night featuring a virtual Escape Room! Visit their Youth Services page anytime.
- Menlo Park: Virtually hosting a Teen Creative Writing Club on Fridays, Dungeons and Dragons meetups on the second Wednesday of each month and a virtual homework center every day, the Menlo Park Library teen site is worth a look!
- Redwood City: Hosting a Teen Craft Club on the fourth Wednesday of each month, teens can drop by the library parking lot to pick up craft supplies, then tune in for an online craft tutorial. Their Online Learning for Teens page is full of great links and information.
- San Bruno: With access to films through Kanopy, virtual magazines to explore through Overdrive and more, the San Bruno page for teens is worth a look!
North of the Peninsula
San Mateo County is not the only county with great library resources. For Padres who live in San Francisco, the San Francisco Public Library is also online with information about all of its branches. Statewide, the California State Library site is chock-full of information for everyone, with several online exhibits in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and a “wide range of services” for California residents.
We are fortunate to have such an array of public library resources in our greater communities. Taking them for granted would be a mistake. They are a great gift to be recognized and taken advantage of. Generations of Americans have not had access to the services that are accessible to everybody today. For free. How awesome is that?! And though the Zoph Library staff will not be delivering resources to your home on horseback (though occasionally in a 2000 Honda Civic, which is close,) we will always strive to get our Padres what they need to thrive. If we don’t have it, our public libraries probably do. We are always happy to help any Padre navigate the public library system to use it as it was intended – to expand knowledge and to provide needed services to everyone in our community…even in a pandemic.
Contact us for more information or for help obtaining a public library card.
Blogs I Follow
Library Services at Junípero Serra High School 
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