A Free Library in This City: The Illustrated History of the San Francisco Public Library [Hardcover]

Peter Booth Wiley (Author), Laurie Wertz (Editor), Isabel Allende (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This lavishly illustrated book, handsome enough for the coffee table, was published for the dedication of San Francisco's New Main Library in April 1996. In it Wiley, a prominent local bookman, offers a gracefully readable history of the Bay Area's long struggle to provide library services, set within the context of its contentious and sometimes corrupt city government. The first 87 pages offer a general history of libraries, from ancient cultures up through the origins of American public libraries. From then on the book's focus is the politicking, financing, fundraising, and building of San Francisco's libraries. Intended for the general reader rather than for library historians; however, the later chapters serve as an instructive history of a major building campaign. Recommended. [See also Wiley's "An Act of Political Will: SF's Quest for a New Central Library," LJ April 15, p. 36-37.?Ed.]?Elizabeth Brice, Miami Univ. Lib., Oxford, Ohi.
-?Elizabeth Brice, Miami Univ. Lib., Oxford, Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Weldon Owen; 1st edition (May 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 187513705X
• ISBN-13: 978-1875137053
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,569,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars History of Public Library, April 16, 2002

By 

Anna Ching-Yu Wong (Lawrence, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Free Library in This City: The Illustrated History of the San Francisco Public Library (Hardcover)

I picked up this book at my library because I am interested in the history of public libraries in the United States. This book offers a general history of libraries, from ancient cultures up through the origins of American public libraries. I found this book is very informative and I think the editors did a very good job on compiling the photos and illustrations. I like this book. However I found there is a mistake on Page 40. On this page there is an illustration about papermaking in Far East in the ancient time. The caption indicates that it is an illustration of early Chinese papermaking. Unfortunatle it is completely wrong. The characters/languages in the illustration are NOT wriiten in Chinese, but in Japanese. Also the clothing of the man in the illustration apparently is not in Chinese style--he is wearing a men's style kimono. I am not very disappointed when I notice the mistake. I believe that one incorrect illustration won't degrade the value of the book. And, I really enjoy this book. It is not only a "coffee-table" book, but also a very good reference book!