Oakland Free Library--23rd Avenue Branch
historic place
The Oakland Free Library--23rd Avenue Branch was a historic place in Alameda County, California. The building, designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by architects Charles W. Dickey and John J. Donovan, opened in 1918. It was one of four Carnegie libraries constructed in Oakland with a grant received in 1914. The branch traces its origins to a reading room established in 1890. Located at 1449 Miller Avenue, the library was initially known as the 23rd Avenue Branch, despite not being on 23rd Avenue. In 1966, it was renamed the Ina Coolbrith Branch, and in 1972, it became the Latin American Library. The building served as a library until 1976. It was later used as a school and for other purposes. The Oakland Free Library--23rd Avenue Branch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 and designated an Oakland City Landmark in 1980. The building was destroyed by fire and subsequently razed in 2018. This site represents an early effort to provide community library services in Oakland.