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THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE
AND FIRE OF APRIL 1906

Public Library

The Loss

The destruction of the Main Library and an estimated 140,000 books can be neither stated nor estimated.  Included therein, much of which is irreparable, may be mentioned files of San Francisco newspapers and periodicals dating from the time when California first began and in which could be found the daily doings of the people of those days, records of the early history of California and rare and precious volumes in all departments of literature, science and history.

The contents of the two branch libraries and of the deposit stations were entirely destroyed, and in the Main Library not only the books and pamphlets therein, but also the card catalogues, shelf lists and all records.
There were also about two thousand volumes at the bindery and also many books in the hands of borrowers  which were destroyed.

The San Francisco Law Library containing 46,000 volumes was totally destroyed.

The Mission Branch was undamaged, but when the owner of the building found he could get a greater rent than the library could afford to pay, the branch was closed.

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