Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library For Social Research

Really sketchy. Impossible to contact. The hours and contact information on their website (also here on Unilocal) are INCORRECT, but there is no way to find out the correct ones.
We somehow managed to rent a room for a meeting, with the use of their AV system. BUT then we couldn’t get a password for the AV, which kind of ruined our event.
There is apparently no one in charge!

They are very nice, and it is a good place to hold meeings, go to meetings, and have fun.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was an employee of the Neibyl-​Proctor Library for several years. My grandmother, Edith Laub, was the treasurer for many years and I have known Bob Patenaude since the day he stepped in and began taking care of things. I have nothing but great things to say about Bob as a person as well as an employer but that’s it for the personal stuff, I’m gonna give this place a straight forward review like I would any other place on Unilocal.
The library is located in what I believe used to be a home that was converted into a daycare before that shut down and the library bought the space. From the inside I would guess that it was a duplex, with the doors on the left (mentioned by the previous review) leading upstairs, and the doors to the right leading downstairs. The doors on the left are not really used, go to the doors on the right that lead into the main room.
Inside you will find an incredible collection of Marxist and Socialist publications. The collection is quite extensive, and isn’t limited to these subjects. The point of the library is supporting social justice and the books reflect that. I was shelving books there one day and found a book from the 70’s with pictures and interviews with 20 or 30 popular faces of Telegraph Ave! There are tons of gems like that in there along with the more intellectual stuff for you philosophical types ;)
They also have a room of archives with lots of minutes from CP meetings, etc., and a room entirely filled with old pamphlets! I highly suggest viewing the pamphlet room, there are filing cabinets literally filled with pamphlets and handouts collected over the last 60 or 70 years. Mostly political or social — vote for this, don’t vote for them, boycott that, etc. They have nuclear fallout info from the 50’s. Its all amazing stuff.
I’m not sure about the upstairs portion of the building, whenI stopped working there another organization was using the back room but there were lots of book sections up there also, as well as another fairly large room dedicated to newsletters and monthly printings.
If you’re a college kid doing research on any of these subjects, or if you’re just interested in reading about this stuff, or even if you just want to go back in time for a day and see a real piece of Oakland/Berkeley’s grassroots underground (think the Anarchist bookshop) come check this place out.
No Wi-​Fi last time I was there four years ago but they do have a computer in the front that they’ll let you use if you ask politely first :)

I can’t believe this hasn’t been reviewed!
Great local spot. They have tons of talks, documentary screenings, book reviews/​discussions.
Nice, welcoming atmosphere.
The space is kinda strange. There are 2 doors, go the one on the right. Sometimes, they have events downstairs and up, with people walking thru the downstairs space to go upstairs, a bit disturbing.