Such a beautiful and peaceful library! The outdoor courtyard in the middle of the library is so…read morepeaceful and thoughtfully designed. You can work or read outdoors. There are also lots of indoor seating workspaces. It is such a simple yet high tier library. There also a community garden in the area.

A lovely spot to work - comfy chairs, ample work desks, nice outdoor lawn space, private meeting…read morerooms available - and of course plenty to read if you're here for recreation. Well organized, clean, focused, good wifi, and a good energy.

The Palo Alto public library system stands as a triumph of communal values of learning and…read moreeducation. The Mitchell Park Library shines as the crown jewel of this system with its great location, beautiful space, and vibrant social activities. The library teems with a large audience of older people coming for focused & quiet study and families with their hyperactive kids. The Library epitomizes what all libraries strives for - being a lively community center where reading is actually fun. The Mitchell Park Library offers convenient access to incredible books and media without cost. The layout of the shelves of books there is intuitive so I can find books with my eyes closed. The Library is also outfitted with self-checkout machines that make getting books convenient and fast which is great for times when I'm making a quick library run in my chocolate-stained pajamas and shirts in the middle of a Saturday at home just want to get my books in a hurry without being judged. Then the Library is gorgeous. It is situated just off Middlefield and right next to the beautiful Mitchell Park where you can find plenty of benches and elementary school kids playing soccer and larping with toy swords & shields. I can spend hours there reading in the couches or studying at any of the abundance of desks. The Library admits plenty of light through its large windows that resemble a clerestory of a church. The walls and carpet are decorated with bright colors and clean carpeting. The Library isn't without its downsides. Often times there seems to be so many families and noisy kids there my introverted self feels anxious sharing rooms with them in my safe space of a quiet library. At times it feels like the hive-mind of tech workers and the Bay Area monoculture can make the same books perpetually unavailable. Looking for a book on managing software projects. The book is unavailable and has 20 holds from programmers in the area. Want to check out books on having kids? So does every yuppie couple in town so those books are perpetually checked out. But there seem to be plenty of books on parenting available. It's hard to believe that such a great library like this one exists outside a university setting.

A really nice and beautiful place for learning through reading. This two-story building houses a…read morelovely library in the City of Palo Alto. It's opened many hours during the week including Sundays till 6PM! We were just visiting this area, and decided to stop by. It's got a welcoming sidewalk area w/several metal owl sculptures/statues greeting you as you approach the entrance. I believe that those are technically for protecting pedestrians, and others who are sitting on the benches on that sidewalk area, and for the safety of the patrons of the cafe who are eating on the patio, but those metal owls are pretty darn cute if you ask me. =) To the right side is Ada's Cafe which is a non-profit set up to employ adults with disabilities to empower them with employment, give them training, and help them become self-sufficient. What a wonderful cause! However, they were not open on the Sunday we visited. They also have a lot information posters and events posted on their window for the public. The first floor of the library houses the info desk, restrooms, a permanent Friends of the Library store, a teens area/room, and Kids Place which is a really bright and colorful children's book section. There's lots of computers, a story-time and hangout area for kids w/their parents, and of course, lots of books! There's also a special art piece on the ceiling of Kids Place, I had to take a picture of it as it's so bright and cheerful. It can get kind of noisy here and the set up does not lend the Kids Place to be separate enough to prevent sounds from traveling to other sections. The second floor has the grown up section w/many book shelves, and tons of other resources like newspapers, magazines, DVDs, etc. There's also several classrooms and meeting/study rooms. We needed some assistance from the librarian/library assistant on the 2nd floor and she was very friendly and kind. The gentleman on the 1st floor also provided some assistance and he was polite. Parking can be a bit challenging, since it's next to a park so it's shared parking, but on this day we were able to find parking quickly as we came later, about an hour and a half before closing. Overall, this is a nice library, and we're glad to have discovered this little gem while just touring the area.

Cute local library. It's on the smaller side but it is generally quiet and clean. There is a small…read morebook sale section in the front where you can pay by cash or with Zelle or PayPal. The books were generally in good condition! There are restrooms and a quiet room here. There is a nice selection of DVDs to borrow here as well. There are a lot of parking garages and lots in the downtown Palo Alto area if you can't find parking immediately by the library.

Back here again half a year ago ..easy to walk to in the afternoon from Caltrain ..nice arearead more

Neat library with a fair amount of amenities. Has a decent makerspace jn back. Doesn't have a lot…read moreof available plugs for laptop users though.

Great library! Super friendly staff and clean space. Really cute in comparison to other nearby…read morelibraries.

It's "OK" so far…read more.. I have been spending my own time at the library every day, because it is the closest library to commute to. I have plenty of work and I appreciate the quiet environment. Sometimes the librarians are perfectly polite and don't say anything weird, like attempt to spread false rumors about a civilian who has every right to be at the library-- or worse, attempt to ADvertise HeR to strangers (a very clear hello!). Sometimes they are a bit creepy, and it makes me wonder what they REALLY do for work. I am REALLY trying not to make assumptions... but a woman has to watch out for her own safety. There are a few staff who seem to be more mindful and considerate of such. A charger for my mobile phone that I ordered will arrive soon, so there will be no need to interact with them on a daily basis (to borrow the library's). I usually don't pay much attention to others at the library, but I notice that there are students and adults working from their laptops or completing class work. I just do my best to be aware of my surroundings, so that I don't end up sitting near creeps and stalkers. The traffic is quite questionable at times, although much of it has died down (thankfully). It seems that some people walk around the library looking for SOMETHING or SOMETHING TO STARE AT. Such traffic are very uncomfortable to be around-- I thought this was a library, not a zoo or a MARKETPLACE. So I just find a quiet desk to sit at, and concentrate on my work. I have borrowed and read a few books from the library, too. They have a fairly standard selection of a stereotypical American library in 2025 (the YA section is downstairs, whereas ADULT sections are UPSTAIRS). I appreciate the books they carry in the Computer Science section, as I am becoming more Computer Science literate these days (learning how to code, researching and using Artificial Intelligence, etc.).

A quiet two-story library tucked behind Mountain View City Hall, with a public park. It's more…read morebeautiful than East Bay libraries I've ever been in. No more mentally disturbed/homeless people on site. It's surprisingly busy on the weekends, especially back-to-school season. I love how they have a quiet area with a fireplace, cushy seats, and sunshine shining through the windows facing the park. No talking in this area. The children and teens' section is conveniently located downstairs, which is an ideal location since they tend to talk loudly. Study/meeting rooms are spacious upstairs, but must be reserved ahead of time. Also, the restrooms are clean on both floors. Love the sculpture near the entrance. I can't believe it took me ages to discover this library after walking around Downtown Mountain View for the past two years. There's a parking garage available on the side of the library including street parking. Nice to walk around after dining in nearby restaurants and worth coming back to chill and read.

They give you a card the same you visit! I highly recommend you go there for any research project…read moreyou're doing now.

I visit this library fairly often with my daughter and she loves it. We've also been here for…read morestory-time on many occasions. Some notes 1. Lots of parking 2. The pond outside the library with ducks and a small bridge is a huge favorite for kids. 3. They have a small play section for kids and their inventory is fabulous 4. The checkin-checkout process is fairly smooth

A public library is an automatic 5-star rating. This one is on the smaller side compared to the…read moreother Santa Clara County libraries, but still great. The staff were super good, and this lady stayed with me to help me find the books I was looking for.

Very nice library in downtown Los Altos with friendly staff.Lotsvof wonderful books and plenty of…read morefree parking

Small and quiet library, opens until late. Not crowd either,…read morethere are outdoor seats too. There are plenty of room/seats in this building, cafe on first floor, closes early tho. Relaxing~

Ok I have to admit in the beginning when one of my study group member suggested to meet at Stanford…read moreinstead of the San Mateo Library I was hesitant. Granted it is closer to where I live in San Jose but driving into the Stanford area and out is not the easiest thing to do, not to mention lack of food venues. But now it has become "the go to place" because: 1. The library doesn't close until 7pm - which is later than most other libraries. And you can still get in as long as someone inside opens the door for you. 2. There are plenty of spacious rooms with white boards - ideal for group meetings. 3. Internet connection is excellent - yes they offer free guest log in. 4. There is a parking structure and is free after 6pm on weekdays and all day during weekends. 5. The ambiance is awesome because...well it's Stanford campus. The only thing I don't like is that I have to pack lunch but as a result we got more hours out of our studying.

I have a 3 year old, almost 4. This is the perfect place to spend an hour or two reading books or…read moredoing homework. This library offers: Comfy kid sizes seating Separate play room with a beautiful mural Activity play sets Computers for interactive technology Lots of fantastic books, parenting books Tables for collaboration and homework help Secret garden Kid height toilet Kid height sink and soap dispenser Drinking fountain Shared parking lot We love this place!

Such a children friendly library. They have events you can sign up on online. Staff is friendly and…read morenice. We were here on a Saturday after noon and they were doing a STEAM LAB that anyone can join. Online reservations are recommended. Outside garden is a short stroll but the sun war shining and it felt good.