I have visited this library several times so far and always enjoyed the material available, the nice open view, the sitting arrangement. There is also a nice cafe by the entrance which I have not tried but noticed there were sweets, pastries, drinks and fruit along with both indoor and outdoor sittings. The used book store offers plenty of bargains. I am glad that I have the privilege to come here and enjoy some quite reading moments! read more

Rancho San Diego County Library - Outdoor patio area - Libraries Near Me - El Cajon, California

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I'm extremely disappointed with my experience at this library. As a graduate student, I come here because I genuinely need a quiet space to study, yet the study rooms are almost never available. Today, one of the already limited study rooms was reserved for two hours for staff to hang up materials. The room was sitting completely empty, so we used it, but multiple staff members came over and immediately made us leave. Over 30 minutes later, the room was still empty and nothing had been hung up. It's frustrating to see valuable study space kept unavailable when students are actively trying to use it. One staff member also questioned us about how long we had been studying and accused our group of making reservations under different names. This felt unnecessarily confrontational, especially since the posted sign states that you may continue using a room past your two-hour reservation if nobody else is waiting. We followed that rule, yet were repeatedly told the room was "reserved," despite nobody actually using it. I completely understand having policies and reservation limits, but they should be applied reasonably and consistently. Graduate students and others who come here specifically to study depend on these spaces. Limited study rooms should prioritize people who are actually there to study rather than sitting empty for extended periods. read more

I used to live nearby and it was my regular thing to go to this Library every Sunday. It has such a nice vibe! I stopped by during a recent book crawl and it brought back fond memories. And what a cute little Friends of the Library book store! Very clean and uncluttered and laid out nicely... Super friendly staff! read more

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This library has become unbelievably frustrating for anyone actually trying to study. I come here to prepare for college exams, and instead of a quiet environment, it feels like a loud social hangout. There is consistently either a disability group or middle school students that run around talking loudly with zero consideration for the people around them. It's disruptive, disrespectful, and completely defeats the purpose of a library. I understand that public spaces are for everyone, but that doesn't mean basic courtesy should go out the window. A library is supposed to be a place for reading and studying not a place for ongoing loud conversations. If people want to socialize, there are plenty of other places to do that. The library seriously needs to step up and enforce noise levels or create strictly enforced quiet zones or hours. read more

I like going to this library to read and work on paperwork. When the kids get out of school it is noisy and the kids act so dumb. The library people have to be like baby sitters. These kids should no better than to run or talk very loud or even yell in a library. The staff are very nice and I love the book store. They have great prices on their books. They have free ceramic classes among other classes. It is a fun way to meet people. Teri Curtis read more

The Library is a so nice, I have lived in the area since it was built but have seen a few negative changes. The nearby middle school has made the library a dropping ground for unruly kids and now they have to have two guards on site. Also the the men's bathroom now supplies free tampons and sanitary napkins, a sign of twisted times. The staff is great through and the facility is clean and well organized. read more

Very rude staff and not very good book selections for a library if you even whisper to loud one they will kick you out.

Service was horrible! Owner of the establishment completley ignored me! One of the employees flipped me off when i asked them to help me find a book! Never coming here again. read more

This library may be small, but it has everything I look for in a local public library. ONE STAR- Quiet study rooms. Booking study rooms can be done a few days in advance if you'd like. I came in once or twice & was lucky enough to get a room right away, but I wouldn't count on it. I got 2 hours in there with just me & my books. Yay me! Just bring your ID or library card. They aren't very strict about it. ONE STAR- Indoor & outdoor seating. There are many seats inside the library as well as out front & a nice area out back with a mini waterfall & umbrellas. It's nice to get a bit of sun sometimes when you're reading/working in the library, don't you agree? ONE STAR- Countywide book reservation(?) service A month before the Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows pt 2 came out in theaters, my little sister & I decided to do something epic to commemorate the occasion. You guessed it. We wanted to read through all 4,000+ pages of the HP books, from Sorceror's Stone to Deathly Hallows. Needless to say, we didn't have doubles of every book, so naturally, we came to the library to check some out. We needed 2 from the series but unfortunately this branch was all out. The librarian who helped us was AMAZING. She immediately got on her computer & placed an order(?) for the books we needed & asked us if we could read in any other languages b/c oftentimes your book will arrive sooner than 3-5 days if you request a non-English version. A few days later, I got an email saying my books were ready for pickup! It was very efficient. ONE STAR- Electronic check-out. This library has a great electronic check-out system where you basically scan your library card & can check out all your items by sliding them on the little pad. I love it! It's so convenient! Totally beats standing in long lines! ONE STAR- Very helpful staff & librarians. My little sister once left her cell phone on one of the armchairs here. When we came back the next day, a librarian asked us to describe it & turns out someone brought it to her & it was in their lost & found locker. We were very lucky to have found it, but the staff is always so kind & polite here. They seem like genuinely, nice people who want to help you find what you're looking for, whether it be books or your sister's cell phone! :) BONUS- There's a little Java Express Cafe right outside the library where you can get muffins, cookies & other assorted baked goods as well as iced coffee & smoothies. ***TIP: Hide/put your head phones on/get yourself a study room if you find yourself trying to get some peace & quiet at around 3:30pm on a weekday (during the academic year) because Hillsdale Middle School is right next door & many students head over to the library until their parents can pick them up after work. You can expect a small stampede of children coming through & LOTS of giggling. You've been warned (not that I don't like children...I'm just saying)!*** read more

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Nice library in this community with plenty of seating and a coffee shop, clean bathrooms and sitting area in the front. As of 02/28/19 you can make copies for .15 cents each, the machine takes coins and give you change Self check out machines and drop off boxes outside the building If the books you want aren't available at this library, you can request them and a few days later books will arrive. As other reviewers have said it does gets noisy after 3pm with all the students, parents use the parking lot to pick up their kids. There is a security guard on site. read more

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This is a great public library. I came stopped by this morning to get a new library card because it has been years since I have used mine or even seen it. The service and process in getting the card was a piece of cake. I registered on one of their computers and I was issued a card at the main desk. It took nor for that 4 minutes. This library is cool because they have story time in the mornings for the little ones. Check on line for times and days, and they carry DVD movies and CD music for check out. I like that they have drop off dispensers out in front for convenient. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/BTmSa0J8Y94ZnLSUZoCs-w?select=5AqjvCPOFjc-I0Bcp4RX0w) The library carries a wide variety of children and adult novels and expository text for readers. They have Internet access and quite areas and rooms for study groups. Great public service...... read more

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This location used to have one of the better county library facilities - despite their staff - but after recently replacing their tables, desks, and chairs (with fewer newer inferior models) there is now much less seating and electrical outlets available (and the interior atmosphere is now not at all comfortable or conducive for doing much of anything inside the library). Just get or return your "materials" and then leave. At least the WiFi here is very strong so can also be accessed outside from cars in their covered parking lot - and sometimes across the street. read more

Great place to study. Noisy at times but nonetheless, it is inspiring and I love working there. I wrote most of my doctoral dissertation and that alone provides kudos! More electrical outlets would be desirable. read more

The Rancho San Diego library no longer accepts donated books. That is as of January 2024.

I really don't understand how this place has 4 stars. I'm not sure who manages this branch but when we went to turn in a ballot by closing time (listed as 18:00) we got there at 17:30 and they were closed with the doors locked. I don't know if it's because they didn't want to stay open to collect all of the ballots but that to me is unacceptable. As an official ballot collection point they should be open for the hours intended. Unbelievable. read more

This is the only public library I've been to with a café, outside patio area and soothing waterfall. I hardly ever see anyone on the patio, so it's a nice, quiet reading place to catch some sun. The city has done a great job of maintaining this library and it looks as new as when it opened over 5 years ago. It's smaller than the El Cajon library, but you can request anything online and have it delivered within a couple days...and I always feel safe here after dark. It has some good seating areas, such as the couches next to the magazines. I noticed a lot of chairs don't have cushions though, which can get really uncomfortable after a while...they should change that. I'm a huge fan of the weeklong DVD rentals. Also, their career book section is pretty extensive. I spent some good quality time there when I was job hunting. Free Wi-Fi is always nice, and there are plenty of computers available if you need them. I agree with other reviewers about avoiding the after-school hours if possible (it's next to a middle school), although I like that the tweens are hanging out at the library instead of getting into trouble in alleys. read more

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This is an excellent library, one of the newer San Diego County libraries. Architecturally attractive, It is very well organized and hosts many interesting and well-attended events. It is spacious, yet very efficient in its layout, with natural light streaming into the study areas. The exterior landscaping is a fine example of a very timely drought-tolerant theme. As with most County libraries it provides free Wi-Fi and computers for use inside. Parking can be marginal during events, but there is plenty of street parking available. One of my favorite events occurs annually, just before the July 4 holiday. For the past few years the library has invited Trails & Rails to perform for two hours, and this year was no exception. The trio gave a sterling performance (only interrupted once by a public address announcement), and the library provided a Fourth of July- themed cake. The musical theme, given the holiday, was American Cowboy and Western music, which Trails & Rails ably performed. Their harmonies and virtuosity are very pleasant and entertaining. The library even sports a nice little snack shop, aptly named "Java Express" near the main entrance. No need to get your coffee fix elsewhere. Just sit and sip at the umbrella-clad tables in the front courtyard. As an adjunct to the library, there is a Friends of the Rancho San Diego Library Bookstore, which contains many hundreds of used books, all at bargain prices. Real bargains, like one or two dollars each, and the selection is quite comprehensive. It is staffed by volunteers. Many of the donated volumes are in like-new condition. This place is what libraries should be. read more

Its big & clean i often come here to study & its cold in the hot days the perfect place to hide from that hot sun , the only thing is after 3:00 pm when kids leave school it gets very loud and busy because they come here to wait for parents , i have my headphones on with study music at that time to help me study . They have coffee shop which super great wide variety of drinks and food . read more

Rancho San Diego County Library - Libraries Near Me - El Cajon, California

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This review is based on the employee aspect of the library....very grumpy and not helpful at all. Seems as if they are bored out of their minds, so they have to pick on people. I was out on the patio with 2 of my grandchildren, there were rocks and sticks everywhere on the walking area in front of the waterfall. My grandkids asked me if they could throw the rocks and sticks back into the garden where they came from and.... out like a bat outta hell, an older librarian came out of her hole and read us the riot act. Come on now I was supervising the kids, making sure they were following directions. They were putting the rocks and sticks back where they belong and out of the way. The worst employee is the younger gentleman that sits at the desk. He got up and started leaving as I walked up to pay an overdue fine for a DVD. As he was leaving the area, I kiddingly said "wait, I need you". He then said "I'm sure you are making a bigger deal out of what it really is". Huh?? First of all, he didn't even know what I was going to ask him and second of all, lose that rotten attitude and personality- geez, you work with the public and you are going to be a grumpass? On another occasion a middle-aged librarian there was giving a mentally challenged teen a very hard time since he wasn't in the "teen area" and was in the children's area near the firetruck. Holy moly, chill out people! People go to libraries to study, chill and relax with a good book. Calm your bowels will ya?!??!! read more

My go to library, even though its not the closest library located. Great air conditioning when hot outside. Partitions between computer desks allows privacy. Nice patio area outside. Helpful employees. Internet use usually available with no wait time. Not a huge selection of books, but any book requested can be promptly sent there for pick up. Interesting architecture with exposed beam ceilings. Support and use your local library!!! read more

People here seriously have NO SHAME in the volume of voice they speak at Children are literally running around and screaming... Parents need to learn to tame/control their kids! Teenagers also need to stop making out and smacking their lips when there are others around! Take that somewhere else!! OOMMMGGG The internet seriously sucks here!! It keeps going out every less than 5 minutes! I've seriously spent more time trying to connect to the internet than actually studying and doing my research!! And I know for a fact that there is nothing wrong with my new laptop. I can no longer study here! I need to find a new place to study... Shame shame shame! read more

No big secret -- I'm a nerd. Who gets a library card when they move to a new city? I do! Nice, new library, great neighborhood. Good selection of books, even newer stuff. The staff is friendly. Once, when I was checking my books out, the lady looked at my selection on organization and referred and reserved a video for me. Ahh, you just don't get that kind of personal customer service much these days. I also like that, for absent-minded people like myself (as if the organization issues didn't give it away), they email you to remind you when your books are almost due. Insider tip: avoid the right-after-school hours -- too much noisy teens and tweens for me to handle. Bonus: there's a little cafe with an awesome cookies & cream blended "coffee" drink and better-than-Nestle choc chip cookies. Close to heaven, I tell you. read more

My husband and I took our kids (4 and 18m twins) here today. The library is newer and very clean with plenty of books for the littles to enjoy! The outdoor patio area seems like a nice place to sit and enjoy a book (there's a water fixture that adds a nice relaxing element to it). However, we did have a couple of disappointments. 1. There was an unattended 5(?) year old wrecking the joint. First, he kept taking things away from my son (a puzzle and books). His mother and/or father nowhere in sight. Finally, I spotted his mom, who was on the other side of the room- not in a place where she can even watch him and she was studying/doing homework. She handed him a bag of Cheetos which ended up all over the floor along side the puzzles he hoarded and threw on the floor. I can't imagine trying to study and watch my rambunctious child, but this was ridiculous. As it relates to the library, I was hoping there would be a librarian posted somewhere near the kids section, but the desk by the kids section remained empty the duration of our visit. The only librarian we could find was helping a line of ppl. 2. Story time was kind of a bummer. Our kids were definitely too old for this particular one that seemed geared towards infants up to 12 months, but even so, I've gone to other library story times that put this story time to shame several times over. For starters the introduction song was not inclusive to all the littles who attended. I've gone to story times that had more babies but made it a point to do the song for everyone there. She only pointed to 5 or 6 babies, which was kind of a bummer. However, the biggest disappointment was that she didn't read a single book. She handed out books and we waited, expecting to read the book as a group and then she just collected them. I've never been to a STORY time that didn't include a single story. 3. The cafe was closed :( Overall, it was a really nice library. We are somewhat new to the area, so I'm glad we checked it out. Hopefully the cafe is open next time! read more

Great library and nice to see that there are still nice libraries available for people to use. This one seems pretty new and has decent internet access along with the most important thing in El Cajon, COLD AIR CONDITIONING! They have a nice assortment of books, CDs, manga, and comics. I don't think there is a better place to be productive in the area. There is a cafe that is attached to the library making it an easy place to study or work and refill yourself without having to battle the heat outside nor go in your car and drive up interrupting productivity. read more

This Library has the nicest staff. I love the bookshop and coffee store. It is a great place to go for a quiet morning reading session with a cup of joe. The library also has Fine Free Fridays! The LAST Friday of every month you can turn all your past due items in (up to 60 days past due) and they will cancel the fines on them--even if you already got the notice in the mail saying you need to buy them. They do not however, remove fees for things you turned in late in the past. For Fine Free Friday you can drop your item in the outside drop-box AFTER closing on Thursday all the way through Saturday morning BEFORE they open. Saturday morning when they empty the outside drop-box, they check everything in as if it were still Friday. If you come in on one of these FFF's it is not necessary to hand your items to a staff member, the drop box is fine. The staff is well aware of FFF and will check your items in accordingly that day. Sooo... no one has any excuses to hold on to late stuff! read more

I came here once because I needed to print out a paper for school. I don't have a Library card so I asked how could I print something out quickly or just fill out paperwork for a card. The lady at the front was more then helpful and gave me a temporary code to access the printer AND since it was for school, she said it was FREE =) read more

Can parents please stop using the parking lot as a pick up zone? This is so ridiculous. Other people are trying to leave or park.

Great helpful staff, study rooms, comprehensive collection, bookstore, cafe, kid's area, teen section, courtyards, outside seating.... that pretty much says it all! I love this place! read more

Nice comforting, quiet atmosphere employees or volunteers are very sweet and are always there to help you. If your lost or don't know where to find a book and/or movie it's easy to ask for help and they'll help you with whatever you need. read more

Rancho San Diego County Library - Rancho San Diego library - Libraries Near Me - El Cajon, California

I really really love this library. I've always had a library card and I enjoy spending time in a library. That means I'm pretty picky about which library I'm in. I need to feel comfortable in it. I immediately felt comfortable even just driving into the parking lot. It's a new library and it's exceptionally clean. There's even a cafe and a courtyard with a waterfall! The librarian was very helpful in signing myself and my husband up for our new library cards and they have a lovely collection of DVDs and CDs for checkout. Unfortunately (fortunately?) I generally read 2-3 books each month on my Kindle and always have another handful waiting to be read, so I didn't want to check out any more books to bog myself down. I did find a great book about the most important novels to read before you die and immediately checked it out. There are really nice displays with book suggestions as you walk in and a nice children's area on one side of the library, while there are tables for adults way on the other side. I like kids, but you know -- those things can be loud and I'd prefer to have them away from me when I'm trying to study. The self-checkout was great and they even have a little stool so kids can reach the checkout computers by themselves. I thought that was sweet. This is definitely a smaller library, but it reminds me so much of the little Naselle, WA library I spent so many summers in growing up. Back then a trip to the library was like a trip to Disneyland and once I was old enough to ride a bike by myself, I would ride 45 minutes every day just to sit in there reading. I guess that's why I immediately fell in love with this little library. Tip: Make sure to follow the traffic flow markings in the parking lot. The whole thing is essentially one way. read more

I love to read so I always try to visit any local library when I'm traveling, on business trips or visiting friends. While I do like most libraries I visit, Rancho San Diego is above and beyond. It's a very welcoming atmosphere here. Clean and well organized. The staff is very friendly and willing to help. This place must be a real treat for children and you can tell they have made this library a special place for kids that like stories or reading. read more

Getting 29 Mbps download / 7.5 Mbps upload / 11 ms ping WiFi on a Sunday morning (measured via http://www.speedtest.net). Always use a VPN on open WiFi hotspots like this to protect your data from packet sniffers. read more

The facility is nice but the staff sucks. One hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing. One staff member will tell you one thing, then someone else is chastising you for doing what the other person told you to do. They are absolutely rude to visitors, adults and kids alike. They need to learn how to manage without the bitchface. read more

Honestly, I used to love this library until I started studying other places. Their internet is always down, the bathrooms are always broken, there are always children and adults speaking loudly or running around screaming with the employees not saying anything to them, and the study rooms are always occupied by only one person. When I am with a group trying to study and a room is taken by one person (oh how much this bothers me), we get yelled at by the employees and told that we are speaking too loud and shouldn't be speaking to each other in a library. Then within 20-30 mins or so, there are children playing their computer games, or screaming and running around, not being told to stay quiet... have some consistency! I once was in the middle of a test using one of their computers since their wi-fi was down, and after going to the bathroom and coming back, all of my stuff and my opened test page was closed and there was someone sitting in my REGISTERED computer looking up movies. When I complained, the librarian yelled at me and told me to leave the library. Honestly, its a public library, taxpayers pay for this to be open, and the internet is either hit-or-miss, and recently, their A/C hasn't even been working read more

This library is ridiculous the near by middle school let's out and the kids take it over there is not a seat to be had everybody is loud and rambunctious you can't get any work done and the library stuff does nothing to stop it there are unsupervised kids everywhere just hanging about not studying not doing homework and just being obnoxious read more

Favorite library, excellent materials, friendly and helpful staff. I always go online and request items for transfer. They even have a 3-D printer that you can reserve to print out on. Outdoor area is a gem and coffee shop out front a bonus. Very impressive. read more

This place would be excellent but during the school year between 2-5pm, it's completely worthless. It's not the kids fault.... but parents who allow their children to run rampant and staff who have most likely just given up on the situation. PARENTS: please train your kids to keep a lid on it, and stop using this place as an unsupervised after school daycare. STAFF: Put some rules in place and remove repeat offenders (3 strikes your out etc.). The behavior I witness here would NEVER stand when I was a kid 20 years ago. After the kids are gone? 5 stars. read more

I don't know if they still have this, but they used to have 1 day of the month you could bring back late library books with fines, and NOT have to pay any of the fines. I learned about it when I went to return a bunch of books and pay the fines and the librarian said "you should just come back Friday and you won't have to pay any fines." I am terrible at returning books on time, so this alone made me love this library! read more

This place is one of my favorite places to be. It's always clean and quiet. They have an amazing selection of books and there's nothing I love more then getting lost in a book. It's a big and beautiful library. I always find what book I'm looking for and the service is outstanding. read more

This is a nice library. The staff is very helpful. I have one problem, the tables are filthy! They use to be somewhat white but after a few years they have turned a gray color. I don't think they have ever been cleaned. read more