How do I permanently add materials to Blender using Cycles? I open Blender and set Render to Cycles. I have downloaded many materials to my computer. To use them in a project I Append and choose a file with materials and append 9 or 10 materials. They show up and I apply chosen ones to my models. I save my project and close. I start a new project and go to choose a material and there are no materials in the file. Why don't the materials that I appended before stay there? Do I have to do this process every time I start a new project or is there a way to keep the materials I appended? The projects are not related but I would like to have all materials available without having to Append in every new project. 

Keep in mind that I am new. Is it possible that Append isn't what I'm looking for? whatever way I need, my point is to get materials into Blender so that they are always available. Thank you.
Append imports the materials into you current scene, so it is project related. Yes, you will have to append them every time this way.

The solution I'd use in this situation is to append them to the default scene and save the edited default scene as the new default startup file (google how to do this, its easy). When you start Blender, the scene will be loaded with the added materials.

Make sure that you make the materials persistent by hitting the "F" button. Blender deletes unused materials on close if they are not persistent. The button will add a "fake user" and the material won't get deleted.

Here some post that could help you out:

Changing startup file

About the "F" and the "2" button in material panel