Larkspur Library

(26 reviews)

1.2 mi

I mainly pick up books that I have placed on hold, so I forget how much space there is inside…read more There is a community room with plenty of seating to study, a teen area, free events, guest speakers, computers & printers, and helpful staff to answer questions. I will definitely consider spending time there the next time I feel stir crazy working on a project at home.

Corte Madera Library is the perfect escape to allow for productive work…read more The Corte Madera Library is one of the smaller libraries in the Marin area. However, it has a quaint charm that really draws me back. Although a bit of a drive from where I live, I like to on occasion drop by the Corte Madera Library especially when I have a meeting free day at work. It is somewhat hidden covered with plenty of greenery in the surrounding area. I appreciate that there are plenty of spacious work spaces that not only allows for natural light, but also an excuse to stare outside. No need to worry about outlets because there are plenty of those too. For those who need a computer, there are stations available. In need of a caffeine boost, there is a Peet's conveniently located across the street! Or if you are more of a Starbucks or Philz Coffee person, those are just a few blocks away. If you are interested in checking out books, DVDs, or CDs, they do have a decent selection but a little limited because of its smaller size. However, if you are willing to wait, the librarians can help get books from another branch delivered if avaialble. Another downside with the smaller size is the smaller parking lot, but there is definitely ways to find a reasonable parking spot walking distance from the library. Overall, Corte Madera Library is a great place to get work done especially if you are in the Corte Madera area.

Adult section

Outdoor seating to read

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Mill Valley Public Library

4.8

(100 reviews)

2.2 mi

This library is absolutely enchanting. Set amongst redwoods and within walking distance to Hallmark…read moremovie-esque downtown Mill Valley, this library is a must visit and must frequent. The layout is very well organized, and there's plenty of natural light from the tall windows (highlighting the setting of surrounding redwoods). The lovely & historical art displayed on the walls downstairs is very interesting to peruse and look at. I use my library membership here to access a few online apps to borrow books (Libby & Hoopla), and I always find what I'm looking for as the access is not just MV library, but includes all Marin County libraries. Also, icing on the vegan cake is that on the side of the building is a small but very well stocked used bookstore -the Friends of the Library Bookstore- with a diverse selection of secondhand books at incredibly low prices.

Breathtaking library. Peaceful. Great stop after going hiking at Hawk Hill. Sausalito after. Great…read moreday trip!

Hubby reading

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San Rafael Public Library

3.9

(28 reviews)

2.8 mi

Back in San Rafael at the original library near civic center and Falkirk. Spacious and fun to visit…read morein Marin Co.

Needless to say I will NOT bring my 8 year old daughter back to this branch. We were trying to read…read morein the children's section and it was just way too loud for her to concentrate. Ok I get it children's section. I took her upstairs to the adult section and honestly quite a few of the seats, tables were taken by the homeless. I saw one changing socks, picking sores on her feet. I was able to find a table on the other side of that mayhem and the pic posted should be enough to convince anyone how unsanitary this place is. San Rafael deals with enough homeless issues I'm not going to subject myself to more than I already am. I'll go to another library in a different town/city because San Rafael is too woke to care about those of us that apparently have little rights when it comes to dealing with this.

Closed for renovation as of Feb. 19, 2025

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San Anselmo Library

4.1

(16 reviews)

3.2 mi

Saturday storytime is our absolute favorite! We come every week to hear Jenny read to our kids…read more This community library is a gem and has the kindest, most informed librarians. The building itself is lovely, but the well organized books and kids coloring area is the stand out. What a wonderful home for reading. We love it here.

San Anselmo Library is inside a lovely old building and the building is very well maintained from…read moreall apearances on the outside. I wonder if the building is strong enough to survive an unexpected earthquake like we had when the Bay Bridge came down.

A Carnegie library. Stately and grand.

Bringing all the CNY good luck to San Anselmo! Thank goodness it didn't rain! Happy 2020 :)

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Chinese Lion Dance in San Anselmo, reminds me of Fresh of the Boat episode where there are no Asians, except us LOL!

Pickleweed Library

3.1 mi

Lovely little library off of the Pickleweed Community Center! It's small, but that have fun cute…read moreevents at the library. When I came, they had a multilingual (English & Spanish) children's book reading! Staff was kind & helpful, and they have a few desks and computers you can work at.

Pickleweed Library is in the Canal neighborhood located inside the Albert J. Boro Community Center…read more Even though it is a tiny branch of the San Rafael Public Library, they offer many resources to the community. There are books, dvds, a computer lab, a 3D machine, and a nice space for kids to read and learn. I frequent this library often since it's convenient for me. Whenever I reserve a book online, I always choose to pick it up at Pickleweed. The staff are friendly. There is ample parking. They are open every day except for Sunday's and Monday's.

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Fairfax Library

4.5

(16 reviews)

5.0 mi

I meant to post this review a week ago…read more Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Ruth and Bilal, who both were behind the front counter. Both employees were extremely friendly, courteous and informative. I had some questions regarding Libby and Ruth, (Clearly a Libby Veteran) informed me I should physically go to Oakland and San Francisco to obtain library cards and add them to the Libby app. She also recommended if I was in the Los Angeles area to obtain a library card there. She didn't have to tell me this but she went out of her way to help me out and that was appreciated. Yesterday I went to Oakland and got a library card and added that to my Libby app so that it would expand my library and it did. Library's are so important and I can appreciate Marin County keeping the Fairfax location open as well as all of the other locations. Thank you both, Ruth and Bilal.

Great little library in the charming hippie town of Fairfax. Good selection of books…read more I attended a mushroom lecture held in one of their meeting rooms, which was very educational. Parking lot has ample spaces. So many great libraries in Marin, and this one definitely holds its own.

Really comfy seating throughout this library.

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Archbishop Alemany Library

4.9

(7 reviews)

3.4 mi

I don't ever bother going into this library. I enjoy the outside grounds. It is very green on the…read moreproperty where the library sits. Looking thru the windows it kind of appears to be stuffy inside and there doesn't appear it is a comfortable place to study.

Although I didn't attend DU, I came here frequently when I was a college student living in Marin…read moreCounty to study. I was always impressed by how quiet it was- other students and patrons were always respectful and mostly silent. Making everyone check in and present their IDs made me feel safe and secure, which is always appreciated when studying in a public location. I loved the tables that faced outwards because there were some great views to take in while hitting the books. One thing to be aware of if you're not a student- the library does not offer guest WiFi, so plan ahead by setting up a mobile hotspot or preloading things on your device.

Archbishop Alemany Library

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The 'quiet' section filled with big comfy chairs and bean bags!

College of Marin

3.6

(54 reviews)

1.4 mi

I had an extremely enthusiastic little boy who tagged me because I forgot to hang myvHC placard. It…read morewas laying in full view on the dashboard. I was issued a ticket. Then I drove one block and parked again and he gave me a second ticket. I took both to the appeals office where they were both thrown out. And he was reprimanded. I was grateful. !!! I now have a permanent sticker on my License plate. Excellent!!!

It's the local junior college in Marin County. The parking machines are really dated, but if you…read morebuy a parking pass, I guess that doesn't matter. They do have free parking, but it's way out by the athletic field and the portable buildings. I've taken several classes here, and like any college campus, It takes getting familiar with to know where to go for what. They do a good job having people out the first week of school, trying to guide people and show them based on their schedule where they need to go.

We were proud to celebrate the grand opening of the Dr. David Wain Coon Center for Student Success!

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Sabrina Martin of Operating Engineers Apprenticeship lets eighth-grader Edgar Baca Salas try a backhoe during a career day event.

Belvedere Tiburon Library

4.2

(29 reviews)

5.6 mi

Beautiful library in a gorgeous location! Good selection of…read morebooks in the main library. Great little room where they hold various events and speakers for small-ish but mighty crowds. I attended a Ca State Park Ranger talk about finding wellness in nature at Mt Tam, which was very helpful! Also, there is a fantastic used bookstore where you can score some great second hand books for very low prices. I think I got about 4 or 5 books for under $10 total. Definitely come to this wonderful library!

My local Corte Madera branch is being remodeled. Although I like the Mill Valley branch which is…read moreclose by, parking is challenging around there, so I decided to request a book through Link Plus for pick up at the Belvedere Tiburon library since it has a large parking lot. It was my first time at this branch and I was immediately impressed by the modern appearance, bright natural light with the many large windows, high ceilings, and overall vast size of the library. The staff who helped me with my Link Plus request was courteous and efficient. I enjoyed a walk by the water after visiting the library. I look forward to this being my local branch for the summer!

Front outdoor patio of the library. The building next to it is Town Hall.

Great liquor selection

Shashuka

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China Camp Village

4.7

6.1 mi

Our camp site was just an 8 minutes drive away. We came on a Saturday just before 2pm and intended…read moreto just check out the beach. We did not know we also stumbled onto this little fishing village and museum too. Apparently you can also rent the space out for wedding receptions too as we had seen one being set up. The beach was also nice as we spent a few hours here. It's a pebble beach so bring something soft to sit or lay on. There are also a few picnic tables. Even if we don't camp we could see ourselves visiting here as it's very peaceful and not busy at all.

We had reservations at the campground at China Camp State Park in early August, 2024, which was…read moreintended just as an overnight stop while on-route between Santa Cruz, CA and the Oregon coast. Without having done any research with respect to what to expect at the state park, we were very pleasantly surprised to stumble upon the China Camp Village. The Village commemorates an historical (1880s) Chinese American shrimp fishing village on the shore of San Pablo Bay. The small (unmanned) museum is in one of the original restored buildings, and has exhibits that depict the work and lives of the fishermen from that era. We also walked along the pier, and took photographs of the old boats on the shore and the "Grace Quan", which is moored to the pier. The Grace Quan is a reconstruction of a San Francisco Bay shrimp junk that was a workhorse of the dried shrimp industry from 1860-1910. We ended the evening watching sunset over the bay from one of the plentiful picnic tables. Clean restrooms are available. The state park charges $5 for day use parking.

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Mare Island Historic Park Foundation

(5 reviews)

18.2 mi

Lots of details about this interesting corner of the Bay Area provided by our guide Dan G. He was a…read morewealth of information, pretty funny and as a local was able to share a lot of perspective on the islands changes. Great day trip and I wish we had more time to poke around.

Wonderful tour led by Jim. History + nature! A great morning spent on the island…read more For people who are looking to visit the Naval Museum on the island, it is no longer open, but this tour is operative and you get to see the naval chapel and walk around the area. I was originally looking for information about the museum and arrived at this page: https://www.mihpf.org/tours. I hope this will help you find their tour options and dates! All digitalized, no fuss. And it turns out I was the only who signed up for today's tour, and they did not cancel on me because of that. I really really appreciated it. One last thing, the money you spend on the tour goes into helping this foundation : ) Yay!

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Mountain Theater

4.8

(4 reviews)

4.3 mi

Mill Valley, Ca. What a great place to see and hear music!…read moreYou are at the top of a mountain and the San Francisco skyline is poking up through the fog far below, a stunning view. I came specifically for Sierra Ferrell, but enjoyed the other acts as well. All the seats are good seats but only a few are in the shade. The entire bank of shaded seats to the right of the stage are all reserved. We were early enough to get front row seats which are elevated above the SRO pit below. The pit is a great place to see the acts from only a few feet away and do some dancing if you are so inclined. We also spread out a blanket under the trees above the seats and visibility was very good, and this location is a relaxing respite from the hot sun. You can avoid the parking issue by taking the shuttle up the hill from a remote parking lot. We opted to park on the highway and hike up the Bootjack trail. It is about a mile and it certainly is an uphill trek but it only took us about a half hour. There is a parking lot at the trailhead for Bootjack if you don't want to park on the highway. There is a modest fee for parking there. The hike down was easy, of course. They actually offer some pretty good food choices here. We pretty much patronized the mango and watermelon Mexican booth. Their enchiladas were tasty and reasonably priced. The melon was very good except the pieces cut too close to the rind. The mango was fresh, firm, and sweet. The sound system was excellent. The MC's were local DJ's who were obnoxious. Free filtered water was made available. All the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful, especially the security who allowed us backstage in order to reach our trailhead. There was a super friendly vibe from just about everyone attending which made for a memorable concert experience.

Simply one of the most beautiful venues for live outdoor theater ever. It's incredible how the…read morepeaks and ridges part just enough to let you look down on the bridge and the city's skyline. As if by design.

Sierra Ferrell

Signage

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Marin History Museum

(5 reviews)

2.8 mi

Fascinating for history students...rare finds...travel far...in Bay Area...house museum with Maple…read moreLawn building...Elk's Lodge? Downtown San Rafael has a main street with shops and restaurants...like old times...fun...anytime really...it's not hard to visit some parts of outer Bay Area counties...this area has access with the transit center buses that go out of the bridge area...nice adventure...some people are ignorant of buses...sometimes buses are a better to way to transport...house museums are in all directions NWSE...etc...this one is different...it says that the daughter was a polar photographer, geographer, and went on expeditions...related to Canada etc...really wonderful time to visit the history house...quiet community...scholarly...athletic...

MHM has some excellent programs, both over zoom and in person. I attended Jo Haraf's discussion of…read moreher book Murder, Marriage, and Betrayal, set mostly in Marin--Novato, San Rafael, Olompali--and learned so much about the founders of Marin County and it's early history. Marcy's walking tours sound fantastic, and since they are outside, they should be within covid protocols. Now that part of the collection is back in it's beautiful home in downtown San Rafael, it's more accessible. Reach out.

Louise Arner Boyd Exhibit

Ansel Adams Photographs of Louse Arner Boyd's Home

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"Petals & Ice" Exhibit Banners

Gravity Car Barn Museum

(3 reviews)

2.4 mi

Cute mini museum/exhibit on the side of the Mt Tamalpais East Peak Visitor Center…read more The barn doors only open on the weekends, but the signs are informative enough that, even on a weekday, you can pretty much get the gist of it. This is the site of what used to be the Crookedest Railroad in the world, with something like 237 turns. The tracks were ripped out decades ago, after the rides declined in popularity. The gravity cars seem like they were such a fun, wholesome, unique attraction. It's hard to believe there's not enough demand for them to be running anymore. I wouldn't go out of my way to see this, but it could be a fun place to visit with little kids, especially if you come on the weekend between 12-4, when it's open. For those of us children who are a little too old for this, there are plenty of cool hiking trails originating from the same parking lot at the visitor center. Parking is $5 unless you have a pass from camping.

If you go to the trouble to make it to the top of Mount Tam, you should definitely check out this…read moreMuseum. This was actually quite a famous location a few generations ago. Movie stars and other famous people came to this location to ride the famous gravity car, and stay at some of the famous hotels around this area. Mount Tam has some of the most well-known, fun trails in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Did you know that Marin County is the birthplace of mountain biking? That's absolutely true. Some of the most famous mountain bikers and race winners live right here. I highly recommend biking or hiking the old gravity car road. Don't miss the West Point Inn, another famous stopping point for travelers. It's fun to imagine what it must have been like going down on one of those gravity cars. They have a gravity car that you can visit here, but don't try taking it down the mountain, since the tracks are all gone now. It would be a wild ride. I always wonder what would happen if the brake man fell asleep or went unconscious for some reason. Would the gravity car just keep on going?

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Larkspur Library - libraries - Updated August 2026

People who viewed Larkspur Library also viewed

Marin City Library

4.2

This cute little library hides behind a very large Target in a big shopping center right off the…read morefreeway. If you aren't looking for it, you'll miss it driving by. But the bus stops right around the corner of the front door, there's plenty of parking nearby, and the bathrooms are very clean (much more reliably than those in the nearby shops). There are several computers to use, but very little open table space for laptops (and even fewer power outlets). The staff are very friendly and helpful here, though it does get a little louder after school get out in the afternoon.

I must have driven by this library hundreds of times in ignorance, until one day I finally looked…read morepast the loitering crowd at the bus stop and the metal detectors at the front door, and realized -- whoa, there's some books in there! It's tiny. Half of the clean,open space is taken up by desks and computers. So don't bother looking up a book on the computerized catalog because you can find it just by walking around. Selection obvy suffers, but as part of MARINet, you can request books from any of the participating libraries.

Archbishop Alemany Library

4.9

(7 reviews)

I don't ever bother going into this library. I enjoy the outside grounds. It is very green on the…read moreproperty where the library sits. Looking thru the windows it kind of appears to be stuffy inside and there doesn't appear it is a comfortable place to study.

Although I didn't attend DU, I came here frequently when I was a college student living in Marin…read moreCounty to study. I was always impressed by how quiet it was- other students and patrons were always respectful and mostly silent. Making everyone check in and present their IDs made me feel safe and secure, which is always appreciated when studying in a public location. I loved the tables that faced outwards because there were some great views to take in while hitting the books. One thing to be aware of if you're not a student- the library does not offer guest WiFi, so plan ahead by setting up a mobile hotspot or preloading things on your device.

San Rafael Pop-Up Library at Northgate

(1 review)

I love libraries and hate to say anything negative about them, but the San Rafael Public Main…read moreLibrary makes me want to cry. Maybe I'm just spoiled because my small-ish hometown in Connecticut has one of the best public libraries I've ever seen and is bigger and probably with more resources than all the libraries I've been to in the Bay Area (this is the third county I've lived in here) put together. The pop-up library at Northgate, however, gives me hope for the San Rafael Public Library. This pop-up, which opened in December, is housed in a small mall storefront. And yet, somehow, this little library manages to make the most out of the space. In fact, there are more spaces and activities for children to participate in than in the main library. For young kids, there's a small play area with a few toys, a reading space with bins of board books, and also a drawing table. For older kids, teens, and adults, there is a 3 D printer and a virtual reality station. This is really brilliant. Every time I've stopped by, I've seen teens come in straight from school to sign up for a time slot to use the virtual reality headset. What a great way to engage this age group! While the collection is only, as one of the librarians described it to me, a "browsing collection," meaning there are too few books for you to come with an idea of what you want, there selection is always varied and engaging enough for me to come home with something. And the first time I stumbled upon the space shortly after it opened, in just about 15 minutes I saw more than one person wander in and get a library card for the first time. I would love to see this space become permanent and expand.

Inverness Library

(2 reviews)

The library is small. It has cute and quiet outside.Not much to say about the place. It's nice to…read moreget some ice cream and just come sit outside on the benches.

A really unique and great library with lots of unique books and movies in ahistorical building…read more Super nice competent andhelpful

Friends of the Library Bookstore

(4 reviews)

I donate books and shop here. The volunteers that run the place are nice and knowledgable. The…read morenewer books go fast. If you like to read and support the library, shop here and go often.

Great selection of constantly changing books at a decent price. The volunteers are absolutely…read morewonderful in helping you find what you need

Marin County Law Library

4.5

Zach and Steven were extremely helpful throughout the whole process of applying for my passportread more

Great quiet little spot to get some work done, whether you're a lawyer, student, or other member of…read morethe public. There's great desk space for working, and lots of well organized books. Just bring some headphones, and you'll get so much work done! As another reviewer mentioned, you can't check out any books, but copies are just 10 cents a page. That seems pretty reasonable. I entered the parking lot from N San Pedro, so the entrance to building 20 was the first door on my right, and opens right into the Law Library. The parking lot is huge, but definitely gets full during certain times of the day. There's a smaller lot up on a small incline too if the larger lot is full. Bathrooms are on the left in another office, and the hallway down to the bathrooms is lined with artwork from local residents. Free WiFi too! Just ask the staff for the password.

Point Reyes Library

(3 reviews)

Quiet space where I worked on art while I was in the area 7.22.25. Very friendly and helpful staff…read more They had a contest for a logo you could vote for.

The staff is super helpful and friendly. Great selection and I love seeing the community connect…read morethrough this library.

Mill Valley Public Library

4.8

(100 reviews)

This library is absolutely enchanting. Set amongst redwoods and within walking distance to Hallmark…read moremovie-esque downtown Mill Valley, this library is a must visit and must frequent. The layout is very well organized, and there's plenty of natural light from the tall windows (highlighting the setting of surrounding redwoods). The lovely & historical art displayed on the walls downstairs is very interesting to peruse and look at. I use my library membership here to access a few online apps to borrow books (Libby & Hoopla), and I always find what I'm looking for as the access is not just MV library, but includes all Marin County libraries. Also, icing on the vegan cake is that on the side of the building is a small but very well stocked used bookstore -the Friends of the Library Bookstore- with a diverse selection of secondhand books at incredibly low prices.

Breathtaking library. Peaceful. Great stop after going hiking at Hawk Hill. Sausalito after. Great…read moreday trip!

Stinson Beach Library