California Blue Book 1913-1915

This state roster cover exemplifies early 20th-century administrative publishing. The blue cloth binding with gold lettering follows official government documentation standards of the era. A circular seal or emblem anchors the austere design, characteristic of bureaucratic reference volumes distributed to legislators, officials, and libraries. Such blue books served as authoritative directories of state personnel, departments, and procedures. The worn condition—discoloration, foxing, edge wear—documents a volume that circulated as a working reference tool rather than a keepsake, reflecting the practical function of government publications in an era before digital databases standardized institutional information access.