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    Mountain View Public Library

    4.4 (264 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Ellen B.

    Excellent library: both it's physical location & it's online catalog (via Libby). Very polite staff, plenty of seats to sit and read, and tables to work on, as well as computers. I have not attended any events there but I have seen the schedule and all of them seems fun as well.

    The holds shelves
    Jessica B.

    This library is the best! My holds always come in quickly, and I love when they are ready and waiting. The nonfiction section has some great true crime, and the fiction section has all my frivolous favorites. I'm impressed with the new fiction section, too. I love the self check kiosks. The librarians are always so friendly and helpful when I need to renew a book for the hundredth time.

    I'm in good company, while waiting for my books
    Robert C.

    This library closed March 17, on orders of the Santa Clara county health director, Sara Cody, due to the pandemic. If you had books due after March 17, you got a pass on returning the books, until the library reopened in mid June for sidewalk service. In July, got on the wait list for Daniel Silva's "The Order", Brad Thor's "Near Dark" , and Ace Atkins "The Revelators" at Mountain View Library, as those new books were not available at Sunnyvale Library. Sidewalk pickup Tuesdays-Saturdays 2pm-6pm. Books checked out for 4 weeks here, compared to 3 weeks at Sunnyvale. You have to place a hold on the book several days in advance, notified by e-mail when it's ready, and then call an hour ahead of time, so that they can get the book off the hold list. Even if the book is available on the shelf, it can take several days before the book is placed on hold and ready to pickup. The web site now says "We are now Fine Free", same as Sunnyvale Library. There, you are billed for books way 14 days overdue for the cost of the book, plus a hefty administration fee. Gone are the days when people with $100 in fines have their library accounts frozen. There is a guard here to make sure people don't steal books out of the return bin in front of the library, and to keep the homeless away. Eventually picked up and returned Brad Thor's "Near Dark" , and Ace Atkins "The Revelators" , taking a picture of the returned books through the 24/7 return entry slot, just in case they didn't record the book returns. Today came to get Daniel Silva's "The Order", the last day it was on hold for me. Checked their internet site to make sure they were open for "grab and go' service. Left a message with my library card number, name, announcing I would come today. 20 minute drive on El Camino Real, only 3.8 miles, but 16 traffic lights, through the heart of Sunnyvale and into Mountain View during Tuesday rush hour. Plenty of nearby parking. 10 minutes standing masked in a social distance line waiting for my book. Internet site says they will announce if outside pickup will be closed, when air index quality over 150, due to unhealthy smoky air from nearby forest fires. Was going to come Sept 12 Saturday, but they were closed for pickup, and so had to wait until Tuesday to pickup. Another reason why you need to wear a mask even outside these days! Starting September 15, you will have to make an appointment by either calling in, or online, before picking up books placed on hold. Library places a hold of 96+ hours on returned books, to disinfect them of the virus. Hence they can't enforce the late fees for books returned. They don't want you trying to disinfect the books by putting them in the microwave, which will fry the metal radio wave tracking strip, causing the paper to catch fire!

    Outside view when you exit library from one of the entrances
    Crystal G.

    Look, for a public library if you don't give this place five stars - I need answers on which public libraries you've gone to that are better. If there is a Michelin star equivalent of libraries, I would give it to this one for the following reasons: -Space & Organization: The place is clean, well maintained and well organized, and there is a whole secluded children's section with a set of grown up doors AND child sized doors. This attention to design can do wonders to make children feel welcome and intrigued. Their study offices are clean and remind me of the ones at my college. -Technology: The kiosk to return books is highly efficient. It does not need any books to be scanned, regardless of quantity. You just chuck them into the slot. There is also a self serve kiosk with a touchscreen that can help you with various needs. -Up to Date content: Highlighted throughout the library are books on modern topics that reflects today's youth generation, like K-Pop, women's studies, and queer and transgender topics. That makes a library more refreshing and modern and shows that they're thinking about the future and what's current. -Extensive Weeb content: The manga content here is extensive, and surprisingly a lot of the titles offered are quite popular and complete series. -Hand sanitization stations everywhere. Like I said, Michelin book star for this library. (We came here on a Sunday where the was very few people. It was quiet but this was the overall impression I got from the library!)

    Parag S.

    Far and above the best library I've ever been to! Open a book and let it transport you to another space. MV Public Library has the widest selection of books, e-books, and movies in the nearby vicinity. It is connected with the Palo Alto library such that your library card works there as well. There is a kids area downstairs to allow your younger ones to explore. Also there are numerous study tables / rooms upstairs that can be reserved. Parking is a breeze with a dedicated garage and a drive through book return (but sometimes it is out of order). Most of all, MVPL is extremely spacious with lots of study tables (can get quite busy though on weekends). The Winnie the Pooh sculpture outside is simply astonishing, opening up to a vast expanse of a park in downtown Mountain View. Street side, there are two slabs from the Berlin Wall that were donated to MVPL which are memorable pieces of history. There is a walk-up book drop street-side as well. They participate in Libby too. Highly highly recommend.

    Elena A.

    This library has my heart! I really enjoy coming here to study. I have a huge exam coming up and this has been a sanctuary for me. I typically camp out in the second floor quiet zone 2. They have large tables located throughout and each has outlets. There are also cubicles. Their bathrooms are also well maintained and very clean. Noise level is usually quiet with occasional loud moments but 99% of the time I have my Airpods in so I don't really notice it. The view is beautiful and there's big glass windows that give you a nice scenery break when you need to! It's so lovely inside. I would say only downside is their hours they open earliest 10 am and sometimes close as early as 5 pm but overall still a great and spacious spot to get some work done! Their wifi speed is also great and very conducive for putting in some work.

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    4 years ago

    Very friendly staff, clean space, great selection of book both paper and online.

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    3 years ago

    Love this library! Airy, organized, great selection. Lots of places to study, and lots of interesting g classes. Thank you to the staff!!

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    3 years ago

    very nice people and staff in this library they will help you to find a book that you are looking for. Highly recommended

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    Review Highlights - Mountain View Public Library

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    City of Palo Alto - Mitchell Park Library - Nice and bright!

    City of Palo Alto - Mitchell Park Library

    4.0(43 reviews)
    2.7 mi

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

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

    Photos
    City of Palo Alto - Mitchell Park Library - What a nice children's section.

    What a nice children's section.

    City of Palo Alto - Mitchell Park Library - Tons of books and lots of seating in the teens area too.

    Tons of books and lots of seating in the teens area too.

    City of Palo Alto - Mitchell Park Library - A beautiful art work on the ceiling of the children's area.

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    A beautiful art work on the ceiling of the children's area.

    Mountain View Public Library - libraries - Updated May 2026

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