My hubby, our toddler and I stopped by on Saturday to kill sometime before dinner! Berkeley Public Library's kid section is great! Our almost 2 year old had a blast playing in their kitchen, hiding areas, with their huge stuffies, dolls, chalk, big wooden car, coloring and reading books with mommy! This library has been apart of the community since 1893! I love how you get to choose your own library card, she picked out some DVDS! Would return again, hopefully soon! SYOY! :-) read more

The Berkeley Public Library is a cornerstone for learning and community engagement. Beyond its excellent collection, the workshops and public fairs provide meaningful opportunities to develop skills, discover new ideas, and connect with others. These programs make the library an active place of growth rather than just a place to borrow books. The online resources are equally valuable--accessible, well-organized, and central to continued learning. Whether researching, studying, or exploring new subjects, the digital tools extend the library's reach far beyond the building itself. I would also strongly recommend the public laptops and the broader community resource network available through the library. These tools provide reliable access to technology for research, applications, and personal development, ensuring that everyone has the ability to stay connected and productive. The availability of these resources reflects the library's commitment to accessibility and practical support. Overall, the Berkeley Public Library stands out as a reliable and forward-looking institution that supports education, curiosity, and lifelong learning for the entire community. Please give them a visit and leave a positive review online. read more

life is cheap in USA..how could that be...what is the use of this land..mount rushmore... read more

Berkeley Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Berkeley, California

I was in the area and decided this check this library out. First there's seating outside and cactus flower beds. The place is massive with 4 stories. I went to the fourth floor the kids section. It's pretty big in my opinion. There was two tables with coloring pages and color crayons. There's two big play areas with toys. There was an activity area where my son made a bar. There's computers and a ton of books. This place has their own bathrooms that were very clean. We spent over an hour here. My son absolutely loved it. read more

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N. Berkeley library is the worst library I've ever experienced. Filthy green chairs, uncomfortable wooden chairs, little insulation, not enough space for books, magazines and newspapers, an intimidating security guard (the tall one), a Supervisor whose main skill seems to be as 'enforcer', certain smelly, homeless people who are a health issue which needs attention, a disrespectful staffer, etc. And worse yet: if you criticize and complain seriously in writing you will be suspended ie denied access to the library for a time -with no reason or explanation given. This is an abuse of power in my view. I couldn't believe this was happening in Berkeley - I can't make this stuff up! (It was yours truly who got 'banned' for simple free expression and bringing various issues to light, in writing) read more

Came to get our axes done. My daughter and I. Very friendly people. I had Joy she was wonderful. You make an appointment. Drop paperwork off. In an hour they have your taxes ready! Quick and easy. I never been to this library. But, if I could move in and live there. It has five floors! I mean it is so Lovely. I respect the house less. They can come sleep eat and stay warm. Much respect on this wonderful library! Happy Black History month all! Happy Valentine's Day. Headed toEndless Summer treats! read more

Berkeley Public Library - 2.14.2024 getting taxes done by AARP! Sweetest lady joy! They have where you can check out a laptop! - Libraries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Beautiful building, helpful staff, I use now via Libby (remotely). a WONDERFUL Berkeley (and Bay Area) resource!

I rented some videos and returned them and rented more and returned them and rented more and returned them over a several month period in 2010. When I rented videos from the library I always returned them on time but after a while I started getting charged late fees. I also got charged for a missing video. I told a librarian that I always returned the videos I rented on time and asked if he could remove the late fees and the charge for the missing video. I assumed that the videos weren't received or maybe even lost in the drop off bin for a few days and that's why they didn't register my videos as received promptly. The librarian took my request to remove the charges personally and began to berate me saying that he was the one that received the videos from the drop box and no he never lost them in the drop box and I had returned them late and he wasn't going to remove the late fees. I thought this was strange because I had always returned all of the videos I rented to the drop box on time so I would be able to rent more videos. Obviously this librarian was a jerk and a real asshole who kept losing video tapes and charging patrons for late fees when he found the videos later. This librarian racked me up about $45 in late fees from his losing videos over a several month period. That's too many fees on just one library card. It's been fifteen years and I still haven't paid the late fees and never plan to. Get better librarians. Get librarians that aren't terrible at sorting and receiving material and that don't have shit personalities. read more

I came across the Berkeley Public Library today after parking in the nearby parking structure. Decided to take a peak inside. The library itself is pretty spacious. There are multiple floors that are accessible by stairs or elevators. I asked the staff member at the front desk if he could direct me to some qualitative research books. Unfortunately he said they didn't have any physical copies, but that I could access them online. He asked if I had a card yet (I didn't) and he said I could sign up and get one. Sweet. The process to get a library card is fairly simple. You use their computers to put in information like your name, address and phone number. Once that is done, you go back to see them and show them proof of your address. I had a shopping purchase on my phone that had my shipping address and that worked! You then get to choose your type of library card design. I opted for the tie dye because when you're in Berkeley, it only seems fitting. Although I probably wouldn't come back here for physical books, I'll definitely use their online materials and would probably come back to use some of their quiet spaces. Pros: -helpful staff -lots on online materials to access (books, journals, movies, etc.) -easy system to get a library card Cons: -not much physical books. They had zero books on qualitative research. read more

Berkeley Public Library - Got my library card! - Libraries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Foul death smell from the homeless who encamp at the desks and chairs... some of them eating, sleeping, and even masturbating. Can you imagine sitting across 15 feet from someone and still strongly smelling their stench? Yep, that is how strong it is. Security does nothing but simply walk by them. I don't mind homeless here but if you are going to reek and stink up the place... the library should do something... especially since they are too cheap to pay for AC cooling fans... it just makes it much worse. And the bathrooms are overflowing with piss and much more. If you come here, you will surely take home much more than books. Other than that, this library is fine. read more

I work at a middle school and saw ALL kinds of things today- but this was the worse part of my day. I didn't like how they slowly locked rooms, we were moved from 4 different room as they said, "this room is now closed" with several people standing around like security guards. Why don't you just say the library is closed ? Because it isn't... where are we supposed to go ? Stand by the door? I ended up reading a book to my grandson standing at a bookshelf.. with the book on top because we were kicked out of each room.. they acted like this was a prison and we were prisoners being shuffled from one room to another. This is the worse library I've ever experienced! If the library is still open, then we should be able to still be in the library and not closed out from everything but the front door. I don't like how they treat us and we pay for the library! So sad that they treat people like cattle and that we can't be trusted to leave when the library is closed. I sent this email to tmayer@cityofberkeley.info which they advertised to be where you communicate with the library and got no response, after having a nasty experience at the library. I plan on looking for a different library to go to: Hello, I was really confused and honestly shocked at the way the library "closes" early. First the children's area closes the floor ten minutes early. Then each place we tried to go to finish a children's book with a child was either blocked by employees or within a minute someone told us "this room is closed" and yet the library was not closed. At one point I tried reading a book from on top of a book shelf standing up, since that was the only space left I was allowed to occupy ? I was was confused, if it's not closed and I'm Not told that (the announcement had just blasted, library will be closed in 15 minutes, 5 minutes) then where should be stand ? Near the door but just inside? No one said " the library is now closed". It felt more like herding cattle , and I heard one lady say " we are now going to start shuffling people out of here." I think the whole thing is very rude and wrong that we aren't trusted to leave the library when it closes. -Patron read more

Ugh ! Probably a very good library for certain things. However when our out of town guest tried to get help in returning a set of keys with BPL tag on it, the so called *supervisor* did not want to be bothered. This person even refused to contact the library card holder !! His / Her keys were attached to it. We wanted to see that the person who lost these keys could get them back. But no, this very lazy library employee absolutely refused to be of assistance. We will be mailing the keys TO ANOTHER BRANCH IN BERKELEY. Maybe they will be more helpful. read more

Berkeley Public Library is basically homeless shelter with books. They let people that smell piss and shit come into the library and prance, sleep, eat, talk loudly and nothing is done about. Why would you security if they aren't do anything regarding these people? They should told they aren't welcome to leave the Library.. Come back after you wash your ass.. It's absolutely wild to in library you hordes or homeless people. I gonna apply to be the head librarian here and once I have the job no homeless would be allowed inside. Proof of a residency is required.. read more

I like libraries, free books to borrow and place to rest or read is a good thing. This library is in Downtown Berkeley close to Bart only a few blocks away. My friend told me about the FREE solar eclipse viewing glasses you can get FREE from this library so I had to go get them. They are on the 4th Fl Info Desk, ask if they have anymore. I got mine. There are 5 floors. I took the stairs to all of them and didn't walk around every floor but I did get a peak of all the floors. First floor - No Bathrooms, they are on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th Floors There's Friends' Bookstore where you can buy used books for cheap. You can also get some current popular & new books to check out. 2nd Fl has computers and non-fiction. I used the women's bathroom here, 2 stalls, sinks, and I had to wait a bit. When I was standing around we all heard some lady crying loudly so one of the workers called Security and it got quiet real quick! 3rd Fl lots of magazines & newspapers. I finally can read the old Lucky Peach magazines here!! I was sitting minding my own business when some guy just sits down right next to me! There is lots of other places to sit, but No, right next to me! Auugghh. Has bathroom this floor. 4th Fl is Children's Books - looks cute in there. 5th Fl has Art & Music Books, Vinyl and CDs! Wow! Has bathroom this floor. Why it took me so long to visit I don't know. It's a good library! Hrs: M 12-8 T 10-8 W 10-6 Th 10-6 Fri 10-6 Sat 10-6 Sun 1-5 read more

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An impressive multi-level library with a whole floor dedicated to children's books, meeting rooms for guest speakers, and even laptops available for borrowing. They seem to have a great deal of resources available as even the kids level had rows of computers. They invite some very notable guest speakers as I was here for a an informative lecture and Q&A from a guest speaker on representation of Asian Americans in media. Was very impressed by Berkeley Public Library's willingness to bring out such high quality speakers particularly on topics that are important to people of color. A great library! read more

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Extensive book selection for kids, along with puzzles and play book area. Toddler story time is a hit with book and music, too!

The Berkeley library is vast & takes up five floors. On the 1st Floor is new books, Audio Books, DVDs, & fiction. On the 2nd Floor is computers for internet, reference books, & non-fiction. On the 3rd Floor is an extensive collection of magazines & newspapers. On the 4th Floor is Children's Books. On the 5th Floor is Art & Music Books. Also on the 5th Floor are Music CDs & vinyl along w/ lyric booklets available for check out. On the 1st floor is the Friends Store that serves as a used bookstore where proceeds go to the library. The Berkeley library really shines for the 5th Floor music collection which has a great collection. On the 5th floor they also put out staff recommendations for CDs which I appreciate. They even will occasionally put displays up of musicians & their lives for example when Phife Dawg of the hip hop group "A Tribe Called Quest" died I found out about his death through a display put up in the library honoring the late rapper's life. There are many great events at this library from talks to computer skills workshops to movie nights to programs & classes such as figure drawing. A few months ago I saw a great poetry performance here where Beat Poet Michael McClure headlined along w/ several other great poets some of which were former Poet Laureates of San Francisco. The poets read accompanied with jazz from world class musicians. Another interesting aspect of this library is an entire shelf for "lucky day" items. These are popular items of books, CDs, & DVDs made available for check out. The selection always varies. read more

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5 stars all the way for me. This library is fantastic and they have terrific ongoing events. I recently attended a presentation on the Civil War here for the 150 year anniversary. The Book Into Film club features some pretty interesting reads every other month (Minority Report, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Between A Rock and a Hard Place, just to name a few). My son loves the 4th floor Children's area. He has a blast hopping into the rocket and playing with the mini kitchen (see pics). There is also a computer area for the kids to play preloaded educational games. Terrible parking(-) DVD late fee rentals were recently reduced from $1.00/day to .25/day. That is a huge plus! (+) Great selection of kid's picture books(+) Friends of the library store is a great place to find kid's books from $1 to $3 Lots of kids events: puppets shows, story time, parent-child play shops for babies and toddlers (+) Clean kid's bathroom (+) The Berkeley Public Library (Central) is as awesome as it gets. Support your local library! read more

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This review is about my recent experiences trying to pick up my summer reading program book and to resolve an issue with logging into my account online. Note that I'm using my last initial rather than full last name for this review, although conversations described in this review used my full last name. Earlier in August, I called the library and asked if it was still possible to pick up the free book for participating in the adult summer reading program, and was told that I could come by anytime during open hours to pick it up. I then went to the main library (the location I designated in my Beanstack account when I signed up for the program at least two months ago) and asked to pick up the summer reading book at their pickup window. The staff came back with a packet under the name "J, T" and asked me whether I went by any names other than Sydney. I said no, and they said they were unable to find anything under my name. They then proceeded to ask me when I had signed up for the program, whether I'd already picked up a book, and if I was sure that this was the branch I'd listed for pick up. As they expressed skepticism at my answers, I even logged into my Beanstack account on my phone to show them. They eventually said that since they had no book filed for me, they would have to take down my info and have someone follow up. I was called back the next day by a library staff member, and I appreciate their fast response time via phone and email even during this pandemic. However, the call started with the staff asking to speak to someone with my last name and with the first name "T". I had to clarify yet again that I am not T, that this was in fact the mixup that I was trying to correct (I had witnessed library staff the day before physically writing down my actual correct name on the piece of paper that they were supposedly going to pass on for followup, too). They said they weren't sure what happened but they would set aside a book under my name. I asked if it was okay for me to come back after the summer reading program ended (which was the next day) because I didn't have time to come by again so soon during library open hours, and was told they could hold it for me for another few weeks. About a week later, I came back to the library to pick up the summer reading book as well as some holds. One staff took my card and went to get the holds, while another staff asked me for my last name, and I gave it, assuming they simply needed a reminder and had glanced at my library card or account already. They handed me a packet and I hoped this time it was the correct one, but as I was walking away from the window I realized that the bag had the name of "J, T" written on it. At this point I was tired and didn't want to bother going back and lining up again in order to point out I had gotten mixed up with this name for the third time. (Even now, I do not know if there is genuinely another summer reading participant who has that name and who didn't get their book, or if the initial filing under this name was a mistake from library staff which no one bothered to check on after I had initially run into the issues.) My other negative experience has been regarding trying to log into my account using my EZ username and last name. I am able to log in if I use my pin, but I am not able to log in with last name plus the EZ username. At first I wondered if this meant my name was listed in the wrong order in my account; when I log into my library card account online, I see my last name followed by first and middle, which is a bit unusual. I was unable to edit this in my account settings so I emailed the library to inquire. I got a timely response which told me they cannot fix it remotely and I would have to go in person and verify my information to get it corrected. So, I went back to the library again and asked at the pickup window to check that my name is correct in the account. The library staff first told me to go into my account login and correct it, to which I said I was unable to and had emailed the library already and was instructed to come in person for the correction. The staff then looked at my ID and said there was no issue, pointing out that my name is listed as last followed by first three letters of my first name on the hold slips. I replied that I was unable to log into my account using my last name and that this seemed to indicate something might be wrong, plus that my name was listed as last first middle. After me standing firm for a while, the staff finally took my library card and ID and went to a computer to check. They came back not long after and said they were able to log in successfully, so there was no problem. At this point, I gave up. But I am very frustrated and disappointed at how staff have repeatedly spoken to me as though I have no common sense, had not tried resolving issues myself, and as though I was trying to scam them out of a book, after having several years of positive experiences here. read more

Honestly disgusted with the African American man working the front desk, Kathy on the bright side was very helpful and resourceful Queen they need to fire the man that's work the afternoon shift on Thursday the 19th. read more

Went here today and I was a little disapointed!... How can the computer tell me an item is at the checkself and not be at the shelf at all? Probably someone got it and left it somewhere else :| hmm I don't know, but just for this it wont get a -1 star I was about to but then I tought of why it might not be there... ACTUALLY 2 1/2 stars...whatever read more

I always, secretly worry that libraries will go away. With the internet and all it's ancillary social medial 'information' available, the idea of searching for a single answer in a pile of paper in some public building with hard to find parking seems...well. Doomed. But a library is a special place. They're always, at least to me, a sort of a reflection of their surroundings. And Berkley's library is indeed, just that. There's a grand, nearly art deco entrance: strait out of "The Fountain Head" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountainhead_%28film%29)- you'd expect Gary Cooper to have signed the door. Typical to Berkley, you enter through the side, as the front doors are sealed shut, and the entrance has metal detectors and security. The interior rooms are repurposed in some spots, however on the east side, is a grand room with ceilings so tall that heating them probably will spark a protest one day. But they're grand, and magical, in that way that you stand in awe of the tall doors and the vastness of it. If Hearst were to build a public library, this would be his model. There is, of course, a great selection of books, computers with internet access, and a dozen or so spots to sit down and ready quietly. There is, remarkably, very little noise, bustle or hurry. Of course, if you're a tourist, libraries are probably short on your list. It's not on a main street, but just off - a short walk from some of Berkley's famous coffee shops and quirky shopping. It is, very much, worth the stop to see. It's free, a great place to get out of the weather for a minute and to wander a little. read more

One of the best libraries I've ever used. They have selections like Japanese books, Japanese kids books etc.

The staff at Downtown Berkeley Library are amazing. They've helped with books holds and membership issues. They had to close for COVID and I felt so bad holding two books for 3 months because the bookdrop was closed. Just returned them and they reassured me over the phone that there was no problem. Also helped me renew my membership over the phone because they are still closed and I really want to read books on Libby. Their selection of Chinese and Japanese kid books are great, of course English kid books are great too. Thank you Jay and team (person who responded so quickly and knowledgeably to my Facebook message)! read more

The security cop wouldn't let me use the restroom and I'm a patron here. He was condescending, rude, and patronizing. I'm never coming here again. This is sad after the receptionist told me that the restroom is on the second floor. Yes the library is closing but there were still plenty of people there. read more

I love that this place is near my apartment. I never knew renting books could be so fun and not such a pain the butt. They make things easier by having an online account access where you can look up books online and request them to hold them for you. What's even better is that if the book is at another location they'll send it to the one nearest you. Then you'll get a nifty little email telling you your book is ready for pick up. If the book isn't available they put you on a waiting list for however long you choose to wait, and will notify you when it's your turn to check it out. You can do renewals online which is also handy. I like online. I need a life.... and friends. I also like the self-checkout which was a completely new concept to me. They've also done some security features to the children's section. Back when I was tutoring a kid I tried taking a back elevator up only to find that it didn't stop at that floor. The security guard explained it was to help prevent missing children, as there's only one elevator that services the floor that's near the main stair case... so you can keep an eye on them more easily. I'm sure if I had kids I'd be ultra grateful for that. read more

On Sunday, April 28, 2019, I came to the library to do some mandatory training for my child abuse reporter training, which has to be renewed every two years because I am a family daycare provider. I spoke with Isobel, who is a librarian, helped me log into the rather complicated process to take my training. I had to review 95 pages of information before I took the training, and some of it was confusing. Isobel was kind enough to explain some of the parts I was having problems understanding. After reading the 95 pages, I took the exam and I passed it, and Isobel was happy for me! Thank you Isobel! Happy Retirement Sincerely, Helen Kim read more

Seriously the best in the East Bay. (SF Main is a smidge better so can't give it the whole bay area award). We've grown up in the children's library....many books, many knitting classes, summer reading programs, etc. The children's librarians are awesome and get to know you. Now I'm completely loving the 5th floor....music and DIY books. Lots and lots of music scores (this is where SF beats them pretty handily, but still). Every person on every floor is always extremely helpful. Truly love it here. read more

As a sophomore at UC Berkeley, I never thought I would utilize the Berkeley public library. I was wrong. I came here to study, and I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere. The interior was relatively clean and there were lots of places to study. The hours are my main complaint as they are very short. read more

Berkeley Public Library - Floor 5: Music and Art - Libraries Near Me - Berkeley, California

This library is the best I've seen so far in the area and I'm glad I discovered it. This place is pretty big and I only discovered the first floor on my first visit. I hung out in the non-fiction area for 1 hour glancing at a few books and made my way to customer service to get a library card. The whole process took no more than 15 minutes and was easy and staff was very helpful and courteous. I'm definitely diggin' this place and I can't wait to go back in the next few weeks. Hooray for BPL!!! read more

Great kids' section, but this library's insistence on forcing us to use the automated checkout machine is making me love the Oakland library so much more. I freaking hate checking out my own CDs, sticking them into that weird little meatgrinder thing ... arrghhh read more

Called in to ask if they offered air printing through my idevice. An angelic voice by the name of Angela was there to answer every question I didn't even know I had. She's a true asset to this business & I can't help thinking that if every business had such quality customer care/ service I wouldn't mind giving my time, money, etc. dealing w/ them. THANK YOU:) ANGELA read more

This library is so beautiful and huge! There's like 5 floors. Spacious and tons of outlets! Best of all, it's so quiet and peaceful~~ As a legit resident of Berkley for a year now, I decided that it was finally time that I got my Berkeley Library Card. The worker was SUPER FRIENDLY and kind. He got out of his seat behind the desk just to show me where I could sign up for my library card online. The form was just a page and super easy to fill out. Within 5 minutes, I had a library card in my hand ready to go ATTACK THE BOOKS. WOOOHOOO! Jk. I got tired. But hell yeah you can bet that I'll be back and ready to take on the abundant wealth of knowledge in this building! ;D Awesome awesome awesome awesome place to study!!! :) read more

I agree with all the other bad reviews here .. This place sucks !!! Its pretty much a homeless shelter with a security guard who could care less , and does nothing but sit at the front door all day .. First time i came here , I had some crazy lady sitting behind me , reciting a whole book out loud in the middle of a quiet reading area !! Told security , to have them do NOTHING !! 2nd time here , and they have majorly loud construction goin on in the middle of the library .. and next to me is a homeless dude sleeping / snoring away !!! Its a shame , because this is a great building .. and could be a great library !! read more

Overheard conversation while waiting in line at Berkeley Public: Patron: I have a hold on a book but it's not available yet. Librarian: Well sir, I can tell you the date it's due. Patron: The date is already passed and the other person hasn't returned it. (starts wagging finger at librarian) I am getting very frustrated. Librarian: Sir, we send letters to patrons who haven't returned books on time. Patron: Yes, but you should be able to do more. Librarian: Maybe you should talk to the Director... Um, did he want the librarian to go knock on the door of the guy who has a book?? Did he forget that this is a FREE service??? I don't hang out at Berkeley Public much because I luckily have an ex boyfriend turned friend/personal librarian. But when i do stop in I find the staff to be helpful, and as you can see from the above conversation, patient. It's a cool building and they have free wi-fi. So our taxes are going somewhere after all. Support your public libraries folks, I think we sometimes forget how lucky we are to have this service. read more

It's true, your library-going experience here may just depend on the day. The building itself, with its historic charm and spacious layout, has always been part of the joy of visiting for me. The staff are all helpful and kind. I've never had a bad experience, but the experiences of some of my friends and the library's reputation may make it wise to bring a sanitation wipe for your keyboard and chair should you use the library's computers. As for the people who're homeless who aren't hurting anyone or doing anything wrong, I do wish that people would show more compassion to them. Absolutely, inappropriate behavior mustn't be allowed in what should be a safe space for everyone and it's not ok when it happens. But most homeless people aren't at the library to cause trouble and we'd do well to keep that in mind. So please be kind to society's most vulnerable folks. Our public libraries must always be a place where the poorest among us can still feel welcome. read more

Just moved to Berkeley and I walked into the libarary to get my library card. The guy at the front charged me $2 to open an account. After I gave it to him another associate said that $2 fee only applies if you've lost your card. The first guy was pretty pissed the other guy called him out. What kind of @#$hole steals from library folk?? The library itself is nice but they don't keep it very quiet. I go there at least once a week and there's usually some sort of public display. Last week there was a drunken homeless person on the computer cussin up a storm. The week before that there were kids practically having a birthday party in the Non-fiction section. Do I have bad timing? -Great selection of movies. -Wish they labeled their sections in the non-fiction area by topic. -If you're going to let drunken ppl hang out there, pls keep them quiet! Berkeley may need to take some notes from the Civic Center Library in SF which is absolutely the best library I've come across so far. read more

Berkeley Public Library offers a variety of free services one expects from a public library--and more. Aside from a historic five- story space, and an extensive collection of DVDs, audiobooks, and books for individuals of all ages and interests, there are other services that may not be as typical. These include talks from community members and experts in their fields, the inter-library loan program (should there be a book or DVD that is not currently in the library's possession), ESL conversation clubs, Discover and Go (free admission to various Bay Area museums, historic locations, and other family friendly exhibits), literacy programs, disability services, library on wheels (they will pedal over to your school, community event, farmers market, festival, or park to meet your educational needs), and other special events that might fit a community's interests at a particular time (ie solar eclipse viewings). I encourage people to peruse the website periodically and consult with library staff for services that may yet to be offered and would be of interest to other members of the community, or with other issues which may or may not be in their control. Another option may be to consult representatives from the City of Berkeley. Also potentially useful information: Berkeley Public Library does not charge late fees. Please feel free to email me with questions or concerns. Thank you for your time and consideration. read more

This place is amazing. First of all, hats off to a wonderful staff!! I mean these peeps are really trying to improve this place. Take for example their website. The search ability and design is always improving. I have to compliment the team that does this. They are really trying to make the web user friendly. But the building itself is really well kept and clean. The ability to use inter-library transfers to get books is phenomenal and makes it worth the visit. What is inter-library transfer? It's when you want a book that another branch or library in the state has it and you can borrow it. Its called Link Plus. And it is a life saver. A visit here is really great the reading room (not the bathroom) is really well done and very comfortable. Use of the PCs is easy and not at all frowned upon. Highly recommend this place... read more

As a little boy they used to walk us kids up to the main library and force us to check out books. It was to teach us respect for books, a sense of responsibility and a love for the written word. Inspire our imagination. The looked like a grand castle to the elementary school me, the library, the YMCA and JC Pennies towering up into the sky in their great gray stone glory. Once through the grans entrance it was a labyrinth of metal book shelves reaching up into ceilings. The secret entrance up the yellow metal staircase was hidden back behind the labyrinth, more than being taken to the library I felt like we were being inducted into a secret society of readers. It was a perfect combination of quality books, great staff and almost cathedral esk awe inspiring look and feel.I cant imagine a better library to inspire a child in regards to reading. That being said, I was hopeless. Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe as my reading tutors probably could have done no good for me. By 2nd grade letters had only one good purpose in my eyes - as math variables. Also by 2nd grade I was already sneaking off from the reading groups to go look at the playboy mags they had which the pictures removed... I still knew what was supposed to be there and that was good enough for me. And checking out books.... lordy, lordy, why did they make me check out more books when I was only going to lose them. I lost book after book after book after book. That respect for the written word, garsh, I was a written word sociopathic killer. I think I slept walked my books into a pit in the back yard. Someday the library CSI unit is going to unearth years of tortured library books from my childhood home. WHY OH WHY did they make me check out more books? Years and years later I went in to the Berkeley public library and tried to get a library card under, but I used my full real name rather then the nickname that my childhood account had been under... And still I was red flagged, they wanted to know if I was related to this other kid that still owed them a chunk of change from 15 years earlier. I pointed at a fake bird and bolted out the door - didn't even go check out the doctored nudy mags. At this point I think I will just will them my house when I die. And a map to where the books are hidden. read more