Recently obtained my new library card! GGBL has a lot of events during the summer for the kids and some for adults. All the staff was extremely helpful and imformative. read more

I bring the kiddos here to participate in their weekly activities while I read a book. The staff (even security) are friendly and helpful. The library has a bunch of FREE resources for the community. Check em out! read more

The staff is unbelievably lazy. There were four staff members waiting around and chatting with each other but not offering to help me, while the most incompetent staff member kept repeating "I don't know" to my questions about the printer and then stared at me blankly, hoping I'd give up. Finally after 15 min of agony, one of them agreed to help when I asked them to, and it was resolved within 30 seconds. read more

Great, quiet spot to come and study. I had to get some work done and this was a great option. I didn't come here to check out any materials. I came here primarily to work on my laptop. However there were a lot of new and interesting material available! I would definitely recommend coming here to check out their selection. They had some Moosewood cooking books that caught my eye. Pros: -street parking wasn't hard to find -large communal tables with outlets to plug in -quiet, great for work/study -visitors are courteous and respectful Cons: -n/a read more

Golden Gate Branch Library - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

A charming library with a great staff. They hold really cool events here too, like the Diwali event that just happened last week, complete with dancers! I went last year and thought it was great, especially the part where i got Chai and mother's cookies, reminds me of the libraries of my youth. So friendly and welcoming. Plus it's a rad old building. Acting branch manager is yelper Sharon M and she's fantastic. i swear she is always writing book reviews, professional blogging, contributing to articles on children's literature...and my personal favorite giving me AWESOME young adult books that I read on the train which makes me seem like I am either 15, or mildly retarded. But I care not! Preschool Story Time on Wednesdays! :) read more

This is my local branch. Like other reviewers, I like the "old quaint feel" of this place. I spent a lot of time at the library when I was a child, and this place takes me back in time. But I don't mean that this library isn't up to date--it has everything I need. I work remote part of the time, and I love spending an afternoon working here. There are plenty of places to plug in my laptop, and they have decent wifi (though generally I use my mobile hotspot). The only problem with working there is that I am surrounded by books, and I want to read them all! read more

I've noticed a lot of people are complaining about the size of the selection. Libraries keep in the collection things that people actually check out; there's no point in filling the shelves with items that just take up space. While yes there's a lot of DVDs, that's because people rent them out! I've used their website to reserve DVDs from other branches to be brought to this branch for me to pick up, which is great. The collection is on WorldCat, as well as the SF system if that's a viable option for you. In my experience, the Oakland Public Library system has a much better collection that the Alameda County system (which was my go-to library until I moved to Emeryville) and the staff have been wonderful. I had a question about a subject heading using out-of-date language and a librarian answered me within a few days, saying that they updated it. If you want this library to be better, talk to the librarians! Request items you want! Use interlibrary loans or eBooks to get books that might not physically be there (this is why checking the catalog at home before going is handy). Plus having the library card as a little thing on my keyring is great, means I don't have to worry about having brought it with me or not. read more

I appreciate this little 100 year old library. It's fairly easy to park. The new books are always well curated. You can usually find a seat at a group table. The librarians are friendly and seem to care. As with most of the public libraries, this location does have its share of homeless neighbors (on the adult side of the library) but I have always found this library to be fairly clean, calm and quiet. The Oakland Library online portal is really easy to use so while this location may have a limited catalogue of books--the portal gives you total access and most books show up within ~3 days of being requested. read more

I really like this Oakland Library branch. I love that it is called the Golden Gate Branch. Library patrons will find that new books and current magazines, music, & DVDs are plentiful. It is never really crowded and I can get my inter-library loans and holds sent to this convenient location with parking available. I also love the architecture and design of the building, that's why I took pictures. read more

Golden Gate Branch Library - Oakland Free Library Golden Gate Branch - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Sorry Sharon M. maybe I am missing something, but I was not impressed by the teensy collection of books I found here. I was uber excited to find that I have a library in walking distance of my house. All geared up to get a book, and nest on the couch for a lazy afternoon, I went to explore the library. Only to find almost more dvds and cds than books! While renting multimedia is an awesome feature for a library to have, I went for a BOOK. Funny notion I know. I went downstairs thinking there must be more books there! Nope, just a bathroom and a closed computer lab. Sniff. To give the library credit though, they do have an impressive collection (for it's size) of African America Literature, East Indian Lit, and a large children's section. I'll give it a second try when I have more patience and not looking fo something in particular, because I do hate to rag on libraries. It makes me feel like a bully. read more

Very quaint, very friendly, very easy to access.

Small but super organized! The staff is very helpful and will help you find what you need! Will be back

this is my library. so if you were trying to stalk me it might be a good place to start. get in line! i love carnegie libraries, i love my wonderful staff, i love the diversity of my patrons, i love my children's room, and i love snagging like 15 movies for my long weekend. (yes, there are some benefits to being a librarian. i don't have to pay fines either.) i will not, however, under any circumstances, EVER touch the public restroom key. tell me you're a yelper and i'll let you into my staff bathroom ;) read more

This little neighborhood library isn't the biggest, but the fact that it's within walking distance from where I live wins all in my little yelp book. I love the old quaint feel of the building and the staff is friendly. They don't have the largest selection of books, but for a pleasure reader, such as myself, it's plenty and if there's something in particular I want, I know I can always just go online and have a copy (if available) delivered from another branch in the system over to this one. Anytime I've tried to find something, the shelves are organized and things have been easy to find. They have a parking lot in the back, but it's pretty small and street parking is limited. They do have a couple bike racks out front for bike parking if you're goin' green. read more

My local library! Helpful people at the desk, a good selection of books, community activities posted. I've enjoyed peaceful time reading here. read more

Nice building, especially if you like old library buildings. Seems the children's section (half of building) is too large. Other than substantial African American collection the selection is small. I appreciate the former -- specialization is good, and re the latter who really comes to a library to browse? Often a nice place to read NYRB. Free Wifi. Yard in front often unkempt, ought to be a community garden. read more

This is a proper library. It's not huge, and the selection isn't always the best, but the librarians are enthusiastic and friendly, and the atmosphere is that genial book-loving sort I remember from my childhood. The north wing is all children's books, of which they have a wonderful selection (I recommend The Golden Compass and The Goose Girl in particular). The south wing has fiction, non-fiction, biographies and African-American literature. Oddly enough, this branch (Golden Gate) has both a great selection of graphic novels and Bollywood movies as well. They have great programs for kids here, too (story time, homework assistance, etc). read more

They are much better with their selection. If you require a book and don't want to go the main branch, all you do is request it. It will be waiting for you to pick up. Pretty slick. read more

BEWARE- they will tell you that there are no late fines for children's books but they fail to tell you that if your books are late, they will stick the collections agency on you and even after you've returned the books, the collections agency will keep calling and harassing you! For all I know, they could have also hurt my credit score. This is worse than any other library I know- I would so rather go to a library with late fees so you know up front rather than thinking this is the greatest library with no late fines and be stuck in this mess!!!! read more