Library Lecture at the Society of California Pioneers

The Bancroft Library: Past, Present, and Future
Presented by Charles Faulhaber,
James D. Hart Director of The Bancroft Library
Thursday, February 5, 2004
6pm to 7pm
Reception begins at 5:30


Join us at The Society of California Pioneers as we welcome Charles Faulhaber Thursday, February 5, 2004. The Society is thrilled to host a FREE talk on one of the most important archival repositories in California. Dr. Faulhaber will delve into the exciting history of UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Although The Bancroft Library officially dates from 1905, when the University of California acquired Hubert Howe Bancroft’s personal library, it was actually born some forty-two years earlier, when Bancroft discovered seventy-five volumes relating to California and the West on the shelves of his own San Francisco bookstore. Collecting Californiana and Western Americana for years, his collection formed the nucleus of The Bancroft’s library collections.
First housed in the attic of California Hall on campus, and then in the Doe Library, The Bancroft Library moved into its present quarters in 1973. Over the years, The Bancroft has become the primary special collections library at the University of California, Berkeley. With collections consisting of the Mark Twain Papers and Project, the Regional Oral History Office, and the University of California Archives, the Bancroft has become one of the largest – and busiest – special collections in the United States! The Library is home to treasures including records of the Donner Party, original manuscripts of Joan Didion, and the archives of such diverse figures as John C. Fremont and Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
Currently, the Bancroft is in the midst of plans for repairs and renovations of its building to begin in June 2005 – and has raised more than half of the 20 million needed through gifts and federal grants. A seismic upgrade will also complete the renovation of the currently cramped and antiquated spaces which house the collection. The talk will touch on aspects of this project as well.
The evening will begin with a reception at 5:30 with the lecture from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The lecture is free.
The Society of California Pioneers, founded in 1850 by pre-Gold Rush pioneers, is the state's oldest historical organization. Dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and enjoyment of California heritage, the Society’s archives include an outstanding collection of 19th and early 20th century artwork, artifacts, photographs and manuscripts.