California State LibraryEstablished in 1850, the California State Library is the oldest continuously operated public library in the American West and is the central reference and research library for state government and the Legislature. The library collection includes books, journals, maps, and photographs. It has an extensive collection of documents from and about the state’s rich history and is one of the major genealogical reference libraries on the West Coast. It also holds significant collections from Mexico, the United Kingdom and Europe, with manuscripts dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. The State Library is both a State and Federal Depository Library, providing free and open access to government information, and is a U.S. Patent and Trademark Resource Center.