20.8.07

F I R S TP R E V614NEXTLAST

Mechanics Institute, Post Street
The Mechanics' Institute building houses the oldest library on the West Coast. The Institute was established in 1854 as a library and educational institution for working class adults. By 1906 its collection of books had grown to 200,000 but the building and the library was lost to the great earthquake and fire. 25 years later, through the hard work of its volunteers, the library had been rebuilt to a quarter of a million volumes. Today the Institute offers not only its library but also author and literary events, a CinemaLit film series, and book salons and clubs. The Institute is also home to the historic Mechanics Institute Chess Club, the oldest chess club in the United States.
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