In the 1880s, the residents of Upland and nearby Ontario felt the need for their own public services such as a public library. In April 1900, they met at the home of Col. F. W. Hart to discuss the possibility of opening up their own library. Colonel Hart and his wife were interested in opening up a library for the sake of their community and children. They decided to open up the “North Ontario Public Library and Reading Room.”  Space was rented in 1900 for the same. It was open two or three days a week.

Through the years, the library was relocated several times. By 1905, nearly 450 volumes and a large collection of magazines and periodicals were available in the library. By 1908, it came to be known as the Upland Public Library. In 1913, the library received a huge fund from Andrew Carnegie. The money was used for the finishing and furnishing of the library. In 1034, the bottom floor was remodeled as the children’s room. By 1045, the library had a collection of 35,000 books, magazines, and periodicals.

The current library is located at 450 N. Euclid and the building is 24,000 square feet. The building has a lot of striking architectural features, the most prominent being the large arches which appear outside and inside the building. The library had 147,362 items in its collection in 2007.

In 2000, the original Carnegie building was renovated. The bottom floor is home to Upland Library’s Literacy and homework help center. It is also used for other programs conducted by the library such as teen gaming nights and Summer Reading performers.

Today, the Upland Public Library serves to help community members find the information they need to meet their educational, personal, and recreational needs.

Upland Public Library is located at 450 N Euclid Ave, Upland, CA 91786

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