The El Sobrante Library
We recently received these photos taken during construction of the El Sobrante library;
they were taken by a resident who lived across the street. Click on photo to begin slide show.
Oakland Tribune 7 Apr 1960
Oakland Tribune 24 Nov 1960
Oakland Tribune 1 Jun 1961
From here
El Sobrante Library, Mitchell Building, 445 Valley View Road.
To here
An illustration of the new El Sobrante Library at 4191 Appian Way.
When the library in the Mitchell Building (above left) outgrew its space, a library site study was done in 1958 to find another suitable location. However, the Appian Way property, where the library stands today, was not part of the initial lots for consideration until sometime later.
Photo courtesy eastbaytimes
Photo courtesy cclib.org
It was a sad day for El Sobrante when the library caught fire on February 27, 2018 causing its closure for over a year. The damage from the fire, smoke, water and resulting mold made it difficult and expensive to salvage any of the old library, so the building was completely remodeled, modernized and improved. The new library was finally reopened with a ceremony on November 23, 2019. The Winter 2020 quarterly issue of our newsletter features a story on the opening of the newly renovated El Sobrante Library.