back here today...3 months ago around October...Oakland is a suburb of San Francisco. The weather is nicer year round...downtown and a place with homes...public buildings libraries museums whole foods. lake merritt is nice...a landmark? are u in 8th grade? what time does this close? each day 8pm..bart? metro? each day...in the future...won't stop it yourself...stop trains...are u a comic book character...is this a game? arcade? comic books? no ...it's time read more

5stsr service from both the Magazine and Newspaper room and the Oakland History staff. High praise for George and Ian for going the extra yard and helping a customer avoid a trip in! I love OPL, but parking is so tough read more

I love this library. The workers are always so helpful and friendly. It's a great place to get some work done, and I like the magazine and periodicals area on the 3rd floor. The desks by the window get some air, while also have plenty outlets for devices. I accidently left my wallet at the desk when checking out a book, and they called me immediately, which was a huge relief. The selections of books are also pretty good. I've had some niche research projects and they've always pointed me towards one or two titles that can help me out. read more

This library is huge! And I'm glad I got to go. I wanted to study space and I found one. There are a lot of homeless people hanging out, but they were just doing their thing and didn't bother anyone. They were just trying to stay in from the elements and they were reading and doing other things that people do in libraries. They do require masks, which is fine by me, and they had people going around reminding people to keep their masks on and the folks complied. I was not bothered by their presence at all. I got to go up to the second floor which is fine for me. I didn't know this but you need a escort to go upstairs which is fine if you want to go in the elevator which I did. Once I got up there again it was nice, clean, people are generally quiet. There are some folks playing chess which was charming. and there's one guy on the phone but he didn't bother me. And I got to study and get my work done. And then I did get a escort back downstairs. I would definitely come back here again. Especially if I'm in the area and need a nice place to study. read more

Oakland Main Library - Sculpture at the library. - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

WHEN: Friday @11am As of April 19, the library has re-opened since the closing due to the pandemic! That means we can longer text the library to pick up our picks from outside. We would have to go in and retrieve the books that have been placed on hold ourselves. What's new: There's 2 entrances: The main one on 14th, and the one that leads into the Children's section. I went into the main one, where you wait your turn to have your temperature checked. They have a tablet set up where you have to align yourself for it to scan and check your temperature. Books you reserved and that are ready for pick-up have been moved from the left side upon entering, to straight ahead. Any book you reserved though Link+ will be behind the counter. I'm sure there are more things that are new, but I was only there to pick up books I reserved online. The staff was super friendly and helpful. read more

What a gem. Love the old school, classic feel of this library in Oakland's historic downtown. While it can be annoying to search for a charger on the upper floors, I appreciate this treasure being open on Sunday when a lot of libraries throughout the bay are closed. There are also cute additions such as the children's library and puzzle rentals. I would definitely recommend. read more

Oakland Main Library - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

I go inside the main Oakland library for a simple 15 cents Xerox copy and run over to the post office to mail it on a dispatch, these Geniuses got rid of the Xerox machines and got some space age scanner that no senior citizen in Oakland knows how to use, lucky an employee helped me make a copy but is that employee supposed to stand there 8 hours and help anyone who's not a computer Genius, what if he just went to Lunch, do I beg someone at the front desk for help only to hear them say it's not our job, these people went to college and cant see how stupid it was to remove simple Xerox machines, probably some California Lib nuts are behind this. read more

Couldn't find the parking -- Nice that it is open on weekends Some parking was available nearby and some public transportation as well read more

i had a good exprience at the oakland main libary every time i go i just started going to the dimond libary and the people are so helpful and nice i would give both libaries 4 stars read more

Got a chance to meet the manager. It was a great talking to her she is very knowledgeable. The staff at this place is A rated.

Amazing place to visit and relax. The staff is friendly. It took me back toy book mobile days

Main has been closed for months this year; it was a huge inconvenience for myself and a lot of other people I know, but I was looking forward to seeing the renovations. They put some fans in and painted; there is new linoleum in the Children's Room. It took all those months of closures for that??? Worst of all, I asked a librarian for reference help. She looked up the general subject and began reading out titles, none of which was even close to what I needed. After several titles I lost patience. I took this as indifference to my information need. I've had library aides who were more helpful that that--next time I'll ask one of them. There was hardly anyone in the library, so it's not as if people were lined up out the door waiting. read more

Date: 10/24/2018 Time: 1:50 PM 65° Sunny My visit to the Oakland Main Library was to the Children's Room to return one of their books that I found on the bench at the Elihu M. Harris State Building. I can only surmise that a child left the book behind and had forgotten about it. The Children's Room was my favorite section when I was growing up. I attended an elementary school nearby and there was always that weekly excursion to the library. Such childhood memories that I remember oh so well. There was a library aide reading children's stories. She always had our attention. It was here that I signed up to get my first library card, which was over 57 years ago. I was in third grade back then. Some of us students even ventured down their corridor to catch the elevator to the first floor - the main entrance of the library. At that point, I wanted to be a librarian in a public library. I was discouraged from pursuing that career, only to be told that I did not have the right temperament to be one. I guess I could be a little intimidating when I ask people to be quiet in the library. The library is a great place to do research, read books and newspaper, download documents if one does not have a printer linked to a computer at home, check out books and DVD's. It is also quiet enough for one to do his/her homework assignments without distractions of TV and video games. Of course, I reminisce about the Dewey decimal system and those wooden cabinets containing all those catalog cards. We did not have Google back then. The library always had sets of encyclopedias - Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book of Encyclopedia. LOL. Searching for a certain cookbook? If one knows the Dewey decimal system, go to the 641 section on the shelf. Science is in the 500 section; literature, 800 section; geography and history, 900 section. Egads, I still remember certain sections in the library. read more

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OPL is great! Why spend money on books that take up room on your shelf, get dusty, and after 5-10 years you decide no longer bring you enough joy to take up space in your home, when INSTEAD you can utilize resources funded by your taxes to borrow books for free? That's what OPL is. They've modernized sooooo much since the mid-90s to now offer free online lending of audio books and books readable online. They even allow you to borrow books from other libraries through LINK+ AND used to (pre-covid) offer free museum passes through Discover and Go: https://www.oaklandlibrary.org/services/discover-go-visit-museums-more-free During Covid they offer sidewalk pickup at several libraries, including the Main Library on 14th St. When I hear about a book that I want to read I always reserve it with OPL and expect to wait anywhere from 1 day to 16 weeks (for new releases) for it to be available for pickup. The deal during covid is that once you receive an email notifying you that your book is ready for pickup, you show up at an open library during the open window (10a-3p Main Library) and follow the posted instructions to pick up your books. You either text the number provided with your name and library card, or you can wait in (usually a short) line and hand your physical card to a staff person. Although the most recent research is showing that covid isn't passed by touching surfaces, OPL is following so many guidelines that will at a minimum prevent catching the flu from touching. They put your books in a paper bag, collect your library card in a plastic cup - all to ensure they don't touch anything you're touching and you don't touch anything they touch. If you're returning books, you can't drop them off at the sidewalk pickup desk. Instead, walk 30 feet to one of the OPL dropoff boxes surrounding the library. They keep books quarantined for 96 hours before returning. Also! OPL advertises that they don't charge late fees, unless you've borrowed from another library via LINK+, in which case it's $1/day each day overdue. However, if you've had a non LINK+ physical book in your possession past the due date OPL will try to automatically renew it for you. It will work so long as no other holds are placed on the book. But if you've had the book too long - past 30 days of the due date, they will out of the blue send you an alarming message that you owe the price of the book (in my case, I got a notice that I owe $10 out of the blue - no warning or anything). I was surprised and returned the book. Tried to find more information online and *think* that as long as I return the book the fee will be waived. It did give me a scare, though. read more

Oakland Main Library - Fines and Fees Policy - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

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I want to say thank you to Shannon for her excellent customer service and for her good humor today. I called 15 minutes before closing and Shannon was there to help me. I was having trouble getting into the library website. Shannon asked a few questions and quickly deduced the problem. She then fixed it and patiently guided me through the steps I needed to do on my end, all the while apologizing for the fact that this had happened. Then to top it off, Shannon complimented me on remembering my pin! I told her how validated I felt and we both had a very good laugh. Thank you Shannon for your excellent customer service, for knowing your job and for making me laugh at the end of a trying day! read more

I love going to this library after dinner. I use the computers to download music. They have board games to play in the teen zone. The teen zone has water, board games to play, computers to use, free magazines to take home and free toiletries. There are computers in the kid zone. I play Mancala and a huge connect 4 in the teen zone. Sometimes the people that work in the teen zone give me a juice and a snack to take home at night. The people that work here are friendly. There are elevators and stairs at the library. They have free gardening seeds to plant vegetables and flowers. There is a free newspaper. They have drinking fountains. There are bathrooms in the library. There is a bathroom in the kid zone. They have free California drivers handbooks. read more

The librarian at Oakland Public Library very nicely welcomed me and told me no reservation was required, pictures were allowed and how the Library has three floors with teen's and children's sections. The ceiling is quite high with big windows, allowing plenty of bright light to reach the reading areas. People were either reading books quietly or discussing in whispers. Librarians were very supportive. If you are looking for a place with the "learning atmosphere" in Oakland, OPL is good. (But do not expect it to be 100% quiet) read more

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A few weeks ago I was listening to a podcast about libraries and thought "I've been in Oakland four years now, I ought to get a library card!" So I swung by and picked up my OPL card and am now re-living my youth. When I was a kid we'd go to the library every Thursday night and now due to a recent measure passed in Oakland to keep the libraries open later (yep this is more $ but worth it to me), I can stop by as late as 8 pm Monday through Thursday. The library is a little dated but works to cater to all in the community, from having magazines and dvds up front, to having a 'zine section (for the next few weeks the theme is women in cycling), and having shelves of graphic novels. Both the clientele and the librarians are pleasant and courteous. For those interested here's the podcast: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/palaces-for-the-people/ read more

Oakland Main Library - Magazines and dvds right up front - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

The Oakland Main Library is a true gem in the city. It is one of the biggest public libraries in the Bay Area. It has been here at this location since 1951 as it feels historic from the 1950s. As you walk in to the right of the main entrance are where all the new books are located. As you walk further back from the entrance you will see many magazines available for check out on two tall spinning racks & further back are many more shelves of great books. On the top floor there is the Oakland History Room which has books about the history of Oakland & the East Bay. There are cool Jack London books, maps, & old photographs of Oakland in the day. No items in the Oakland History Room circulate yet are still worth seeing! On the top floor is one of my favorite rooms where heaps of current magazines are available to browse yet not available for check out. There are both national & international magazines here along with newspapers. They even have giant archives of certain magazines such as circa mid 1990s Rolling Stone Magazines archived in giant hardcover books that you can browse. The staff here is friendly & a unique feature here as well as many of the Oakland libraries I've been to is that you can check out a snazzy "Oakland Library" black canvas bag with yellow script. I think that is very cool that they allow you to check out canvas bags as Oakland library is eco-friendly! Be sure to pay a visit to nearby Lake Merritt afterwards! read more

I notice there is a community survey being offered about possible renovation and relocation of the library. Could that lead to the demolition of this lovely building and the "weeding" of its huge collection? Please no! All it needs is a seismic upgrade, maybe another restroom. It's close enough to BART to be convenient. There's already too many new crackerbox type buildings in Oakland. Save our architectural heritage (even though it's mid century). read more

Wonderful place to borrow books magazines games and more. You can book online and pick up these at your closest locations as well.

Superb location. An array of books, DVDs, etc. to choose from. The children's department is vast as well. The ambience depends on the time of day though. read more

Oakland Main Library - Artsy entrance - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

One of the great perils of owning children's books is that you might be forced to read "Are You My Mother?" every night two or three times for years and years and years. Enter the library. Tada! Every inane book eventually has to go back! But some books you'll check out more than once willingly--the Oakland Library has a wonderful children's section, many of the books purchased with your tax dollars under Measure Q! You can find material in many languages. You get the books for three weeks and digital media for one. If you sign up for email, the library will send a useful reminder telling you to bring them back. In the summer months there is a free lunch program from 12:30 to 1:30 for anyone under 18. That's a great thing for kids who do not get free school lunch in the summer! Tell your broke friends! And if you get tired of reading, you can go use your same Oakland library card to check out a blow torch at the tool library in North Oakland and light things on fire instead. I truly wish the hours were longer and more often in the morning hours, but with every public agency tightening the belt, it's hard to justify. Prepare to pay your fines in cash or with a personal check. Apparently the budget is too tight for modernization of the financial system too. read more

Oakland Main Library - DISPLAY FOR POETRY MONTH - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

The flagship of all Oakland libraries. How could you not love the local library? This is a great place for the community and they often host great events here for the general public - my sister and I attended a real estate seminar here and it was awesome! I know that most of the libraries here in Oakland offer literacy courses for the illiterate, they offer after school programs for the youth, and it's just an overall great place to come spend some time in our own community. Minus one star because it can get a little weird with the homeless people encamped around and inside the library. read more

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I am not an Oakland resident, but the Oakland Public Library holds a lot of personal significance for me. I'm a new novelist, and I had the first reading of my career at this library just a few weeks ago. Since I live out of town, I've only been here the one time, but I hope this review will still be useful. The library is a big central structure in downtown Oakland. It seems to be within walking distance of lots of fun things, and there's plenty of street parking. The building is massive in a way that inspires confidence in a main library branch. My reading was at 6:00 on a Wednesday, and at that time, the library looked to be very busy. There were people everywhere, and there was a children's room full of youngsters hanging out (quietly, studiously, one hopes) after school. I read in a designated lecture space, where the Oakland Public Library brings in guest speakers on a regular basis. I worked with librarian Barbara Bibel, who is just a kind, lovely person. The Oakland Public Library is a great resource for the city of Oakland, broad and accessible with a huge collection and a friendly atmosphere. I'm thankful for my opportunity to read here, and I hope both the city and the library prosper. read more

I guess I'll be in minority but... this library needs a serious upgrade. For a flagship of all Oakland libraries it doesn't really thrill with amenities nor the vibe. Sure, there's a vast selection of books, magazines & all kinds of media but I just have a hard time spending time here. The facade outside spells out: I'm in need of additional funds! Fingers crossed that the funds from passing Oakland's Measure D (2018) that authorized the city to levy an annual parcel tax will revive this space to truly make it worth the title of Main Library. read more

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Sorry, Main...you need a facelift. The main floor is just plain musty. Although the people who work here are very helpful so that makes it better. The children's room was made over a few years ago and is lovely (although it doesn't hold a candle to the Berkeley Main children's floor). The teen room does completely rock, though, and the people who work on this floor even look at adults with suspicion as if to say "hey-get out-you're un-cooling the vibe here" which I believe to be a plus for the middle school to high school set. read more

Great library - very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly staff. Great resource for a variety of things happening in the community. Several computers available (note that this branch only is first come first serve - no reservation ahead of time as you can do with the other branches in the system ). Free Wi-Fi Fantastic selection of new releases Located right near beautiful Lake Merritt. read more

Oakland Main Library - Near the entrance... - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

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As a "work from home" or "working remotely" spot, I'd give it 3 stars. Nice quiet place, but the free wifi doesn't work. Atmosphere: Very quiet, tons of comfortable seating, and some near windows for some extra sunshine. Great for offline work, if you just need a quiet place with a lot of seating and good lighting to bust out some creative work. I didn't stay long enough to use the bathroom but apparently they are locked and you need a code. Wifi: It's free but abysmal. Didn't work the whole time I was there, didn't even connect. I ended up using my cell phone to tether, and even then the connection was quite slow for simple web browsing (and I was seated next to a window). I kind of expected this though, being an open connection I assumed the wifi wasn't going to work. It's a public library after all. I can't comment on parking, I'm sure it's terrible since it's downtown and there is no parking lot. The library is pretty close to two BART stations though, about a 5-10 minute walk. read more

This is for the Children's Room downstairs, not really for the main library. I have always loved books, and I think it stems from the all of the time spent in libraries when I was young. I was the kid who would wander into the library with my dad, and while he was looking for one particular book, I would with one swift motion push 10-12 from a shelf into a bag, aiming to finish them all by the next visit. I'd compete with myself. A book a day? No problem. I envisioned myself as Bastian in The Neverending Story, staying up all night just to hold onto the characters and make sure everything turned out ok. In fact, the one time I have ever stolen ANYTHING ANYWHERE was the time in 5th grade when I stole a word problems book from my elementary school library. I felt so guilty about it for years after. So cool, it hurts. Fast-forward about 13 years, and I'm in grad school taking a hunky-dory class on literature for young children. Which means about once a week, I am back in the kids' section, crawling around. It's hard to not be scary, but when you're 6'2 and slinking around in a black trench-coat, you're bound to get some odd looks. And the thing is, the librarians that work in this section are sweethearts. They don't seem to mind someone overanalyzing the goods, and they are extremely helpful and offer great tips on books to check out. (BTW, if you're an elementary teacher and haven't heard of it, I HIGHLY recommend "So You Want To Be President?" by Judith St. George. It's a great little nonfiction trivia book for budding history buffs.) I also am impressed that their DVD selection in the kids' section is fairly minimal - in this day and age, so many kids forego the chance to read so that they may let their eyes glaze over while they watch a cartoon version. As a high school teacher, I can tell you, the effects of this are heartbreaking. So many of my students don't like reading, or even worse, can't read beyond a 3rd grade level. If I had kids, or I taught elementary school, I would try my hardest to instill a love of reading and of books. And if I lived in Oakland, I'd know that I'd take them here. read more

as a youth, i've checked out a lot of books when i grew older, less and less, many books were not so available from personal experience, this library is good for youngsters, for adults, the daily newspapers and magazines are the draw. read more

I've only been in the main part of the library once or twice. I think there's probably an APB out for a certain Carl Hiassen book that's been in my trunk for 18 months. So if I do look at books, it's to make copies of knitting patterns. I spend the rest of my time down in the basement in the TeenZone. TeenZone? Besides being a repository for the books that got me through my awkward adolescence, lots of CDs, DVDs and a librarian with a wicked taste in music, the TeenZone is home to the Oakland Public Library Homework Assistance Program (HAP). HAP is also at the Asian, Melrose, and Golden Gate branches, but it's free homework help for high school students. I get to spend my Thursday evenings with some of the coolest kids I know...ok they're the only kids I know, but seriously they're great. There's also a tutoring program for younger kids called OLAS. So, I'm giving 5 stars for giving me a great way to spend thursday nights and for not locking me away for chronic overdue books. read more

They've discontinued "Hot Picks" at this location for some reason, but it's still the best damn library in America!

*disclaimer! I am a librarian, so all libraries will likely receive 5 stars from me. Naturally, I love them on principle. Support your local library!!!!* When thinking of walking into the main branch of OPL, I can really just think of how this, along with many libraries, feels both stoic & impersonal while also feeling efficient and familiar. This place is what you think of when you think of a big city library (that hasn't been updated in some time). The impersonal feel dissolves as you are greeted by friendly faces at the info desk and look to your right (humanities) or left (business) into the heart of the collection. I like the old-school vibe of this place, but I do wish they'd get some moolah to improve the facilities (although it looks like that may happen soon enough based on their master facilities plan on their website). The history room and collection are amazing. Also, the location couldn't be better: the heart of Oakland near downtown and Lake Merritt! read more

Initially I was upset that the location was crazy as far as trying to drive there. Now I really like walking to the library and either taking my books to the lake or hitting Awaken on my way home........ After leaving my job at another library over a year ago, I came to OPL not knowing what to expect--and at the same time felt traces of PTSD, from mentally unstable patrons and thier peculiar smells... This branch is a library and museum experience in one! I walked around looking at the marvelous historic area (great pictures and local history) and found myself lost in the stacks of fiction dizzy with glee! I also discovered that the staff are friendly AND the bathrooms are clean-what a great place! :) read more

Every library deserves a four star minimum! I mean, something so resourceful, needed, and respected should always meet expectations. Very clean and friendly established. I especially love the "baby bounce," on Tuesday mornings located in the kids floor. Perfect way for my infant daughter to interact with music, reading, and other little ones. + Helen, the one who leads is great! The reason for not reaching five stars is the parking situation of dt Oakland. It's pretty gross, so if you can foot it, do that! Basically everywhere is metered parking. One plus is the location is right across from beautiful Lake Merritt. read more

This review is ONLY for the children's area An absolutely wonderful area for kids to explore, dream, hope, read, connect to the internet...EVERYTHING. They've really increased their greatness with time. Their comic book section is CRAZY...the amount of kids addicted to anime is ridiculous! The librarians are wonderful at understanding what children need. Again, this is one of those places that talk to THE KIDS...not the adults...yay!!! They are people too you know read more

The library gets its stars for its awesome help and its interesting selection of movies. I've currently gotten in trouble at work 2 (count 'em - 2) times for showing historical film footage I got there. But the films were great and I'd do it again. Any library who has the Alain Resnais Holocaust film - I forget the name- is okay by me. You'd think eighth graders could handle the first half of it but I didn't swoop in to stop it before the naked part and there you go. Of course, it wasn't nudity for an "interesting" reason, so I didn't really get in much trouble. And they complained the other movie about Japanese interment had a baby on a changing table w/o its diaper. I love my job. Oh, I've managed to write another review that has nothing to do with the library. It's pretty useful, but if you want something obscure, maybe not.... I couldn't find the French books either. I was pissed. Russian, Russian, Russian- SPANISH. There was a clear sign there that the French books were in between. Oh, well. read more

I spend hours in libraries sometimes whether I'm doing work or going to dive into a new book or re-read an old favourite. Since becoming an East Bay kid, I started hanging out at the Oakland Library's Main Branch...I figured every book I could possibly want is here...and so far it has been. As far as a catalog, this library has a ton of books, articles, etc. to my liking. I can't complain there. What I MUST complain about is the random homeless/crazy people who are ALWAYS frequenting this place like it's a dive bar. I understand these people have no place else to go during the day, but this is a library, and most of these "awkward patrons" get loud and unruly. I even had one person actually come up tome and talk crazy talk on more than one occasion, and I went to security about it and to this day (this incident happened months ago), he still visits. This Library needs to have some sort of door policy to not let people like this in. I know it seems a little segregational, but it would be for the better of all of its loyal patrons. read more

The Main Branch Library stood it's ground for a long time and is still a regular stop for me. I opened my library card there for the first time in my life at the age of 7, since 1987, and still the place is my Mecca for information. Over the years, we've had our tufts - mostly my fault, because I keep on trying to borrow something longer than allowed. I've noticed how the rates of fines increased from 10 cents per book per day to 25 cents per book per day. While things like that seem very minuscule to our wallets, it just irks me to pay for something when it should be free. Then again, it's my own fault, and I just started to discipline myself over the years. Now they have a computer center, free wifi for those that don't need to use public computers, and a quite attractive video/DVD library for those that are interested. They even have a tool lending program for those days you need a crow-bar or drill. Yeah, there are the occasional share of vagrants there, but still I love this place. It's my place of worship for Sundays, and I go every other Sunday. Sometimes I check out books but never read them, but I still go, religiously. One thing I want to do is write a message to myself and hide it in one of the books, for maybe 20 years. I'll have to work on that. Until then, I'm a fan of the Oakland Main branch. read more