SAN BERNARDINO, CA — The City of San Bernardino’s Norman F. Feldheym Central Library, a beacon of knowledge and community connection for four decades, will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a special event on Monday, September 29, 2025. The free “40 Years of Feldheym” celebration is scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the library, located at 555 W. 6th St., and is open to the entire community.
“The event will not only honor the building’s four decades of service, which began when it opened on September 30, 1985, but also the San Bernardino library system’s impressive 140-plus-year legacy. A wide variety of free and fun activities are planned for the occasion,” said the San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board President, Cheryl Brown.
Event highlights include:
- A special magic performance by Joe Wonderment.
- Live music from the San Bernardino Symphony Youth Orchestra.
- A “sneak peek” of the upcoming Garner Holt Animaker Space, a new hands-on educational resource being developed in partnership with animatronics industry leader Garner Holt Productions.
- The issuance of a new, limited-edition 40th anniversary library card is available to both new and current cardholders.
- Food for purchase from local vendors, Dawgs for Dogs, and Mi Linda Morenita Michoacana.
- Historical displays chronicling the long and rich history of the San Bernardino Public Library.
“We invite the entire community to join us in celebrating this important milestone,” said Ed Erjavek, the library’s director. “This celebration honors four decades of service to generations of residents while showcasing how the library continues to evolve with its programming each year.”
The event is generously sponsored by Thinkwise Credit Union and the San Bernardino City Library Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the library beyond its usual funding.
History of the Feldheym Library
The 64,000-square-foot Norman F. Feldheym Central Library was named in honor of the late Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym, a decorated veteran and prominent board member who championed the library for many years. Designed by architects Gregory Villanueva and Oscar Arnoni, the building opened on September 30, 1985.
The modern structure replaced the former Arrowhead Central Library. It featured a host of new amenities, including a 200-seat lecture hall, an art gallery, meeting rooms, a children’s Storytime theater, and a microcomputer lab. Each of these special spaces was named to honor community leaders and library benefactors.
The Feldheym Library represents the latest chapter in the city’s long history of libraries, which began in 1881. From its humble beginnings as a citizen-led association to the establishment of the first free public library in 1891, the system evolved into a Carnegie-funded library in the early 1900s, before a larger main library was built in 1960. After it outgrew its space, the city embarked on the path to build the modern facility we know today.
For more information on the anniversary event or library programs, please call (909) 998-4251 or visit the official San Bernardino Public Library website.
About the San Bernardino City Library Foundation
The San Bernardino City Library Foundation’s mission is to ensure that our public libraries continue to be places where everyone in the community can gather, learn, grow, and interact.
Since 1995, the San Bernardino City Library Foundation has provided the San Bernardino Public Library system with the financial support it needs to provide new books for patrons, offer free tutoring for all academic levels, provide patrons with access to e-books and audiobooks, and provide innovative programs like a Makerspace and the American Girl Doll program.
