Larkspur Bids Farewell to Downtown Library

The 113-year-old community hub closed on Friday, with a new library set to open on Rose Lane in late March.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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After over a century of serving the Larkspur community, the downtown library closed its doors on Friday. More than 150 people attended a farewell tea party on Wednesday to share memories of the 113-year-old building and its 10,000-book collection. The new library, located at 10 Rose Lane, is scheduled to open in late March.

Why it matters

The downtown Larkspur library has been a beloved community hub for over a century, but the aging building could no longer accommodate the growing collection and needs of local residents. The new library on Rose Lane represents an exciting new chapter for the city, providing a larger, modernized space to serve the community.

The details

The downtown Larkspur library first opened in 1913 with just 256 books. Over the decades, the collection grew to around 10,000 volumes. However, the small size of the historic building could no longer meet the needs of the community. The nonprofit Friends of Larkspur Library organized a farewell tea party on Wednesday to give residents a chance to share memories and say goodbye to the old library before it closed on Friday. The new library on Rose Lane is set to open in late March and will provide a larger, updated space to serve Larkspur residents.

  • The Larkspur library first opened in 1913.
  • The library closed on Friday, March 7, 2026.
  • The new library on Rose Lane is set to open in late March 2026.

The players

Friends of Larkspur Library

A nonprofit organization that organized the farewell tea party for the downtown Larkspur library.

Diana Saint James

The president of the Friends of Larkspur Library board.

Caroline Denice

A librarian at the Larkspur Library.

Philip Terry

A patron of the Larkspur Library.

Jim Scheller

A resident who attended the farewell gathering for the Larkspur Library.

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What they’re saying

“I felt the community needed a ceremonial closure. We've clearly outgrown it. It's so tiny. We're ready for something much bigger.”

— Diana Saint James, President of the Friends of Larkspur Library board (marinij.com)

“I said goodbye to all the aisles, upstairs and downstairs.”

— Jim Scheller (marinij.com)

What’s next

An opening ceremony for the new Larkspur Library on Rose Lane is set for March 28, 2026.

The takeaway

The closure of the historic downtown Larkspur Library marks the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new chapter for the community. The new, larger library on Rose Lane will provide updated facilities and resources to better serve the growing needs of Larkspur residents.