Dinuba Branch Library

History of the Dinuba Branch Library

The Tulare County Library System was formed in July of 1910. In September, 1910, the Dinuba Women's Club filed a petition to have a County Library deposit station (a spot where patrons could pick up and deposit books) set up in Dinuba. The petition was granted and the first deposit station was set up in a corner of the Dopkins Furniture Store with a deposit of 50 books sent from Visalia. A year later more room was required, and the branch was moved to the Snell Building on Tulare Street. The first librarian, Miss Etta Pillsbury, was appointed and was paid the princely sum of $5.00 a month.

Sometime in 1912 the branch complete with a reading room moved to the (then) new Chamber of Commerce building. In 1913 there were about 1,000 books and a total of $47.80 was collected in fines. A new Carnegie Library was built in 1916 on land the city donated using Carnegie Foundation funds. The Chamber of Commerce building burned down and all of its contents were lost in July, 1916. The new Carnegie Library opened, informally, four days later. This library was demolished in 1975 when the present day library branch was built. Dinuba was designated branch #1 in 1910, and still holds that distinction today. Stop in to see Branch Manager, Lia Rosales.

Sources for this article are: The Tulare County Library by Joseph l. Vicenti , History of Tulare County,California by Kathleen Edwards Small, and "History of Dinuba's Library System" from the Dinuba Advocate January 9, 1914