Establishment, 1908-1959

The first library in Sunnyvale, the Sunnyvale Reading Room, organized by the Women's Christian Temperance Union and staffed by volunteers, opened in 1908. The Reading Room began with fifty books discarded by the San Jose Library.

Six years later, and just two years after the town of Sunnyvale was incorporated in 1912, the first public library in Sunnyvale was established. On May 7, 1914, a petition calling for the creation of a public library, and bearing the signatures of 177 residents, was presented to the town's Board of Trustees, who authorized the creation of the Sunnyvale Public Library. The Librarian reported that in 1915, the library had been used by 426 borrowers and had added 366 books.

In November 1917, the Sunnyvale Board of Trustees voted to participate with the Santa Clara Free County Library, making the Sunnyvale Public Library part of the county library system. In 1917, the county library provided 350 books to the Sunnyvale library, for which the library paid $159.75.

The library was relocated to the ground floor of the Wright Building on Murphy Avenue in 1923. The library continued to grow. In fiscal year 1932-1933, the library contained 4,664 volumes, had 1,533 registered borrowers, and had circulated books 33,345 times.

Expansion, 1960-1987

The expansion of the 1950s made it clear that the city had outgrown its library. In October 1960, the city ended its contract with the county library system. In November, the library moved to a new site, the current location on Olive Avenue. It shared this facility with the City Council.

In 1965, a patent library was established, to be operated under the direction of the City Librarian.

In 1970, a major expansion of the library added 21,000 square feet to the existing 20,000 square feet facility. The City Council relocated to its current facility, leaving the entire library building to be used for library needs. Also in 1970, the first automated circulation system, using key punched cards, was introduced, and the patent library moved into the library facility. Growth continued. By 1975, the library held 191,904 books.

In 1973, a bookmobile began providing service to Sunnyvale's neighborhoods.

A small branch library was opened in 1975, as a pilot program. Proposition 13 brought about budget cuts which required the closing of the branch library. Hours that the main library was open also had to be cut back.

The bookmobile was eliminated in 1978 due to Proposition 13 budget cuts. The bookmobile service was reinstated in June 1982.

A study in 1979 showed that the public library was only two thirds the size needed to serve the projected population of 114,000. Expansion of the library, adding 19,000 square feet, was completed in 1985. As part of the ceremonies, a time capsule was buried, to be opened in 2085. Also in the late '80s library hours were increased and parking was expanded.

In 1980 the patent library was reorganized as the Patent Information Clearinghouse and was moved to a separate facility.

Modernization, 1988+

In January 1988, the library began using an online checkout and catalog system. The card catalog was removed.

The City of Sunnyvale and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office entered into a partnership in 1994, and the Patent Information Clearinghouse evolved into the Sunnyvale Center for Innovation, Invention and Ideas, Sc[i]³.

A 1998 modernization project brought a range of improvements to the library facility. Non-English language materials, compact discs, and videotapes were relocated to a more visible location. New wiring was installed to support access to the internet and to the online catalog. A new children's services desk was added. A new bookmobile was also purchased in 1998.

In 2001, Sc[i]³ was incorporated into the public library.

Today

In 2002:
834,519 patrons visited the library - they checked out 1,709,468 items
522 educational and enrichment programs were offered - 18,758 people attended
1,421 people attended Sc[i]³ seminars

In 2003:
The library held 332,052 items (252,961 books)
There are 86,127 registered borrowers

In February 2003:
55,050 children's items circulated - 1,966 children's items a day!

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Information chiefly taken from "History of the Sunnyvale Public Library" in the Library Sub-Element of the City of Sunnyvale General Plan, 2003.