Oakland Main Library

come here sometimes to get work done

Just love this place!
They have pretty neat events here and the layout is great. They did a Dia de los Muertos event on the Friday before Halloween! They’re open 7 days a week and the employees here actually know about and love books! Have encountered no curmudgeons thus far.
They have a great selection of books (it’s the main library after all) and an excellent graphic novel/​manga/​comics section for all you fellow fans. Most are on the 1^st floor, but there are more in the «teen zone» on the 3^rd floor.
I love the their private fiction nook where you can quietly browse in a space that feels hidden.
To get the full experience, set up your online account. For library newbies, you can log in and request books to be sent to your closest branch and check out electronic books for your kindle.

I always loved it here since I was little!
If you go to La Escuelita Elementary School, you have the opportunity to visit the library and choose a book!
If you’re a teen or younger you can go to the children or teen department for free lunch (including the summer).
The staffs are welcoming and helpful in finding materials you need.
When you can’t find a book in any Oakland public libraries, I reccomend people to use +Link. It lets you request books from several college libraries and more libraries BEYOND California, and you can pick it up at your local library. Just ask the librarian for more details!

My 10 mo. Old son and I went to the library for the Bounce baby and me class. It was really fun! We both had a good time. I really liked how the children’s library was separate from the main library. What I didn’t like was the parking situation. We had to park a ways away. But then again it is downtown… Overall we enjoyed and I’d visit again.

The flagship of all Oakland libraries.
How could you not love the local library? This is a great place for the community and they often host great events here for the general public — my sister and I attended a real estate seminar here and it was awesome!
I know that most of the libraries here in Oakland offer literacy courses for the illiterate, they offer after school programs for the youth, and it’s just an overall great place to come spend some time in our own community.
Minus one star because it can get a little weird with the homeless people encamped around and inside the library.

This library branch is definitely one of the best branches in the Oakland public library system. First off, they are open 7 days a week;where most others are only open a few days per week and they also have late hours on select days which is beneficial for people who need Internet access in the evening or just need a place to relax and study. Secondly, the selection here is magnificent, they offer tons of books, movies, and music; all available for 3 week check out, and if you can’t find what you are looking for; be sure to take advantage of the card catalog and links system. Lastly, the staff here is always super helpful and knowledgeable about their inventory, and they do a great job in letting patrons know about free events and services offered by this branch.

Two things I thought I would add so you don’t get caught up and deceived by the unrealistically glowing reviews about this library. One, I’ve been going here for over 30 years. Two, I worked there — I know how the place works inside and out. Last; there are 100s of workers /​friends for the libraries who can write glowing reviews (lies) about the place. If it sounds too good…
If you care about your health — don’t visit this library. The Main Library of Oakland is the MOST unsanitary in the entire set of Libraries in the whole system. It has nothing to do with the custodians, which btw they do not think are important to have around most of the day [but they can pay some Librarian $ 50.00 per hour to shop on Amazon, kick it on Facebook and surf the internet all day for cheezy jokes to share…]. Generally, they could care less about your health or safety. They think a guard sitting at the front door and another running around like a wild turkey is «providing security» — all it really is doing is showing criminals where they need to go to get around the guards — that’s why people are chronically getting their bicycles, wallets, electronic gadgets stolen. The security force is being administrated by Librarians instead of real security professionals — and the Library doesn’t place enough value in the safety of its visitors to put an adequate force in place — like the San Francisco library. Not only that, they just do not want to pay guards a decent City salary, so they put you and your family at risk by placing security way down on their list of priorities — just ask the people who have been attacked, the kids that have been molested, the people who get intimidated and harassed by the criminally insane who makes up the lion’s share of every day visitors to the library.
Maybe it would help if some of these $ 50.00 per hour Librarians would learn how to deal with the public and help the struggling security, instead of hiding and providing no help whatsoever. Many of them don’t even know the layout of the library — ask them where a book is and they just point in a general direction. Pitiful. Most of them have rare psychosis and have difficulty dealing with the public — but the PAYCHECK keeps ‘em hanging on… (I’m talking about the LIBRARIANS, not the shelvers, circulation, or the lab helpers… THOSE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC).These same people think they are qualified to run Security — that’s why Security at the Main is a JOKE and every felon knows it is the place to go to commit crimes and hide out…
I was saying the place is unhealthy. Well, the restrooms get cleaned one time, in the morning before the public arrives. It takes the «public», which include homeless, diseased, alcoholics, drug addicts, felons, and other degenerates less than an hour to «de-​clean» the restrooms. People have came down with all kinds of body bugs using those restrooms. And if your disabled and the elevator goes out — your stuck. You should use the ones in the basement instead. They are just as filthy, but at least you won’t get stuck in an emergency. Those restrooms are full of bugs, dirt, blood drippings, trash, excrement — you name it. It is a petri dish of an amalgamation of known and unknown harmful parasitic disgust — I wouldn’t even look in there for fear something will enter me through the eye. WHAT THEY NEED is a full day crew of custodians — or at least ONE ALL DAY. Clearly, your health is not worth all day cleaning…
People are «leaving things» all over the library. You dont want to know where these things cam. I have found hypodermic needles, flasks, bags of food — all kinds of junk stuffed in the shelves. But that’s not the worse — people masturbate, urinate and defecate between the shelves, INSIDE BOOKS, at the tables and in the lab. They spit and wipe boogers all over the place. They bleed and just keep on touching stuff. There have been people in the lab who pee on themselves and just sit there until their computer time is up. The library staff responds by spraying the chair down, airing it out and bringing it right back — who’s dried pee are you sitting in? But — when they feel like it they open a catalog and purchase $ 1000.00 chairs for themselves and their department — way to use our public monies.
There is no air circulation system, so WHEN, not IF someone wants to share their tuberculosis droplets with you, there is no where to go — happy wheez-​day to you. All this illness being shared is probably why you rarely if ever see the Library administrators. They aren’t going to risk losing a $ 100.00+ an hour job to hepatitis… Let the working poor catch a case!
Most of the branches (smaller libraries) are much better at safeguarding your health and safety. Go there first and steer clear of this one unless you like risking your life to go to a library. And say hi to the crazy people who only move far away enough that the law will permit… or maybe they will just stalk behind you and surprise you…

This library has so much to explore but when it comes to studying — stay away. There are a couple of tables stuffed in the back on the ground floor. theres not enough space for everyone and definitely not enough outlets for everyone to charge their laptops and its super stuffy in that area. I couldnt stand more than a couple of hours studying there.
Great for materials but not studying

This library is pretty good. I can’t speak on their selection of books but the wifi is decent and they have multiple areas to choose from to work at. I don’t like that you need a code to use the restroom and the helpfulness of the librarians varies greatly.

The public library is a wonderful institution, with a hard working staff, helping you along the way if you need some assistance. Books, magazine, videos, oh the videos coming out of your ears, free DVD entertainment for the asking, just take care of them so the next person may enjoy them as well. Cookbooks, travel books to browse, read, study.

Great library — very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly staff. Great resource for a variety of things happening in the community.
Several computers available (note that this branch only is first come first serve — no reservation ahead of time as you can do with the other branches in the system).
Free Wi-​Fi
Fantastic selection of new releases
Located right near beautiful Lake Merritt.

The main library is one of my favorite places in Oakland. I used to go there most of the time after taking a walk in Lake Merritt. They have plenty of books in stock that I could always find something interesting. The staffs are very friendly every time I am looking for help. It would be pefect if they can extend the hours on the weekends.

There are always people waiting in line to get in this place. Makes me happy to see people using their library. Everyone is friendly here and they have a huge selections. I don’t know if people know this so I’ll just put it out there but you can order any book from any library in Oakland and have it shipped to your library near where you live in Oakland. The selection of books is so much wider if you request books and use that service.
I think they need to change some of the chairs here though. They stick to my butt.
Also, get a library card instead of a key chain. The key chains break easily and they charge you a dollar to replace. I’m cheap– sue me.

One of the better or perhaps best library in Oakland, tons of selection and very helpful staff. The childrens section or room downstairs can get crowded at times, but I can’t say that is a bad thing. It’s a library!

I am not an Oakland resident, but the Oakland Public Library holds a lot of personal significance for me. I’m a new novelist, and I had the first reading of my career at this library just a few weeks ago. Since I live out of town, I’ve only been here the one time, but I hope this review will still be useful.
The library is a big central structure in downtown Oakland. It seems to be within walking distance of lots of fun things, and there’s plenty of street parking. The building is massive in a way that inspires confidence in a main library branch.
My reading was at 6:00 on a Wednesday, and at that time, the library looked to be very busy. There were people everywhere, and there was a children’s room full of youngsters hanging out (quietly, studiously, one hopes) after school. I read in a designated lecture space, where the Oakland Public Library brings in guest speakers on a regular basis. I worked with librarian Barbara Bibel, who is just a kind, lovely person.
The Oakland Public Library is a great resource for the city of Oakland, broad and accessible with a huge collection and a friendly atmosphere. I’m thankful for my opportunity to read here, and I hope both the city and the library prosper.

I used to come here all the time when I was a child. They had free after school tutoring and snacks for kids! lol.
plenty of books here. The librarians are generally very nice and helpful. I loveeeed the children’s area! haha i would grab a book and read in a corner. then check out 10 more when my mom comes to pick me up! hehe.
Now with the growing technology, I hope the next generation can take advantage of the great offerings of a library. Not everything in wikipedia is true kids! and Nancy drew is not the same as iono, whatever those other stupid shows kids watch on TV nowadays. and Garfield comic books are the shiznit. lol.
However, the parking does suck!

as a youth, i’ve checked out a lot of books
when i grew older, less and less,
many books were not so available
from personal experience, this library is good for youngsters,
for adults, the daily newspapers and magazines are the draw.

exploring OAK’s Chinatown lead me here :)
i was never big into reading as a child. i read less than my fair share. read what i could get by with for school. i’m very happy to say however that i’m finally discovering the joy of reading.
learning that Oakland’s Main Library is so close to home or even better that it is between work and home, i will definitely be stopping by here more often.
the main library is multi level and i have much more of it to explore. i know that it has been very active both times i have visited thus far. there are plenty of people browsing and reading. as well as a line (considerably a fast moving) check out. their staff is also very helpful.
until next time
cheers

One of the great perils of owning children’s books is that you might be forced to read «Are You My Mother?» every night two or three times for years and years and years. Enter the library. Tada! Every inane book eventually has to go back!
But some books you’ll check out more than once willingly – the Oakland Library has a wonderful children’s section, many of the books purchased with your tax dollars under Measure Q! You can find material in many languages. You get the books for three weeks and digital media for one. If you sign up for email, the library will send a useful reminder telling you to bring them back.
In the summer months there is a free lunch program from 12:30 to 1:30 for anyone under 18. That’s a great thing for kids who do not get free school lunch in the summer! Tell your broke friends!
And if you get tired of reading, you can go use your same Oakland library card to check out a blow torch at the tool library in North Oakland and light things on fire instead.
I truly wish the hours were longer and more often in the morning hours, but with every public agency tightening the belt, it’s hard to justify.
Prepare to pay your fines in cash or with a personal check. Apparently the budget is too tight for modernization of the financial system too.

Sorry, Main… you need a facelift. The main floor is just plain musty. Although the people who work here are very helpful so that makes it better.
The children’s room was made over a few years ago and is lovely (although it doesn’t hold a candle to the Berkeley Main children’s floor).
The teen room does completely rock, though, and the people who work on this floor even look at adults with suspicion as if to say «hey-​get out-you’re un-​cooling the vibe here» which I believe to be a plus for the middle school to high school set.