From the Main Library

This year marks the centennial of the Melrose Branch Library, the first of four Carnegie Libraries built in Oakland.

The area we know as the Melrose District was once a thriving, semi-rural town south of Oakland. The town boasted large factories like the Oakland Chemical Company and a diverse array of light industry (machine shops, lumber yards, planing mills). Banks, tailor shops, pharmacy, and real estate offices could also be found there. Every twenty minutes people could go to the Melrose Terminal and board a Southern Pacific train, or get on a ferry at Clark’s Landing, as the Melrose wharves were known, to travel to San Francisco. East 14th Street (now International Boulevard) was the main commercial strip of the town.

Melrose School shared its building with Union High School #4 (later renamed John C. Fremont High). People, skeptical that the district couldn't justify having a high school, were surprised at how quickly the school filled with students. After the 1906 earthquake, families moved to

The Main Library is still celebrating our tenth year of providing Oaklanders with fun and inspiring travel programs. Please join us for our 2nd annual device-free geography quiz, Geo-Palooza! Last year we had so much fun we had to do it again. Who knew geography geeks could be so competitive?

If you want to participate, you must register by calling 510.238-3222. You're welcomed to sit in, but it's so much more fun to play! Join the fun! Win prizes! Show off your geography chops!

Wednesday, June 15; 6 p.m.

MAIN LIBRARY

Walters Auditorium

If you're currently in the market for a new job, the following may sound familiar: You're in the midst of a job search, feeling the pressure of making your resume or application stand out from the crowd. But in your efforts to shine, you start to feel lost in the shuffle: poring over job postings, submitting applications online, trying to make real contacts in a virtual world. If only you had the opportunity to give your resume to a hiring manager face-to-face, shake hands and make an impression in person!

You can do just that at the upcoming Oaklandhasjobs Job Fair at the Main Library on Saturday, April 30, 10:30am-12:30pm. There's a long list of local employers ready to meet you. Dress professionally, bring copies of your resume, and prepare to impress! So far, the list of employers includes Starbucks, Manpower, IKEA, Home Depot, Alliance Staffing, Oakland Private Industry Council, Whelan Security, Select Staffing, State Farm Insurance, Claremont Resort,

The houses many of us live in have long and fascinating histories. Some are architecturally distinguished, some have been moved from other locations, some are the former homes of important people. For those of you interested in finding out more about your house, a trip to the Oakland History Room (OHR) may answer your questions.

A first stop should be to OHR's Map Room where patrons can find their houses in tax assessment block books (1877-1925) and Sanborn Fire Insurance maps (1882-1951). There you can find out names of previous owners, property values, physical information about the house, and prior street names. Another important resource in the Map Room is the Oakland annexation map. The city grew by five annexations; knowing when your neighborhood became part of Oakland helps facilitate your search. Researchers can then consult Oakland city directories (in OHR's