| Harrison Memorial Library | |
| Country: | U.S. state |
| Architect: | C. J. Ryland |
| Service Area: | Monterey County, California |
| Coordinates: | 36.5553°N -121.9233°W |
| Location: | Ocean Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, US |
| Website: | Official website |
The Harrison Memorial Library is a historic building designed by architect Bernard Maybeck and built by Michael J. Murphy in 1928. It houses a public library for the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The library provides books, materials and programs that support the pursuit of education, information, recreation, and culture. It includes documents about the history and development of Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula. The Harrison Memorial Library was named after California Supreme Court Justice Ralph C. Harrison.[1]
On September 27, 1918, Ella Reid Harrison, announced her plan to donate the land and $20,000 in bonds to the city to build a library in honor of her late husband. On October 12, 1922, after Ella Reid Harrison's death, her estate financed a memorial to her husband, California Supreme Court Justice Ralph Chandler Harrison (1833-1918), to establish a new public library.[2] Her estate included rare books, furniture, and a number of valuable art pieces for the library (over 2,000 items).[3] The new library was designed by California architect Bernard Maybeck in a Spanish Eclectic style and built by Michael J. Murphy, at a cost of $27,373 .[4]
The library opened on March 31, 1928, in a two-story building in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It was renovated in 1949 and again in 1977.[4] [5] Christine Delsol of SFGate described it as an "imposing Mission-style building with castle-sized windows."[6]
The Barnet Segal Reading Room is named for Barnet J. Segal.[7]
Construction works for the "most extensive renovation the library has seen in decades", which cost $372,000, began in February 2020.[8]