Friends of the Richmond Beach Library celebrate 100 years

By Anina Coder Sill, Manager Richmond Beach Library

The Friends of the Richmond Beach Library received a certificate from the Secretary of the State, Sam Reid, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of their incorporation.

 

The Friends group originally formed in 1899 and checked out a collection of donated books from shelves located in the Holloway Hotel on NW 195th street (Market street) and later from the Richmond Beach school, before officially filing for incorporation on Jan 1910.

In 1911 the first library building was constructed by the community at 2402 NW 195th Place; the doors opened in 1912. The library joined the King County Library System in 1943, and was replaced by the library in the Richmond Beach Community Park in 2001. The number of items checked out each year continues to increase-in 2009 the annual circulation was over 222,000.

Programs have included: fashion shows, pet shows, tea parties, plant sales , movie programs, parades book discussions, computer classes, story times, teen video gaming, plant sales, Halloween ghost storytelling, and the annual spring Art Show. I have very fond memories of many of these events—and several of these programs continue to be an integral part of our wonderful library.

My favorite event was passing the children’s book collection from the old library to the new, neighbor to neighbor. The Richmond Beach community, the King County Library System and the City of Shoreline Parks collaborated to continue this long history of dedication to library service. Happy anniversary!

Photos, top to bottom: RB Library 1987. RB 1962. Moving the children's book collection 2001. Courtesy of RB Library.