Centennial Book: A Century of Service: From Dewey Decimal to Digital

In conjunction with its centennial celebrations, the Friends of the Fresno County Public Library has just released A Century of Service: From Dewey Decimal to Digital. This 128-page volume chronicles the creation of the Library, the expansion of its departments and branches, and its growth as a major cultural institution of California's San Joaquin Valley.

Published by the Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, this book's appearance is a landmark for several different reasons. It is one of the few histories of a California library system ever published; it is the first history of a Library system created by the California County Libraries Act of 1909; and it is also the first published history of any Fresno County department.

A Century of Service was printed in full color and contains numerous images depicting Library people and operations over the years. Most of this content was acquired from the Library's historical archive and has never been seen by the general public until now. The pictorial content alone will be of interest to anyone fascinated by California library history.

Every current Library department, special service, and branch is profiled in the book. Former branches not otherwise mentioned in the text are described in an appendix, making this volume a complete (and extensive) record of the Library's operations for the past 100 years.

You may order your copy of A Century of Service by completing the order form and mailing it to: Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, P.O. Box 4523, Fresno, CA  93744-4523. The hardcover edition is limited to only 100 copies and is destined to become a collector's item.