Just to clarify - Both Encinitas libraries are run by the County of San Diego. One is off Cornish; the other is off Newcastle in Cardiff-by-the-Sea - not too far away. The solar panels on City Hall have been put in too since I Iast wrote my review. Baby steps towards being full "green." Well, I said I'd give the library 5 stars with the solar panels in place, but 4 will do. LOL read more

The most beautiful library I've ever been to! I can't believe I live in Encinitas so I can enjoy this amazing place. Large, spacious, bright, and gorgeous! This library is equipped with lots of computers if you need online access. Plenty of tables and chairs to relax in with your own computer. Plugs on those tables and a few on the floor, they made it easy to stay for a while and charge your machine. THE VIEW! It's worth a million bucks! Sit outside on the large patio and listen to the ocean while you surf the internet or read a book. If you need a coffee, there's a small coffee shop outside at the front of the library (the library allows drinks into the building). Lots of activities (yoga, toddler reading and activities, and live performances) are available for free to the public. Go to the library and explore your community! read more

The first time I visited the Encinitas Library after its reopening in early 2008 I was floored. As an Encinitas native, I remember visiting this library until the superior Dove Library in Carlsbad opened only a few miles away. A true relic of the 80's, the original Encinitas Library ignored the fact that it rested upon the hillside of Cornish Dr.--just above city hall--providing one of the best views of the city and the ocean beyond it. I recall, even as a kid, that this library's unfortunate circular shape made it claustrophobic. Together with the fugly orange & brown color scheme and lack of windows, the result was a truly dreary experience. Enough to make literature snobs like myself avoid it like a John Grisham novel. Fortunately I was not alone in this opinion because city planners, to their credit, did a great job of realizing the potential of this location, delivering an Encinitas landmark that locals can be proud of and enjoy. Resembling a sprawling beach condo from the outside, the aesthetic makes perfect sense for funky, relaxed vibe of Encinitas. As the exterior suggests, the inside is nothing like stuffy libraries with old, noise-phobic librarians we are accustomed to seeing on TV. On the contrary, the staff is extremely pleasant and the inside is modern, with beautiful wooden crossbeams on the ceiling and tall windows lining the ocean side. There are plenty of places to cozy up next to a book or use one's laptop: the comfy armchairs, one of the tables with built-in power outlets, the study rooms or the gorgeous patio outside. The catalog is hardly as robust as the much larger Dove Library, but if they do not have a certain book one is looking for, one can put it on hold and it'll be shipped to the library as soon as it is available. Checking out is as simple as scanning a library card and placing books on the counter in front of the monitor. Also cool is the fact that the library system will email you three days before rented materials are due to avoid overdue fees. The redesigned Encinitas Library does justice to its beautiful surroundings, providing locals with a comfortable home away from home. Even if it took city planners a second try to get it exactly right. read more

It seemed like it took forever for them to remodel/build the Encinitas Library, but it was well worth the wait! It sits perched on a hill above the train station with spectacular ocean views. The outdoor patio is perfect for browsing my writing/poetry rags and/or my favorite new book on Zen. Please chime in and tell that dude out there on his Bluetooth to SHHHH! It's cool, he'll understand- it's still the library afterall, outside or not. A delightful spot. There are writing groups, spanish conversation meetings, movies, an art gallery, and events galore! So try out this year old library on your next trip to North County. It's fun to explore. I sometimes pencil in my name for time in one of the private rooms- just for the young professional in me that really wants to concentrate. Sometimes I join the kids in their corner just to hear them speak in those little tiny voices. And sometimes I visit the older gentlewomen in the library bookstore and buy something for 2 cents. Life is good. I love this Library. read more

I love this library so much that I actually take people visiting from out of town to come hang out here whenever they're around. The porch/deck in the back has an AMAZING ocean view and lots of chairs and tables to lounge around in... even better: there are a lot of outlets available so you can relax outside with your laptop and enjoy the free wireless with a great view, the ocean breeze, and a tasty coffee drink from the cute little coffee cart in the front. The children's section is my favorite place, mostly because I now have a little one of my own, and he loves pouncing on the large pillow animals and playing with the hand puppets they have in the awesome circular reading area in the middle of it. There also is a nice, secluded outdoor courtyard specifically for kids with a lot of child-sized furniture they can use to read and/or study on. Also, when the kids are finished with everything inside the library, they can go across the street and play in the park and playground there. The audio and video selection the Encinitas library has to offer is also probably the most impressive one I've seen at a library. Evar. It does make up for the lack of in-depth nonfiction books and text books... but the library does have a partnership with the local universities for delivering those books on request if you need them. read more

I am a fan of this library yes! and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful, but when it comes to homeless people coming in droves on hot days, snoring out loud, smelly and lounging all over the available study sections- something has to change. I understand the situation and have a lot of compassion and empathy for them but please - who ever is in charge - can we allocate an unused area or space for them? or speak to someone from the city about it? Let's be honest, they are there for shelter from the sweltering sun and AC (for the majority of them). I have frankly felt very distracted and annoyed that no one has bothered to ask them to kindly stop snoring so LOUD!! (you can hear it across the book shelves!). I love this library but unfortuantely am loosing respect for the people in charge and loosing interest in coming back. Who is in charge? I might suggest keeping the basic standards a higher. I wish they would get creative and be honest about addressing the homeless situation. read more

Outstanding! Wow, you've never seen a library like this! Ocean views. Tables outside and inside, places to work, to read, to relax, to browse the web, and all atop the hills of Encinitas looking out to the blue, blue Pacific. While you wouldn't expect a branch library to have much, they've managed to leave it feeling spacious even while having about everything you'd want - magazines, reference, youth, juvenile, children's, Spanish-language, movies, audiobooks, etc. They just re-opened after a lot of construction. This jewel was threatened by others who coveted the view, but the public outcry settled it and here's the result. Check out a book. Check out a video. Or, just check out the view read more

A public library with an ocean view? Yup - you're in Encinitas alright! New, modern and a wide range of books. I've been able to find what I was looking for. I used to go to Borders and spend a couple of hundred at a time - easy for a bookworm with ADD. Now I just go to the library and get a book for every curious urge and I'm good. I like the ocean view the best. Makes me realize how much I love living in San Diego. I get to see the ocean several times a day. Oh - and self check out and automatic renewals online doesn't hurt either. read more

BIG. I used to come to the Encinitas library back in elementary school before there was a decent one in Cardiff. I remember it being dark. Thanks to my mom's encouragement, I decided to give the Encinitas branch another try. Apparently in 10 years they were able to tear down the old building and construct a new one, complete with an ocean view. Do I like sitting on a stuffed chair with my feet propped up and staring at the ocean in front of me? Yes. There are chairs lining the wall of windows facing the ocean. There are tables inside. There is a patio with tables and chairs outside (facing the ocean). For peace and serenity I would suggest the Cardiff library. Although it lacks a view of the ocean, it's smaller size doesn't draw as many people, keeping it quiet. At the Encinitas library you can hear "origami paper folding for teens in 10 minutes, I repeat, origami paper folding for teens in 10 minutes" over the loud speaker, as well as mindless chatter of everyone. I haven't had any recent experiences with actually trying to locate or request a book, but I'm sure it would be the same as doing it at the Cardiff library, which is very easy. Do I like sitting on a stuffed chair with my laptop on my belly and my feet propped up and staring at the ocean in front of me? Yes. But I would prefer to do this in quiet. It's a library people, shut up. *edit* I forgot to mention this in my review, but I have also been hit on at this library, Many times. I don't want to be hit on at the library!! read more

I have to agree with Brooke here... I lived here as a kid and the old library was small, dark and not too inviting. The new library is spacious, comfortable and except for the stacks of books almost feels like the lobby of a conference center. This is pretty cool. Free wifi and power jacks for your laptop are a great feature. View is fantastic!! There is even outdoor seating including lounge chairs. I actually wondered for a moment if I could have a BBQ here...:) The down side? The layout is ridiculously inconvenient. It's over 20K square feet, and there is one bathroom per gender, all the way on one side of the building (that is NOT nice for those with disabilities, you know), and due to the glass wall along the west side, it is either roasting hot or freezing depending on the weather. The WORST aspect is the NOISE. OMG. The noise! It is easily worse than sitting in a Barnes and Noble or really any other coffee shop. At least there you expect some obnoxiousness. I came today and wore EARPLUGS...and it was not enough. I'm a reasonable and realistic person, but the decibel level of conversations in the library just astonishes me. Kids rollerblading down the handicapped access ramp (uh, inside the library!), screaming from the kids' section, people having tutoring sessions, teenagers talking loudly and laughing and stomping around, and the worst--two overgrown middle aged surfer dudes who were talking to each other, comparing Facebook pages and both simultaneously talking on their cell phones. I'm not even sure how they did this. I have heard patrons asking one another to basically shut up many times; only once have I heard the staff say anything to a patron. When did this happen? Anyway, there are multiple group study rooms (where you can shut the door and spare the rest of us from your mindless chatter), a huge conference room, some sort of computer learning room, and lots of space. Architecturally it's really neat, but if you go to the library for a quiet space to read or study, you should be prepared with headphones, earplugs or at least a willingness to do what others apparently cannot do for themselves, which is regulate their social behavior. read more

WOW. HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS LIBRARY??? I was needing a place to work on several projects, and I was getting sick of starbucks (tangent- coffee snobs- I'm not a snob, just an addict... and they have free refills at starbucks). So i thought I'd go to a library. As my diva self announced this on facebook, I had multiple friends tell me to go to a library in encinitas... which made me raise an eyebrow. I knew encinitas, but I didn't know of a library! What a hidden gem. It's not the biggest of libraries, but it is BEAUTIFUL. It has huge gorgeous windows all around the western wall looking out to the ocean. The tables have plenty of plugs, and it has those new nifty air vents that come out of the floor. There are also plenty of private study rooms if you need to get intense with your study or have a group project. read more

For some reason, this library has never felt like a traditional, stuffy, library that many of us are use to. The ambiance is incredibly relaxing, especially with the killer view! Gosh, do I LOVE that view... This library is the best place to just chill, relax, and read a book or search the web. Not only is the environment calm and relaxed, the employees who work their seem to enjoy their job. I am especially moved by their kindness because I've been in plenty of situations at other libraries where the librarian is not happy about working there! Which is ridiculous. The other plus is that there are couches, seats, and tables spread throughout the building with plenty of in-floor plugs for your laptop. And if you don't wanna hang inside to read or hop online, the patio outside has a great amount of tables and chairs as well as in-wall plugs. I am already in love with Encinitas for all that this beautiful oasis has to offer, but the library definitely has to be the cherry on top of everything. read more

Hands down, the best community library I've ever been to. We've enjoyed free concerts there on weekends as well as enjoyed sitting on the gorgeous patio. The patio has amazing ocean views. The library is spotless and organized better than any library I've been to. The librarians are helpful as well. They have an online site that makes it easy to manage your check-outs and/or request books. Tip: Do not turn in your books late! The fees are high. If you can't make it back to the library by the due date, simply go online and renew your books, it's easy! read more

Encinitas Library - View from the patio. No better place to read and relax. - Libraries Near Me - Encinitas, California

Lots of space with an ocean view, who can complain? The children's section is where I spend most of my time and it is filled with toys, computers, books (duh) and a small alcove to sit and read. They also offer lots of free classes and reading times for kids. Spend at afternoon at toddler story time and then walk over to the park for lunch. I spend too much time here - it's only fair to give them 5 stars, the city spent enough money to deserve it. read more

Oh wow...where to begin... Have you ever seen a nice sunlit window sill, the light gently catching the floating dust. It looks just right. Makes you wanna curl up on that ledge and read a good book, right? Well multiply that by whatever the sq. footage of this gigantic library is and you'll have the right idea. It's so unbelievably welcoming, well lit, and just straight up interesting to look at. Everything from the art displays to the wide open spaces, to the big windows, and abundant chairs beckon you to sit down, pull out a good book, and get lost in a sea of words and story. This is a good 20-30 minutes away from me, but every time I come here, it's been worth it. Every library should be like this. Bonus: there's an adorable little coffee cart just outside the main entrance in case you need to get your caffeine fix. Highly recommend. Perfect marks. read more

Definitely the best county library in San Diego. Gets a little crowded but u can't beat the view. Mostly quiet, more quiet outside sometimes. Chairs are comfortable. Lots of outlets for your laptop or phone. Bathrooms are clean. Coffee cart outside is nice too. read more

Encinitas Library - view from outside deck area - Libraries Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is, in my opinion, the best county library in San Diego. I came here today with Sean "Gecko" R to study, and I figured I would just find some good jewelry books, or art books to look at. They have a lot of little nooks to read in. Plenty of comfy seating, and no homeless people lounging like most libraries. They have a little room for magazines, and a seperate section of the library for kids books. A decent selection of books, but the best part is... THEY HAVE AN AMAZING OUTDOOR PATIO. It wraps around the entire backside of the library. You can sit outside in the sun and look out at the ocean. They also have lounge chairs so you can lay back and prop your feet up. WHAT? Is this a library or a 5 star spa? HA Ha. They even have outlets outside to plug into your laptops but only where the tables are, not the chairs. Also...THEY LET YOU BRING IN FOOD AND DRINKS. uhm excuse me? what was that again? Did I read that correctly? The library lets you bring in snacks. They have a cart outside with organic coffee and small snacks...to bring INSIDE the library. Whoah. I usually go to the bookstore inside the La Mesa library, which has a decent selection. The bookstore here is AMAZING. Its all organized and probably 3-4 times the size of the other library bookstores. I found 4 books in the first 5 minutes of looking and I paid only $5. Why pay money and go sit at a coffee house that is probably loud, and situated on a busy street? I would rather come here and lounge, with my feet up and read or study on the patio at the library looking at the ocean. THE BEST LIBRARY EVER......EVER! read more

It is the best community library ever! The Encinitas Library is just inviting. It has a great feel. You walk through the doors and just relax. It has an amazing view of the ocean with plenty of windows or outside seating so you can sit back and take it all in. The interior is airy and well laid out with lots of comfortable seating and work tables. The staff is very friendly and seem to enjoy helping you get the most out of your visit. It's just a great place to sit back and read or get some work done. read more

I'm not an expert in libraries, but this HAS to be the most beautiful library in the US. Overlooking Encinitas and the Pacific Ocean, this place is a wonderful spot to spend time. A good selection of books, clean facilities, ample parking, and did I mention the dope ocean view? They also have a pretty solid CD and DVD collection with quite a few Blu Ray movies, and quite a bit of stuff that you actually want to watch and/or listen to. We all pay for these with our tax dollars, so use it man! The friendly staff is happy to help you get signed up to check out whatever you want. read more

Wherever you have to move to get a card for this library, I urge you to move there. I've never seen a library with as beautiful a view as this one -- Huge picture windows with views out to the ocean. In the interest of full disclosure, I don't have a card, but friends of mine come here on a weekly basis. That's how devoted they are to it. Listening to the librarians talk to patrons, they sound like they are friendly and very helpful, too. There's a gourmet coffee cart out in front, by the door! Jeez!! What did people here do to deserve all this! :-) read more

The best library I have seen in San Diego. I have seen better public libraries, but I give this one four stars because the standards are lower in So Cal. The library is large, and has a good view of the ocean. Lots of windows keep it light and airy. There are many places to sit and read or use your laptop, and there is a separate section for children with several very large plush animals your children can roll on, and many "match the shape" little puzzles to keep them occupied and interested. The sections and aisles are arranged at a 45 degree angle to the general traffic which is a bit annoying, but the collection here is respectable. Parking is not too bad, as San Diegans are not known for reading or intellectual pursuits, which makes it a really nice location to browse books. There is a reference section; an aisle or two with magazines and newspapers; one section for teen lit; one fiction section and one non-fiction section. I looked in the reference and non-fiction section, which appeared adequate. The wonderful thing about San Diego COUNTY libraries (SDCL) is that you can return your books to any SDCL location, and you can reserve books free of charge. You can also renew online. That might appear like what one expects these days, but guys you don't know the wonderful place So Cal is. By contrast, in the pathetic RB library you must call/appear in person to make a reservation and pay $1.00 for the privilege. Not that there's much to choose from there. read more

I've often said I want to marry this library. Amazing architecture and unbeatable view if you like a mobile office. Kind and helpful staff. Great place to hunker down for a little work or reading if you don't mind the random dudes passed out and snoring nearby :) And the used bookstore is the bomb :) read more

Top notch library. I really like SD county checkout process which uses RFID tags in all the material read more

This is one of my favorite libraries of all time. Not only doesn't have an awesome children selection but the view is absolutely breathtaking. read more

Encinitas Library - Libraries Near Me - Encinitas, California

A public library with an ocean view, a perfectly noisy children's book section, little potty located conveniently next to the noisy children's book section and a coffee cart out front???!!! Does it get any better than this?? I came here during the rainy season (yep, we actually have one this year!) and it was a perfect little activity for my 4 year old and 2 year old. :) read more

This place is basically amazing. Gorgeous modern architecture, wraparound deck with an ocean view, awesome little coffee cart serving decent coffee and espresso drinks, bathrooms that feel like you stepped into an upscale spa, a great little bookstore, lots of cozy chairs for curling up with a book, lots of desk space for working, and private study rooms you can reserve. What more could you want? Some of the staff could be a little friendlier, and I've heard the selection of books is not great (can't vouch for that myself since I only go there to study). But overall, the Encinitas library is an absolute treasure. I'd give 4.5 stars if I could! read more

I'd give this library 3.5 stars. I love that I live 3 minutes away from it. There is usually plenty of parking, and if not, street parking is available. The inside of the library is well-layer out and easy to get around. There are large windows that overlook the ocean and comfy seating. It's a beautiful place to chill out. If I had to study, this is the place I'd be without a doubt. Checkout process is also incredibly easy, and you don't have to wait in a long line for someone to check your books out. The online catalog system is also handy and you can renew, request, and hold books easily. The one gripe I have about this library is that it's not a big one. I am a teacher who checks out books every week, and I often have to request books from different libraries and wait for them. There are also numerous books that they just don't have in the system that I think are major children's books. Regardless, I love having a library so close to me! read more

I LOVE this library! From the moment you arrive to the time you leave, the library will be enjoyed not only for its amazing amenities but also the gorgeous views of the ocean! I've never seen a nicer library to be quite honest, not to mention the wonderful staff. Upon arrival, there's a tasty cafe kiosk which sits outside next to the cute bookstore. Enjoy your favorite drink and mozy on in to the bookstore before settling down. There's a spacious community room which hosts so many events and classes, most of which are free, as well as artwork. We have taken advantage of a few of there many services such as Baby Signing Time which incorporates music and ASL. Not only is Miss Laura a wonderful teacher, but the entire class is FREE! My child just loves it and is starting to recognize the songs. They usually offer it once or twice a week depending on the age of the children. It's wonderful and a great social hour for the parents too. I HIGHLY recommended it if you have babies or toddlers, especially if you are trying to find new things to do! The library also hosts arts and crafts, symphonies, beautiful art work that is continually rotating with new artists, kids reading books to dogs, etc. If you are looking for a great library, I hope you check this one out because it really is as good as I am describing it to be. read more

I really love the Encinitas library! I come to this library specifically to do homework even though I have 3 or 4 other libraires closer to me. You just can't beat the view from this one and it always is nice and quiet inside. The only thing that sucks at times is finding a place to sit, they definitely need to add some more tables or chairs. read more

One of my favorite libraries in all of San Diego. This is located in beautiful Encinitas, a wealthy beach city in Northern San Diego. This library is located on top of a hill and it's not far from the beach so as a result, you get to see some spectacular views of the ocean from the patio. The library is very clean, modern, and comfortable. It has a great selection of books, music, and movies for you to borrow. Also, one of the greatest things about this library is the used bookstore. The workers are extremely friendly and the prices can't be beat. I bought a book that costs $60 online for $1.50 here. Amazing. So, if you need to study or you want to save some money on books, then check this library out! read more

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I feel like the library has been kept secret from me for a long long time. Going through college and graduate school and never frequenting the local city libraries makes me think of how much I missed out on. Were libraries always this cool? I was looking for a book for my pregnant wife (our son was just born May 31st!) and I was about to buy it off of Amazon when I decided to check the nearby library. Little did I know it was conveniently downtown. Littler did I know how much of a gift this place is. I requested the book online, and it arrived at Encinitas. The helpful employees/librarians helped me to find my book on hold and to check it out with the fancy table... I was blown away by the ease of the high-tech check-out system! On another trip, my wife and I wandered our way around the library and found the patio. WOW. This patio is absolutely beautiful; you need to make a trip here just to witness this view! I'm hooked! Hooked, like, a worm on a fishing line... a bookworm on a fishing line. read more

This library is very nice, and with a view of the ocean its build on some prime real estate in Encinitas. I love all the new technology they have to check out books and return them. I frequently request books and pick them up at this library. Minus one star because. . . I agree with another reviewer about the homeless people setting up camp on the chairs along the perimeter of the Library. They are spread out on the chairs and sleeping. I really don't know what can be done because its a public space and they are allowed. Wish the chairs were cleaned more regularly. read more

I loved this library. It's in a great spot, too. Beautiful area, parks, beach, friendly, helpful staff.

San Diego libraries in general are really impressive. They offer so many free services and resources, and continue to do so even as public funding seems to be cut at every turn. But the Encinitas Library stands out for me for two reasons: the architecture and the organization. The library is beautiful. It has lots of windows for natural sunlight without direct light. There's a great view. I would love to come out here just as a place to read or study. There's also lots of room. Every branch library holds events, but usually they're crammed around a little table, or squeezed into a corner of bookshelves. But there's so much space here! In addition to the community room which is a whole room for events, there are also little areas that can be used by regular library patrons, or co-opted for activities. And speaking of events, I was incredibly impressed by the sister city Japanese Festival. It was great to see so many local high school volunteers, community organizations, and visitors. I think it says a lot about the librarians who work here that they're able to pull together so many parts of the community. read more

It is a beautiful library. Great selection of books and magazines. You can spent hours reading while enjoying the ocean view.

I enjoy a library most of the time, but this library is amazing. The patio with the view, the coffee shop, free wifi, the awesome clean bathrooms, and gallery. read more

Much improved from what the old Encinitas library used to be. The architecture is modern and the facilities and resources in the library are wonderful. I just wish they would stay open later than 5pm on the weekends! The ocean view from the tables in the back makes studying not so miserable! read more

This has for to be one of the best libraries, if not the best, in San Diego. I'm not a library aficionado, but based on the ones that I have been to in most recent years, this one is just stunning. The panoramic view from the patio area alone is reason alone to come here. Plus, you can study and eat a snack and drink a beverage all at the same time (I don't know if rules have changed but before this was forbidden to eat and drink inside the library.. Maybe I'm getting old). Inside, there are plush seating throughout and plenty of seating so that you aren't awkwardly facing someone while trying to study. They have little ottomans to rest your feet and really get comfy. And there are tons of books. I perused a bit but exclusively picked out of the medical/health section, which had a a good selection to choose from. They also have a coffee cart outside, which is really convenient. read more

Can't beat the view and AC!! Librarian was helpful but in high demand. Handicapped restroom auto button was broke (2 visits) the rr door is very heavy to pull from a wheelchair. read more

Encinitas Library - View of the ocean. Excellent Handicap access - Libraries Near Me - Encinitas, California

I love this library. It is absolutely beautiful. I could spend hours here if only they had more modern, recent-release/popular books. All of the books are pretty aged (and dirty). It's very hard to find something interesting for dramas and psychological thrillers. read more