Sutro Library

07/04/2025

We are closed today in observance of Independence Day. We will reopen our normal business hours on Tuesday, July 8.

07/01/2025

Join us for a free virtual talk exploring the fascinating world of Palestinian American genealogy! Professional genealogist and community historian Reem Awad-Rashmawi will guide us through how to research Palestinian ancestry using records available in the U.S. and abroad, tracing lineages from today back through the British Mandate and Ottoman periods. Register now at https://libraryca.libcal.com/calendar/californiastatelibrary?cid=17752&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=17752&inc=0 National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy

06/30/2025

We will be closed Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

06/24/2025

Come check out our new exhibit The Age of Aquarius: From Alchemy to Spiritualism with spooky items as well as sources on Astrology, Alchemy, Witchcraft, and Spiritualism.

06/19/2025

While the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, the news didn’t reach Galveston, Texas until two years later, thus starting the celebration of . Our library owns an original pocket proclamation that was specifically printed by John Murray Forbes to be carried by Union soldiers to distribute to the formerly enslaved. To learn more about this pocket proclamation, take a look at this article: https://time.com/5954044/emancipation-proclamation-books/

06/12/2025

Mattie Taormina, the Sutro Library Director, had an absolute blast joining KALW’s Public Media’s State of the Bay program to talk about something close to our hearts—the Sutro library! 📚✨

It was an incredible opportunity to share the work we’re doing, the resources we offer, and the stories that make our library such a vital part of the community.
Huge thanks to host, Fred Pitts, for sharing the love and helping us spread the word about how libraries continue to evolve, inspire, and connect people. 💛

🎧 Tune in to the episode here: https://www.kalw.org/show/state-bay/2025-06-09/san-francisco-mayors-past-and-present-sf-budget-george-moscone-and-the-sutro-library

San Francisco mayors: George Moscone, Lurie Budget, Sutro Library

05/26/2025

The California State Library is closed in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 27.

05/19/2025

Polk Directories are a major resource for as they contain information like occupation, etc.

05/15/2025

Information at your fingertips—before smartphones, that meant flipping through card catalogs by hand!

05/14/2025

We were just working on our upcoming exhibit, The Age of Aquarius, and found some cool and interesting stuff!

05/12/2025

Dating profiles; challenging in any era!

05/06/2025