PARK BRANCH, SFPL

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PARK BRANCH, SFPL
1909 - present
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The Unique History of Branch No. 5
The Harrison Branch, 720 Harrison Street The
Phelan Branch, 4th and Clara Streets The Phelan
Branch was destroyed in the earthquake of 1906.
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Park Branch, The New 5

• Funded by a gift of 30,000 from James D.
  Phelan, Mayor of San Francisco 1896-1906
• Opened October 29, 1909
• Designed by McDougal Brothers
• Neo-Classical style
• 8,825 square feet
• Expansive Reading Room with two oval skylights

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The Park Branch Library 1910-1911
115,775 Volumes Circulated 15 Circulations
per item 2,044 Patrons library cards issued
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Park Branchs Near Misses

• In April 1953 the San Francisco Department of
  City Planning
• published the Report On a Plan For the Location
  of Public
• Libraries in San Francisco. The Park Branch
  building was
• deemed obsolete and out-of-the-way.
• The City Planning Department recommended
  closing the
• building at 1833 Page Street and relocating it to
  the corner of
• Haight and Masonic Streets.
• The new building was to be named The Buena
  Vista
• Branch.
• In 1982 the Park Branch was slated for closure
  when an
• attempt was made to consolidate resources and
  create
• supermarket libraries. Public outcry saved 10
  branch
• libraries, including Park Branch.

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The History of the Haight-Asbury District 1800 -
1900
1800s Farmland 1883 Completion of the
Haight Street Cable Railroad
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The History of the Haight-Asbury District 1800
1900 (contd)
1880s Day-trip and vacation destination for
the middle-class 1890s Development and sale
of residential homes marketed to middle-class
families with children
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The History of the Haight-Asbury District 1890
1910 The Boom Years
1890-1910 Further residential development.
1900 Census indicates that most dwellings in
the Haight were occupied by middle class
married couples with children. By 1910 Almost
every piece of land in the Haight was developed.

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The History of the Haight-Asbury District 1920
1960 Years of Decline
The Great Depression Many families
lost their homes or did not have money
for repairs. Affluent families left
the Haight for newer, up- and-coming
areas of the city. By 1939 The
Citys Planning Department had deemed 15 of the
buildings substandard. 1939 1945
Single-family homes subdivided, dwellings
doubled 1950s The Beatniks arrive
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The History of the Haight-Asbury District 1960
present Resurgence
1960s Students come to the Haight 1964 The
hippies have landed 1967 Summer of Love
1980s Revitalization as the counter-culture
became a draw to tourists and homeowners
1990s Gentrification
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The Haight-Asbury District Today
The counter-culture lifestyle continues
to attract tourists. Housing and rental
prices remain high. Many young families
with one or two children live in the
neighborhood. Families tend to move out as
the children grow and need more space.
The streets and parks are home to many residents
of the Haight.
Many residents who settled here in the 1960s
continue to live here, others have been priced
out by climbing rental rates.
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The Park Branch Service Population Demographics
Population 29,696 in 2000
32,000 projected by 2010 Age of
Population 57 Ages 30-64 27.8 Ages
20-29 7.5 Age 65 or older 3.4 Ages
5-14 2.5 Age 5 or younger 1.8 Ages
15-19 Ethnic Make-up 76 Caucasion 7
Asian 7 Hispanic 7 Other -Base
d on 2000 Census Data
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The Park Branch Service Population Demographics
(continued)
Languages Spoken English 82.6
Spanish 4.4 French 2.6
Chinese 1.7 German 1.3
Russian 1.2
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The Park Branch Service Population Economic Data
Family Finances Median Family
Income 66,554 3 Unemployment 10
of Families are Below the Poverty Line
Largest Employers University of San
Francisco 1,805 jobs University of
California San Francisco 1,400 jobs St.
Marys Medical Center 2,000 jobs
University of California San Francisco Medical
Center data unavailable Data may not
include homeless population, which is difficult
to survey -Based on 2000 Census Data
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The Park Branch Service Area Haight Street, the
Business District
The Upper and Lower Haights
Businesses Include Clothing Stores Tattoo
Parlors Shoe Stores Piercing
Salons Record Stores Jewelry
Stores Liquor Stores Restaurants Head
Shops Bookstores Coffee Shops Hotels Bik
e Shops Bars Small Groceries Boutiques
Hair Salons
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The Park Branch Service Area Schools
Belvedere Montessori Preschool Haight
Ashbury Cooperative Nursery School Whitney
Young Child Development Center University
Childcare Center (UCSF Preschool) Grattan
Elementary School John Muir Elementary School
New Traditions Elementary School Lycée
Français La Perouse (Middle and High
School) Urban High School Ida B. Wells High
School
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The Park Branch Service Area Service
Organizations
Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco,
Ernest Ingold Clubhouse Food Not
Bombs Haight Ashbury Free Clinic Haight
Ashbury Neighborhood Council Recycling
Center, Native Plant Nursery, Garden for the
Environment Haight Ashbury Psychological
Services Huckleberry House Larkin Street
Youth Services (LSYS) Referal Center Talk
Line Family Support Center

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The Park Branch Service Population Community
Groups
Alamo Square Neighborhood
Association Cole Valley Improvement
Association (CVIA) Cross Cultural Family
Center District 5 Dog Owners and Guardians
Grattan Playground Haight Ashbury
Improvement Association Haight Ashbury
Neighborhood Council (HANC) Haight Ashbury
Street Fair Haight-Divisidero Neighbors
and Merchants Association Hamilton Family
Center North of Panhandle Neighborhood
Association (NOPNA) Panhandle Residents
Organization Stanyan Fulton (PROSF) Waller
Street Associaion
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The Park Branch Service Population Hospitals and
Universities
Hospitals University of
California San Francisco Medical Center
Saint Marys Medical Center
Universities University of San Francisco
(USF) University of California San Francisco
(UCSF)
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The Park Branch Today
2007 2008 By the Numbers 124,379
Volumes Circulated Circulation up 14.83 from
2006 - 2007 5,703 Active Patrons Registered at
Park Branch 30,370 Items In the Collection
26,547 Questions Answered 94,646 Reading Room
Visits 10,223 Attendees at Storytimes and
Lapsits (September 07 June 08) 672
Attendees at 19 Summer Events for Children
(Summer 08) 1,172 Attendees at 19 Programs for
Adults
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The Park Branch Today
Programs For Children and Teens Two Family
Storytimes for children each week One Infant
Lapsit for children each week Outreach
services to Preschools Extensive programs for
children in the summer months including Yoga
Cooking Crafts and Stories Visits from
animals Magic Shows Writers Corps Teen
Poetry Open Mic
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The Park Branch Today

Programs For Adults Second Tuesday Open Mic
with host Diamond Dave Whitaker Rock history
programs with author Richie Unterberger six
times a year Recent Special Events for Adults
Photo display and visit by photographer Lisa Law,
author of Flashing on the Sixties, Fall 2007
40 Summers of Love n Haight art and print media
exhibit, August November 2007 SF Tape and
Music Center panel and discussion, Spring 2008
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The Park Branch of the Future
Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP)
Remodel the Park Branch Librarys interior while
maintaining its historic appearance Update the
Librarys spaces and furniture to provide
accessibility for all patrons Expand the number
of computers for children, teens, and adults
Create staff work areas Refinish and
reupholster historic furniture Refurbish
community meeting / program room
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The Park Branch Team
Jennifer Ambrulevich, Page Rachel Brooks,
Page Claressa Mazzetti, Page Megan Peto,
Page Amelia Torres, Page Jerry Ha,
Library Assistant Earvin Holden, Jr., Library
Technician Aileen Mendez, Library Technician
Darice Murray-McKay, Librarian Anne Vannucchi,
Youth Services Librarian Cathy Delneo, Youth
Services Librarian Branch Manager