Pasadena Library Moves Rare History Collection to Former Hospital Morgue for Safekeeping

Tim McDonald, Director of Libraries and Information Services, announced this week that the Pasadena Public Library has relocated its valuable Centennial Room collection of nearly 10,000 books and other materials to an unexpected temporary home—the former morgue at the Pasadena Public Health Department, once the Alta Vista Hospital.

This strategic move of the last remaining collection from within the Central Library structure ensures the preservation of irreplaceable local history resources during the upcoming retrofit and repairs project scheduled to continue until 2028.

“I appreciate the generosity of the Public Health Department in sharing their building space with us temporarily,” said Library Director Tim McDonald, “and look forward to returning these items to their home in the Central Library Centennial Room when the retrofit and repairs project is completed in 2028. The library is an essential community gathering place for sharing information. By protecting these one-of-a-kind local history resources, the library will ensure that future generations can learn about our past with these historic documents.”

The Centennial Room in Central Library held a collection that includes books, magazines, newsletters, newspapers, oral history transcripts, pamphlets, scrapbooks, yearbooks, city directories, historical maps, photographs, sound and video recordings, ephemera, and city documents. These materials document Pasadena’s unique historical and cultural development, with special attention given to collecting “tomorrow’s history”—current information about the city that will become historically significant.

Finding an appropriate temporary location for the collection proved challenging due to the age and fragile condition of many materials.

The former morgue at what was once Alta Vista Hospital met the necessary temperature and humidity requirements for preserving paper-based collections. The space underwent renovation, shelving was added, the collection was prepared for the move and relocated there this week.

While the Centennial Room collection is currently closed to public access, library staff remain available to assist with research questions related to these historical materials. In some cases, appointments can be arranged for access to specific items. Those needing assistance can submit requests or book consultations through the library’s website at: CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Questions-Help/.