In 1905 John White started a free reading room in his office. By 1906 the first library board opened the first public library in Willits. The library moved several times including into the bowling alley behind the Hotel Willits. In 1915 the Carnegie Foundation donated the funds to build the new brick building that still stands at the corner of E. Commercial and Humbolt streets. The library was part of the city until 1975 when the Mendocino County Library system adopted it. Unfortunately, the building was subject to flooding. In 1986 severe floods filled the basement children's room three feet deep. As a result of local support and library grant funding the current building was built and opened in 1989.