Double Donkey..........by Joyce Oroz

I’m kind of a “book” type of person, now. I didn’t have time to read much until I hit the half century mark, but I’m making up for lost time. Reading and writing are big things in my life. I would hope that most people would discover the joy of reading earlier in life than I did, like maybe in childhood. Libraries are a big part of that idea. The longer they are open the more they are used. The more they are used the brighter our next generation becomes. And it’s a safe, quiet place to spend quality time.

Linda

Why am I talking about libraries? Because the AHA art team is painting another mural at the Aromas Library. It is a picture of Monterey County’s first librarian, Ann Hadden and her two donkeys loaded with packs full of books.

Monterey County Free Libraries was established by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on August 6, 1912 under the authority of the County Library Law of 1911. Services to the public began in 1913 following the hire of Miss Anne Hadden on September 2, 1913 as the first County Librarian of Monterey County.

Within six months, Anne Hadden opened five library branches, the first in Greenfield. Some early branch collections and reading rooms were in private residences, schools, stores, and in Big Sur at the Post Office.

Frank

The library system functions under the legislative direction of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and the administrative direction of the County Administrative Officer. A County Librarian appointed by the County Administrative Officer heads the system. Monterey County Free Libraries functions legally as a less-than-countywide, dependant special district. The less-than-countywide designation comes from the fact that the service area does not include the city limits of the cities of Carmel, Monterey, Pacific Grove and Salinas; all of which operate their own municipal libraries.
Funding for the Monterey County Free Libraries comes primarily from a share of the property tax collected within its service area. This share is about one cent per dollar collected (as of 1996). Small amounts of additional funding come from the County General Fund, the State of California, from donations and from library fees and fines.     Thank you MCFL for this information.