WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors established the Contra Costa County Library on July 21, 1913; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Alice G. Whitbeck was appointed to serve as the first County Librarian on August 14, 1913; and
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Library became the first County library on October 9, 1913; and
WHEREAS, the Library quickly grew to encompass 33 community libraries and foster 41 school partnerships by 1918; and
WHEREAS, the Library led the way in providing critical information to the public during World War II with an Information Center established at its headquarters; and
WHEREAS, the Library enabled lifelong learning by initiating Project Second Chance, the successful adult literacy program, in 1984; and
WHEREAS, the Library acquired its millionth volume in 1985; and
WHEREAS, the Library moved into the computer age with an automated online catalog and website (ccclib.org) in 1996; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County recognized the Library as Department of the Year in 1997; and
WHEREAS, the Library received the California State Association of Counties Challenge Merit award in 2009 for efforts to improve the equity of service to communities on the outskirts of the County and for installing the first fully-automated, 24/7 Library-a-Go-Go service in the country; and again in 2011 for Snap & Go mobile library services; and
WHEREAS, the Library received the American Library Association Office of Information Technology Award for Cutting Edge Technology in 2010 and 2012; and
WHEREAS, the Library celebrated the opening of its 26th community library in 2011; and
WHEREAS, the Library was honored by the California Library Association with the PR Excellence Award in 2008 and 2011 for their high quality efforts in promoting and communicating their services to residents; and
WHEREAS, community members borrowed over seven million items in 2011; and
WHEREAS, community members provided over 55,000 volunteer hours in support of their library in 2011; and
WHEREAS, the American Library Association awarded the Library the John Cotton Dana Public Relations Award in 2012; and
WHEREAS, the Library was nominated and selected to receive the coveted Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal for its many achievements in bringing the library to the community, given to only ten cultural institutions each year