The Woman's Christian Temperance Union had previously donated 250 books to the city.

The library, when it opened in 1905, was originally located on the upper floor of the Bank of Oceanside's building but relocated to a room on Third Street in February 1915.

In November 1916, it moved again, this time to Hill Street, in the First National Bank Building.

[1][2] The library shared the main floor of the 100F building on Second Street with the city hall until its vacation in 1929 at the behest of JCPenney.

[1] The city acquired a bookmobile in 1968, with the library later moving to the Civic Center in 1989, in a building designed by Charles Moore, emulating the style of Irving Gill.