Building the library

By the dawn of the new century - the 20th Century - the young but increasingly popular Berkeley Public Library was outgrowing the old, rented out rooms in Shattuck Building that has been the library for the past decade.  Thus plans were put into place to build a brand new public library on land donated by Francis Kittredge Shattuck's widow - Rosa - with money provded by Andrew Carnegie.  All this, so long as the city of Berkeley was prepared for the upkeep of the institution.  The building was designed by famed local architect, John Galen Howard, faced Shattuck Avenue, and was situated at what became Kittredge Street.  Legend has it that up until this point this land was Rosa Shattuck's rose garden; perhaps this was an auspicious place to plant and grow what would become Berkeley's prized jewel - her public library.

• Planning a new Central 1903