Getting There
The Fairview Branch Library is located at the corner of Ocean Park Blvd. and 21st Street.
By Freeway. Take the I-10 freeway to the Cloverfield Blvd. exit. Take Cloverfield Blvd. south for 0.8 miles and then turn right on Ocean Park Blvd.
By Bus. The Fairview Branch Library is served by the Big Blue Bus lines 8, 16, and 44.
Parking
Limited metered parking is available behind the Branch off 21st Street. Residential parking permits are in effect on the side streets north of Ocean Park Blvd. Monday thru Friday.
Bike Racks. Cyclists can secure their bikes at the bike rack adjacent to and east of the main entrance facing Ocean Park Blvd.
Returning Materials
Fairview – Exterior Materials Returns – Two returns are located on Ocean Park Boulevard on the sidewalk near the Library entrance. These returns are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and accept books, magazines and audiovisual materials.
Donations
The Santa Monica Public Library welcomes donations for the
Library’s collections and the Friends of the Library Bookstore. Donations are
accepted at the Main Library. We welcome books, vinyl, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs, but no
galleys or screeners. If you have any questions please contact us at 310-458-8600
or email us at library@santamonica.gov.
Branch History
The first Fairview Branch was opened in 1931 on 20th Street and was only 15 feet wide. In 1942, this store front library was replaced by a new building located at 2030 Pico Boulevard.
In 1956, the Fairview Branch Library moved to its present location. During the war years, the population of the southeastern area of Santa Monica had grown dramatically due to the defense industry boom at Douglas Aircraft. The influx remained in Santa Monica following the war's end and the return of servicemen and women eager to start families.
Designed by architect Weldon Fulton, it is a classic mid-century modern building. The original furnishings came from Eames, Knoll Associates, and Remington Rand.
A community room was added in 1978 and other facility improvements were made in 2002. The current building size is 7,735 square feet.