[1][2][3] The genesis of the organization was an idea for including an exhibit of rare books and fine printing in the Panama Pacific International Exposition to take place in San Francisco in 1915.
Edward Robeson Taylor, John Henry Nash, W. R. K. Young and James D. Blake approached Charles Moore, the president of the exposition, with the idea in 1912, to create an organization, which gathered 58 charter members by December 1912.
For unknown reasons, the proposed exhibition did not take place, but the club did succeed in launching a publication program under the leadership of Albert M. Bender.
[4] Among its earliest activities, in October 1917, was "A loan exhibition of incunabula held by the Book Club of California in the galleries of Hill Tolerton."
[9] Well-known members of the club have included Ansel Adams, Merle Armitage, Faith Baldwin, Witter Bynner, Francis P. Farquhar, Phoebe Apperson Hearst, Alfred A. Knopf, Florence Lundborg, Stanley Marcus, Franklin D. Murphy, A. Edward Newton, Lawrence Clark Powell, Aurelia Henry Reinhardt, Ward Ritchie, Norton Simon, and Kevin Starr.