Riverside Public Library

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Exterior view of the Riverside Public Library, California's first Mission style Carnegie library. In 1901 Riverside received an initial $20,000 Carnegie grant to build the library. Then in 1908 the city received an additional $7500 from Carnegie for an extension to the rear. It was designed by Burnham and Bliesner and built by J.W. Carroll. In the 1920s the library received another $25,000 for a major enlargement. The city was required to match this last amount with $7500, which it used to build the Arlington branch, not eligible for Carnegie funding because of its co-use as a fire station. Riverside's Chinese Memorial Pavilion, part of the plaza in front of the current library, now occupies the site.