Gonzales Library is moving to our new location at 630 Fifth Street and will be closed from November 25 until February 28, 2026. Bookmobile services will be provided at Central Park. Please call the Soledad Branch at 831-386-6890 for assistance.
PRESIDENTS DAY OBSERVED: On Saturday, February 14, all Monterey County Free Libraries locations, including Seaside, will be closed in honor of President's Day.
The Administrative Office and Seaside Branch will be closed on Monday, February 16, in observance of the holiday. All locations will reopen on Tuesday, February 17.
Please join us for the Gonzales Library Grand Opening at our new location, 630 5th Street, February 28, 2026 at 10am! Hope to see you there!
Online services are available 24/7.
Big Sur Branch
Highway 1(at Ripplewood Resort)
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 647-7660
Toll-Free: (800) 322-6884
Email your branch: 611-bscirc@countyofmonterey.gov
David Tavarez
Branch Manager
Contact Me
Eric Torres
Branch Head
Hours
- Wednesday 2 pm - 6 pm
- Thursday 2 pm - 6 pm
- Friday 10 am - 3 pm
- Saturday 10 am - 3 pm
Services
- Books, talking books on CD, DVDs, magazines and newspapers for all ages
- Materials in English and Spanish
- E-Books and E-Audio
- Public computers with Internet, Microsoft Office, scan, fax, print, and copy
- Free wireless Internet
- Local Friends group: Friends of the Big Sur Library 831-667-2537
- Use this wireless print link to print from your device.
Branch History
The region now known as Big Sur was originally mapped and named "El Sur Grande," which means "the big south," indicating its position south of Monterey. Big Sur is described as a picturesque stretch of the California coast, situated between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, extending from the Carmel River to the southern boundary of Monterey County.
Anne Hadden, the county’s first librarian, known as the “Librarian on Horseback,” is remembered for establishing library branches in 1916 along the remote South Coast of Big Sur. Anne transported the first books by pack animal after making the arduous ride from Jolon. The Big Sur Branch, which was initially named Arbolado until 1915, officially opened in November 1914. In February 1974, MCFL established a permanent location for the library on the grounds of Ripplewood Resort.
Building:
Library services began in 1914 and have been provided on the Ripplewood Resort grounds since 1974.Square Footage: 1,179
Administrative Office
188 Seaside Circle
Marina, CA 93933
Office Telephone: (831) 883-7573
Toll-free: (800) 322-6884