Friends of the Library

Biographical History

By 1972, the Carnegie Library on Lincoln Street in Roseville could no longer accommodate the growing population of the city. A group of library supporters gathered on August 22, 1972 in the basement of the Carnegie, at the request of head librarian Helen O'Connor, to discuss a solution to the ever-growing problem of overcrowding. From that meeting, the Friends of the Library organized to persuade the city to build Roseville a new, badly needed library.

Along with assistant librarian Conrad Pfeiffer, O'Connor met with charter members Peggy Benedetti, Helen Duran, Myron McIntyre, Diane McCarthy, Bruce McFarland, Martha Riley, and Marian Tiedemann. The group joined others in the community to get the funds to build a more spacious Main Library. On September 14, 1973 the Friends of the Library incorporated as a non profit organization.

Martha Riley then led the campaign to put a bond measure on the ballot. After three attempts, the bond measure narrowly failed. The city eventually agreed to use federal revenue sharing funds to build the library and the community celebrated the grand opening of the Roseville Public Library in September 1979. The Friends remained active, raising funds for activities and programs such as the Family Music Series, summer series, and the annual poetry contest, as well as library materials.

The Friends continued their support with the addition of the Coloma Branch Library in 1978, and after its closure and with the opening of the Maidu Branch Library. The new library opened in August 1990 as part of the Maidu Regional Park off Rocky Ridge Rd. The organization has held book sales, ice cream socials, a play, a narrated slide show, author visits, film showings, and since 2004, the Winter Classic to raise funds for library programs.

The city planned a third library branch meant to serve West Roseville as early as 1998 as part of the Mahany Park Sports Center. Once again the Friends of the Library, headed by Martha Riley, gathered forces in 2002 to lobby the Roseville City Council about building the promised Mahany Branch Library. Three years later on August 23, 2005, the city held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Mahany Library. On January 27, 2008 and after many construction delays, the renamed Martha Riley Community Library celebrated the grand opening of West Roseville's long awaited library. Martha Riley received the most votes in a citywide contest to name the library. In honor of her years of service on the Library Board, Friends of the Library, and other civic organizations the City of Roseville designated the new library in her name.

The Friends of the Library continue to provide financial support to Roseville's three libraries.