I took my little one to this library for the first time today because I saw there was a family movie night. The library itself has a very small parking lot, and street parking was pretty full, so I'm glad I was able to snag the last open space in the lot. The library architecture is beautiful with lots of wood and is quite historic. There were quite a few stairs to get to the movie viewing room downstairs, but my preschooler managed it slowly. It was such a cute setup with printed movie tickets and free popcorn with a variety of sprinkle toppings. Too bad my kiddo wasn't able to sit through the entire movie and wanted to go play in the garden outside instead. So we left early and walked outside. We went back into the library and sat on the rug in the children's section, and I read 4 books to her, so that was fun. I'm not sure if I was being too loud in the quiet library, but there weren't that many people there at 5 pm on a Friday, and we were the only ones in that section, so hopefully it was ok. Overall, it was a fun adventure to check out. We might try the movie nights again when she's a bit older. read more

Malaga Cove Library - Movie night tickets! - Libraries Near Me - Palos Verdes Estates, California

Here for the Love So Right event, a fundraiser for the Filipino music community. The venue is lovely with an outdoor garden, complete with a fountain. The architecture is beautiful. Great place for a private event, but you should limit the amount of guests to 100 or less. read more

Malaga Cove Library - Libraries Near Me - Palos Verdes Estates, California

Beautiful, historic library with very helpful staff. The parking is on the street BEHIND the library, so as you approach the library go R, then L at the 1st st (Via Pinale) which curves all the way AROUND the library. You'll pass several homes & then you'll see the parking lot on your L hand side. read more

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Located just above the hill from the town center, this centennial library is charming, peaceful, and feels like a boutique community spot. The children's area is surprisingly large and very well set up. We visited on a Wednesday for Baby Rhythms time. There were many parents and babies, and we brought our granddaughter and she absolutely enjoyed it! She was so happy to get her very first sticker from the teacher. The library has a great selection of children's books and a special play section for younger kids. The whole place is clean, bright, and welcoming. Right outside, Farnham Martin Park gives the kids space to run around and enjoy the outdoors. A wonderful place for families to spend a morning. read more

What a great find. If you like libraries this is such a jewel. We do not live in the area but we love visiting different city libraries. This library has such a remarkable historical story. Make sure to pay a visit and let them know you have never been there before. They will surely give you a tour. The top floor leads to a wrap around balcony with awesome views. There are wonderful research rooms. There is even a vault and hidden room. The Friends of the Library group have a long history as well. They have a book sale every third Friday and Saturday of the month. I understand there is coffee and lemon bars at the sale too. We will pay a visit for the sale in the near future. The grounds are beautiful and a great place for a walk. Watch out for all the wild peacocks. There is plenty of public parking behind the libray or you can park at the Malaga Cove shopping center and walk up the street. I hope you pay them a visit and happy reading! read more

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I got married last September and the wedding ceremony was held at the Malaga Cove Library. The library is very beautiful and there are so many places to take pictures. The wedding was very small (15 people) so we didn't want to spend a lot of money on decorations, but that didn't matter because the library itself is so pretty. It was such an easy wedding ceremony to plan. My family played a big part with how nice the wedding turned out, but also the library staff helped resolve any hiccups that happened along the way. Thank you read more

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This is a jewel in the crown of P.V. Library's I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read in a beautiful setting!!!!! The peacocks are so beautiful and magical. The entryway on both sides is so enchanting.The building is so calm and the lights are so pretty the ceiling is just amazing. The windows look out to lush garden and fountain with view of the ocean simply Devine ! Now let's get to the books . They have a new and old selection . Wonderful periodicals and community puzzle and a great attention to children's reading area and art projects for their needs. The staff are kind and thoughtful. The furniture is so comfortable also beautiful artwork on every wall ,even an old fireplace . I wish it was in use but it's fun to sit in the rocking chair and dream . I go three times a week to read and walk the grounds . The summer has a concert series which is wonderful . I cannot believe we have this treasure to go to and enrich our minds and soul. Thank you to all the wonderful people who have helped me when I have questions . read more

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This place is a gem. I have been to many South Bay libraries, seeking a quiet place to focus on my graduate studies. Some of them have a good balance between a quiet place and helping consumers, while others have shown to house raucous after school students, chatty social groups, and general weird characters who don't seem to realize that libraries are designed for people to read quietly. This library at Malaga, I am pleased to report has got it down. There are different levels in the library for different walks of life. The entry level floor is the general library for patrons. The next level seems to be for researchers ( as the computers are there) and the top level is strictly a quiet place to study or read. Right in peacock territory (either you find the cawing of peacocks peaceful or obnoxious), I found the PVE library to be a pillar of the South Bay in terms of a place to visit and enjoy a day out, while also relying on it to get some work done or some reading in without the disturbances of the outside world. Beautiful place, top marks, best library I have visited in the South Bay. read more

Tons of books. Lots of old and new selection. Library is in an old building that needs rehab and a little facelift. Has some charm though and history for sure. Local nostalgia and must visit in the area read more

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Clean, beautiful, quiet with incredible staff. Great for an afternoon with my daughter and when we need passport renewals. read more

Small, gorgeous, old architecture, hardly anywhere to sit, very few books, absolute perfection.

This is a stop that we made after I got married at Wayfarers Chapel. It's a good secluded spot that I guess people can rent out for weddings. There's a nice outdoor area where you can take photos with your wedding party here. It is street parking here! read more

Five stars for what it is. What it is not: a modern library with rows of new computers and zillions of books. What it is: an old Spanish style building high on a hill, surrounded by eucalyptus trees that are sometimes adorned with screeching peacocks. The library is just off Palos Verdes Drive W, across from the tall bluffs that overlook the ocean. The building and its beautiful old fountains were erected in 1930 at a cost of $60,000. It is now on the National Historic Register. Original furniture remains, like Spanish claw foot leather couches. The multi-level space has an art gallery, now showing exquisite landscape paintings of the surrounding area. They tell me this is the best show they've ever had; it's certainly one of the nicest shows I've ever seen, anywhere. Speaking of art, I recently spotted a magnificent watercolor in a battered, broken old frame with the original wavy discolored mat.....hanging in the Malaga Cove Library. I inquired about the painting, done by Henry L. Richter (I learned later it is one of his few portraits, of an old man with a bushy white beard reading the LA Times). The library staff knew little about the beautiful, somewhat valuable painting, suggesting to me it might be a poster! I may have to launch a campaign toward reframing the piece, or just donate the cost myself. They wouldn't sell it to me and I want to preserve it so I can continue to enjoy it. In the basement of the old library earlier today, as I perused a used book sale, I noticed there was not a hint of mildew or mold in any of the cavernous rooms - remarkable considering the age of the structure, the fact that it is built into a hill & its proximity to the ocean. The library must be as charmed as it is charming. read more

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The grounds are gorgeous. There is a small lot for off street parking. The best part was that there are peacocks just walking around. Very cool. read more

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This smaller library is a wonderful alternative to the larger Peninsula Center library. I come here about once a week. When I was researching for my Europe trip I was here almost every day. It's quiet and the outside is quite pretty. There's multiple areas to get work done and a small children's area. Older folks will come here to play chess, that's cool. There's a computer room and you can even rent a labtop for a couple hours. Though it's not a huge library there's plenty of books and I found several to help me with my trip. It's hardly crowded besides the computer room sometimes. They have book sales and their own free parking lot in the back. There is also street parking for 2 hours. Just make sure not to park for over 2 hours cause you will get a ticket. On any given day you will see peacocks roaming the premises. Peacocks are more scared of humans which is good cause I'm scared of most animals. Anyway, support your local libraries! read more

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This library is beautiful. It's on the small side but has gorgeous facility. It would be a very quiet place to read a book. I love the grass area and fountain outside. read more

Malaga Cove Library - Libraries Near Me - Palos Verdes Estates, California

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One of the most gorgeous residential libraries around my area. I enjoy coming here during the day during the winter season especially because a mix of cold rainy weather, greenery, and the comfy seats available outside of the library give the place a very calm safe spot to study. There is little to no distraction outside and its a pretty quiet grand area so go take a visit! It's well worth it. The librarians are very friendly and assist with checkouts as well. Lots of books to choose from and the staff are quick to help you find what you need. Thank you staff! read more

This small library is charming with the nice rest area and the fountain next to it. I like the whole setting and the peacocks that come with it. They have origami classes, chess club and other fun activities for the kids all year around. You can drop used books here in the big bin so they can be sold in the main library's monthly book sale. Some years ago, I returned a few picture books, one of them didn't get checked in as I found out on-line. Called them, she said she couldn't find it. A month later, I was going to just pay the fine, then I thought let me take a look. So I went in their children's section, it took me two mins to find that "unreturned" book. The lady had nothing to say to me after she saw me pulling out that book from the shelve like a magic. After that I rarely borrow any books from here, and I made sure they checked in the books while I'm returning. Same thing happened with my local library once. Well, item doesn't get checked in is a bummer for a borrower. I have learned to expect mistakes like that, especially with the large libraries. As a patron, one would think as long as one returns the material as the way it was borrowed, the rest should take care itself. Not true, things could go wrong from there... read more

This place not only has tons of books and magazines and what not, it also has a BEAUTIFUL view of Palos Verdes and the BEACH! My mom actually read about the Malaga Cove Library in a AAA magazine called "Westways". The article about it describes how nice and peaceful and pretty this library is (it's actually a pretty gigantic place) and how beautiful the view is when looking out of one of its many huge windows. Now I don't usually go around talking about how AMAZING libraries are(it's a LIBRARY for crying out loud! how amazing can a library get?!) But seriously, this library is pretty dang awesome. On the outside, it basically looks like a huge mansion on top of a hill with a nice waterfountain in the front. On the inside, it's a three story library full of books, computers, magazines, DVDs, CDs, and whatever else a library has. It's such a huge place, there's even individual rooms you can hang out in. There are also lots of comfy couches and chairs to lounge in, too. If you're looking for a nice place to study, this is the perfect place to go! read more

This is one of the most charming libraries I've ever been too. There are not a lot of books or computers, but there is some nice study space upstairs. The feel of this place is amazing. It has old Spanish architecture, and makes you feel like being studious! I'm pretty sure this place helped me pass intensive Latin my last semester at UCLA read more

Wack hours for such a fancy library 10a - 5p Monday to Saturday Closed Sunday Fancy chairs and seating: some wide leather couches, fancy wooden leather seats. Table and Outlet wise, the tables don't have outlets (this place is a little too classy for that) but some chairs have outlets near them on the wall. Newspaper and magazine selection is diverse and extensive. WIFI is free county (Ranchos palos verdes). Ookla Speedtest: Ping: 18 ms Download Speed: 1.76 Mbps Upload speed: 0.86 Mbps Parking: parking lot to the side and there is unmetered 2 hour street parking M-F 9a-5p. Architecture is really nice with several fancy water fountains outside. Definitely one of the classier libraries though you need to be unemployed or rich to have the time to frequent it. read more

This library does not have a large collection of books, the computers are a little old. There is a lot of study space and the librarians are very helpful. The building has a lot of character and is multiple levels. Parking is on the side but the entrance looks like a normal driveway. In the basement are the monthly book sales. Boos are pricier than other local sales, but there is a good selection of books. Be careful when driving in the area as there are a lot of local peacocks, many that hang out on the library grounds and the wall of the parking lot. read more

The building that houses this library is so beautiful. It's so nice to have a library in a historical building. The library has a decent selection of books and helpful librarians. Unfortunately, they do charge for DVD and audiobook rentals. (Torrance library district offers these for free) read more

I bring my sister-in-law's grandma here nearly every Saturday afternoon. I love it because it's a beautiful historical building. I also love that we can get such great personal help from people like Christian. The grandma is pretty finicky when it comes to books but we can always rely on Christian to have some other books sent down from the bigger branch. read more

Malaga Cove Library - The magnolias are in bloom! - Libraries Near Me - Palos Verdes Estates, California

This would be a nice library except that one of the librarians is a literal motor mouth. With the fact that there's really just one big room available for tables and doing work, it's a disaster. Nothing can get this guy to stop talking to his coworkers, on the phone, whatever. So - not a place to go if you really need to concentrate. read more

Love the location & charm of this library but NOT exactly KID FRIENDLY. Took my two toddlers this morning & while my kids ran from one book to another (not yelling, or screaming, or crying) just giggling they were SHUSHED by one of the male employees. The kids were playing in the section designated for them. I found the action of the employee to be rude & uncalled for. If he felt the kids were loud he could have politely came over & asked that the kids settle down. read more

We recently moved to the South Bay and have been visiting the local libraries. I have been in love with visiting libraries since I was a child, I have been a supporter and loyal patron to all the libraries I've been a member and have been taking my son as soon as we were able. He is extremely well behaved and respectful. We have never had anything but positive comments at any other library we ve gone to. We visited this beautiful, historic lovely library,Thursday before last and was extremely disappointed. It has a great kids section with toys and books, and we were the only people in the library except for two other little boys, their mother and two extremely rude gentlemen working at the front. They were talking and complaining about how they think the air conditioner just got fixed, their voices were louder than any sound my son was making but they kept shushing us and saying loudly "quiet in the library please". It was infuriating and unfair. I understand you are bored and hot but don't take it out on the children. Shameful! read more

I have spent most of my life in PV and the surrounding area and this library is one of my favorites. Sure they don't have as big of a selection as the Peninsula Center branch but the ambiance and the ease of getting whatever you are looking for is what makes me come back. They also have a summer kids program every few days where they have activities, storytime, etc. read more

The library is beautiful and very comfortable. Watch it when you drop off returns in the box outside. I've been charged when I have dropped off in a time manner. read more

I am currently between jobs and spending time at different libraries around the city. I live in South LA, which is a far cry from Ranchos Palos Verdes in every possible sense. Sometimes I like the thought of working at a library where there aren't people bathing in the bathroom stalls, so I made the 45 minute drive to Malaga Cove Library, which on the surface was a lovely place - the kind of architectural headspace that helps me get important writing and applications done. I am also a middle school teacher, so I noticed the older female librarian helping a young Latino boy at the counter and excitedly producing a book for him, saying "I've got something for you!" and thought, wow, that's so nice! As it should be. What a nice community library this is! It was a Saturday afternoon. I sat down at a nice table by the window with beautiful rugs and leather furniture. The librarians at the counter seemed to whisper and everyone was respectful. That is, until a man with a British or maybe Australian accent came over to the main desk in a huff and started loudly berating his coworker and hotly questioning her decision to allow, clearly, that 12-year-old Latino boy, some kind of special thing like a special book or study area or something. Immediately my ears perked up, not only because this librarian was being way too loud and mean towards his female coworker, but because as a middle school teacher, I clearly understand the importance of giving children agency in their decisions, encouragement, rewarding them for good behavior, and in general, being their homie. This man was exasperatedly gesturing "how could you DO that? Didn't you KNOW there was an issue last time? You CAN'T let a 12-year-old (blah blah blah.) She tried to explain, in vain, that the kid is a trusted regular, then she nodded and walked away (to tell the kid whatever the conclusion was.) When she left, the man started disrespecting her (still super loudly) to his other colleague, saying, and I quote, "UGH, she's SO DUMB, she has a PEA for a brain." I tried to let it blow over and re-focus on my work, but my heart was pounding for the injustices I observed, listed as follows: 1. Mansplaining to his female coworker and overtly distrusting her decision. 2. Being extra police-y, potentially, to a non-white youth 3. Distrusting a child only because they are 12 (do you know how much potential, intelligence and love a 12-year-old has? Infinite.) 4. Being rude and loud (way louder than necessary. I saw the review below about the sound carrying in the building, and then a business owner offered that yelp reviewer a quiet room upstairs. How about instead, tell that librarian that he can't talk that way, ever, to anyone!?) 5. Insulting and disrespecting his coworker behind her back out loud for all the patrons to hear, including a couple sitting near me who were also clearly noticing and upset by this behavior, and finally 6. What looks to me, overall, like a bored, overly dramatic, selfish abuse of white privilege, up high on the hill in the quaint library where mostly the wealthy go to. Eventually I heard her come back and say to the other coworker, "he's gone to talk to the kid...he's undermining me again." That's when I picked up my laptop and bags (I'd been at the library than 15 minutes), walked to the desk and told the man directly : "Your drama about a 12-year-old is causing me to leave." I walked out, so upset, and it really put a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the day. I can't believe that, in nearly 2019, given everything recently, we are doing things to make things worse for each other at this point in time. We have to work TOGETHER. we have to SUPPORT our youth. We have to SUPPORT our female coworkers... and we have to be respectful. We don't have to like one another, or agree, but we have to act with maturity. This guy wasn't professional at all. I logged on to yelp just so I could write this - I've never posted a review. I plan to address the library's board of directors. The people in that community are in a tremendous position of privilege and position to help people of all kinds. Those with resources, I am going to be much harder on than, say, the teenagers breaking into cars and stealing catalytic converters down where I live. In a place where kids don't have a nice librarian helping them with a special book, or an adult role model.I need a break from the hood from time to time, that's why I took a day trip to that library, but now I don't even want to go back to Rancho Palos Verdes. I hope this man's behavior changes for the better sooner than later. Someone needs to talk to him, it was a bummer to read about other reviewers mentioning similar things. and I hope that kid got what he needed yesterday, at this otherwise gorgeous public institution, and that woman knows her good work. read more

This has got to be the nicest library in the county , and who cares if it does not have computers , you go to a library to read BOOKS NOT SURF THE INTERNET if you want computers , go to the Torrance main library , this is a GOOD OLD FASHIONED LIBRARY !! AND INHOPE IT STAYS THIS WAY !!!!!! read more

Pretty small library. We went for the used book sale and it was slim pickings. Got a few items for cheap, but the main PV library is much much better. Although the grounds are beautiful, there's a cool fountain to sit by outside. read more

Beautiful from the outside. Looks like there were shops and a fountain to check out. Can't wait to check this place out another time!

Beautiful building. They offer some outdoor seating, and a small park is ajacent. I usually see or hear peacocks. Also, a nice fountain adorns the front. There is dark and quiet reading room on the top floor. They will also bring in any books from their other locations. Very helpful staff. read more

I was so sad today when I took my grandkids to Malaga Library and they had a bunch of butterflies trapped in netting so they could show Butterfly books, most had already died. I asked why is this display necessary? They were barely moving. So sad and unnecessary. read more

Love the location, environs and overall feel of the library. Been romping around Farnham Martin since I was a baby and I love being able to bring my own kids here. The section/nook for them is amazing. That being said, I brought my five year old here yesterday to peruse the selection and play with stuffed animals when we decided to play chess. I had her ask the librarian for a chess set and she said "Okay, but I don't think you even know how to play chess. Do you?" Then she looked over at me and said "You know how to play chess?" Yuck, please take your sexist, fuddy duddy mentality back up to the bird's nest. Just because my five year old is a sweet girl in a Little Mermaid dress doesn't mean she needs to be asked for her credentials when she asks for a chess board or be discouraged from a lesson with her mom. read more

Charming building and wonderful storytimes for toddlers. Some of the staff seem disenchanted with their jobs and a consistently surly (especially if you arrive anytime after 4 pm--they close at 5 pm) but also some are welcoming and pleasant. read more