The Etna Free Library and Reading Room was established in 1905 and was located in a small room in the Rough and Ready Flourmill. Non-residents and non-tax payers had to pay one dollar a year for library and reading room privileges.
The library opened in the summer of 1905 and Miss Jeanette Rusby served as Etna's first librarian. Miss Rusby received a salary of $15 a month. The library boasted four hundred books, fifteen periodicals, three San Francisco, one Sacramento, and two county newspapers.
In 1915, the library was moved to the second floor of the Town Hall and remained at that location for the next fifty years. In 1916 the Etna Library became affiliated with the Siskiyou County Free Library system which broadened the services the library could offer.
The Etna Lions adopted the library as a project and renovated the lower floor of the Town Hall, which had been used as the Fire Department. The Lions transformed the room into a well lighted, convenient room and the library was moved downstairs in May 1959 were it remained until the summer of 2000.
The library is also home to the Friends of the Etna Public Library who are responsible for the upkeep of the building as well as selling books to the public. You may visit their website here.