Beautiful library in Silver Lake! I stopped by to get some work done on a Monday afternoon and there was plenty of seating and table space, and wifi is fast. However, there aren't too many visible outlets based on my knowledge. I appreciate the wide collection of Spanish books for children on display! There's a dedicated underground parking lot but I can definitely see it filling up on a busy day. Bring a jacket; it can get chilly inside. read more

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This is one of the newest branches in the LAPL system so it's very clean and inviting inside. However, parking is so minimal. It's a small lot under the library and we came when there was some sort of community event going on so there was absolutely nothing open & no one was going to their car to leave. That forced us to have to park over a block a way & walk in. The event also spilled out in to the entrance way which made it tough to get in and out of the location. I love that this was a popular location that the community seems to have embraced, but it just wasn't the easiest library for me to navigate to both from parking to actually getting in and out. read more

Silver Lake Branch Library - Libraries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cute little library wish there was more parking. Lots of student in there during finals and that's nice

Los Feliz Library was closing early for some reason, so I decided to come and check out this library which I've been meaning to for quite some time. Underground parking is free, but limited spaces. Plenty of EV parking spots though. There's metered street parking. Several places to sit outside of the library which is nice. When you enter the library, you can either take the stairs or elevator. Layout of the library is nice and cozy. LOVE the computer area!! I feel the layout here is more private compared to the Los Feliz Library. There are also much more computers to use here compared to the Los Feliz Library!! Very clean. Fairly quiet except for the occasional toddler. Only two stalls in the restroom, but it's clean. Interesting that there's a mirror next to the water fountain. Interesting looking book drop. When you see it, you will know what I mean. read more

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The parking situation here is pretty good overall. There are enough spaces available, and it's usually not too crowded. However, during peak hours, it can get a bit tight. The layout is easy to navigate, which is a plus! read more

Overall a quiet library. There isn't much of a selection of books but you can always request a hold. Something different about this library- -it has a section where you can pick up your hold items (most LA County libraries have this layout vs LAPL) -For a small library, there is plenty of space to study; I went on a Saturday AM. Most libraries I encounter have a seating issue. -Their return conveyor belt is pretty cool! You can't put in magazines probably because it's delicate and could eat it. -They have a grand piano, but cannot be played during regular hours. Only complaint is there is a parking lot but it's closed off to the public at the time I went. You can park on the side residential streets without needing to pay for metered parking. read more

Silver Lake Branch Library - Small library but plenty of seats/ computers (Saturday morning)! - Libraries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Beautiful facility. Spacious, comfortable, decent Wi-Fi connection. Lots of power outlets to plug into. Great AC! Helpful staff. Underground parking can be challenging though. read more

Nice library. Well spaced. Smart employees. Parking. Self check out! Gangsta Also has a solid media/film section with great titled DVDs. Yikes on the late fees! $1 per day on the DVDs after 2 day rental -- Sounds like Cockbuster. read more

Silver Lake Branch Library - Hours - Libraries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hard to study here with the layout. Tables are located either in the children's section or at the entrance. There's also a lone table near the teen's section. I brought my own laptop, so maybe they prioritized placing built-in computer tables in quieter sections... But it feels like everywhere I go there's a parent reading a book out loud, a toddler making noises, or someone chatting at the front desk. Glad they're enjoying the library, it's for them too! But not ideal for studying. Its pretty though, with a good selection of books. read more

Great place to study! My only complaint is the small parking lot, but there is street parking sometimes. The place is super open and spacious and they have a small study room behind the librarians. The tables are huge and they have dividers which is great for privacy. It is one of the cleanest libraries I've been to and they have a decent selection of books! They also have a ton of activities on the weekends or weekdays for teens, parents, and children. They range from tax and finance workshop, to teen council, to storytime. You name it! The librarians are also all super sweet and helpful. read more

This place is great. Air conditioning is PERFECT. There are tons of places to get work done. A great book selection. Lots of outlets. Clean facility. Huge fan of this library. Also it's very close to a coffee shop, and a bunch of lunch spots. read more

Okay library. Easy to get stuff on hold and pick it up. 3 stars because parking is horrible and you can never find any in their lot and have to usually park on the street which is metered parking. Children's section is pretty small but they do have story time and kid's toys which is nice. read more

This is such a lovely library! I originally came here to charge my electric car (they have several free charging stations in the garage) and was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of the library. It is very clean, quiet and pretty inside with natural lighting from big windows. There are many tables to sit at and the WiFi speed is decent (I clocked it at 2.25 Mbps download, 3.33 Mbps upload) The librarians are very helpful and friendly, and patrons are very respectful. It's also an eco-friendly building. Many of the Los Angeles area libraries I've been to have felt outdated, smelly and a little noisy. Parking at other libraries is sometimes a challenge (or a cost). This library is the complete opposite and may be the best I've been to in the city! As for the electric car charging: the library allows you to charge for free for a maximum of 4 hours. The service is by Greenlots with a speed of about 22-25 mi/hour, which can fill up your car a great amount if you stay at the library for the maximum time! I've easily found a charging spot during weekday afternoons and early evenings. Tip: I highly recommend using the PlugShare app to "check in" and check the status/availability of the charging stations. read more

Very spacious with high ceilings. This would be the highlight of the place! Why? Because then it does not feel stuffy / dusty / icky / stinky - compared to other LAPL's. This local spot is neat! Not exactly a "shh, it's a library" kind of place. There is a children's reading corner so it may get noisy at times. There's a "study room" which is meant to block out the noise but if you were to look up, you'll notice it's not enclosed. Therefore, noise from outside the box will still be heard. Compared to a cafe, this will have to do just fine. Downer with LAPL's: the printing cost per page; you'll hardly see anyone print anything out despite the perks of wireless printing. Not a ton of parking in the private garage so I suggest parking in residential. read more

Silver Lake Branch Library - Tables by the kids area. - Libraries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Modern building, Free parking with EV charging stations, Clean library and bathrooms. What more do you need? Only downside is your not going to find what you want to read here, but can have it shipped to the library. read more

Two thumbs up for this branch and that it was built!! A very nice and contemporary looking facility. I love it because it doesn't look rundown and beat up like some of the other branches. However, it was constructed somewhat recently though. The library is fairly small, but it is a good aspect because it gives that cozy feeling. They don't have the biggest collection of books, but it has almost everything you need and if you need a book just get it shipped from another branch. Their reading lounge is awesome because you have a great view overlooking the nearby intersection of Glendale and Silverlake Blvd. There are good a amount of computers for people to use. The staff is super friendly if you need any help finding a book or checking books. If you don't like talking to people then you can checkout on the machine. All you do is stack your books on the pad, scan your card, punch in your phone number, and DONE. Quick and simple. The library's parking lot(located under the library) is limited in spaces as you always have to wait for someone to get out. However, you can park on the nearby street of Silverlake if you are willing to walk. I just wish the hours were longer because I could just spend hours here reading and relaxing. read more

Silver Lake Branch Library - Reading lounge. You can see the lower street from here. - Libraries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My preference is the central library, just because it's central and tons of books are there. The Silver Lake Library is still a great community space, with knowledgable staff and the grand piano in its larger room. Who plays the piano is a mystery? Still, I like the idea of this instrument in this location. They have an active kid's section and it seems to be a popular spot for parent and child. Which is good. Also noted is that they have a nice community room for meetings, and they have a superb used bookstore on the premise. The books sold here are super inexpensive, but also very literary. No junk books. And yes, in those hot summer months in Los Angeles, the air conditioning is super cool. Also, since this is walking distance from my home, I have the central library send me books here at this location. Very convenient. I'm pro-library to the maximum. read more

Nice, clean and modern library with a great selection of movies. Sadly they allow children to be extremely loud. I remember libraries being a sacred place where kids were taught to be quiet, but in liberal Silver Lake children are allowed to express themselves by shouting and throwing tantrums without limits. The "Silent Study Room" is right next to kid's area and doesn't block out any of the noise. read more

Came here for the first time recently to check out their storytime and children's play area. They have a wide open floor plan on the second floor, where the children's zone is located. Visitors without kids planning to visit this branch, should definitely bring headphones if you're sensitive to noise. The children's area has several tables and chairs for kids with a large crayon box and scrap paper, a flannel board, several Melissa and Doug puzzles, stuffed animals, large colorful rug, 3 foam lounge chairs, and a little foam ramp. My kids were definitely entertained for the hour we spent there. Lots of children and their parents, nannies, and babysitters were present. We came around 1030am, and easily found parking on the street. There is an area on the ground floor of the library where you can park your stroller. We attended the 1130am storytime. Storytime is held on the ground floor in this large private room with high cathedral ceilings. At the center of the room was a large colorful rug with lots of stuffed animals and colorful scarves for the kids to play with. Storytime itself was ok. Room was packed. There must have been 15-20 kids. The librarian read one book and sang and danced to familiar children's tunes. I prefer my storytime with a theme for the week, a video clip, a flannel board story, at least two books read, and a side table set up with books recommended by the librarian to continue the theme at home... though, I'm probably just spoiled at my local library. :P The best part of storytime was the bubbles at the end. My toddler LOVES bubbles and the space we were in made them even more special because they would climb high up the cathedral ceilings before slowly falling down. That part was cool. Overall this library has a good vibe. Very kid friendly, nice children's play area, and decent storytime. Would come back. read more

Librarians still let nannies/moms/dads let their children run amok or let them cry and don't have the courtesy to take them outside. I understand it requires a certain sensitivity to talk to parents, but I wish they'd say something when a child/baby starts crying for 10-15 minutes disturbing the other patrons trying to get some work. It's a library, not a starbucks, and most definitely not a playground. In addition to, these parents/nannies also leave the childrens area a mess when they leave in the afternoon. I find it disrespectful that they expect librarians (who most likely have MA's and other special certifications for their jobs) to clean up after them and their children. It doesn't take a lot to just put books or crayons away. read more

I'm going to respectfully lower the rating after realizing that the book selection is pretty slim (for adults, as it seems most of the paperbacks carried are for teens or tots). However, they do have the automated checkout which is advanced, and a lot of DVDs, so they've obviously got the whole library meets technology concept down to a science. read more

This library is fantastic. It's aesthetically pleasing, has clean bathrooms, covered parking garage with no time limits, it's open until 8pm, and has a silent study room. However, the person who decided that the silent study room should be wedged in-between the children's storyline area and the information desk, needs to be slapped. The room is unfortunately not sound proof, otherwise it wouldn't be such a big deal, but I REALLY hope that they consider moving the children to a room or possibly downstairs? Nobody wants to hear a child scream or cry while they're trying to focus or read. If they moved the story time area, this would definitely be a five-star library. read more

Sick of all the coffee shops in the area, I decided to tried coming to the library last week to get some work done. I was pleasantly surprised. This library is relatively quiet (especially in the quiet study room), not too crowded, and very well lit. The parking structure, while free, is really tiny so just park on the street! read more

Horrible acoustics. Impossible to study or read here. You can hear staff talking, carts being pushed around, and children's zone is out in the impossible. The idea that this is a library for people other than children is a joke. read more

I was raised with an understanding that libraries are designed for quiet work and studies. With a growing number of distractions at home, I was thrilled to find out that this beautiful library was going to be opening within a mile of me; seeing the progression of the lovely architecture unfold seemed to promise a soothing environment - a perfect place to work. I came to the library on the evening it opened. Upon entering, I was amazed by the book return robot and the modern, open and spacious feel of the library. As I looked around, I noticed that the library was much smaller than the grandeur of the exterior suggests. And the walls started closing in as I began to notice the screams emanating from the children's section of the room... I figured it might've just been a first night thing, but this is now my second time at the library (it is mid-day), and the shreaking beasts across the room will not cease despite their mothers' occasional sprinkling of delicate shushes. While I appreciate the familial feel of books for everyone in a single open space, there is no sound barrier between the children's section and the rest of the library, which I believe is a huge design problem when there are poorly-mannered children around. Another frustration is the wi-fi connection, which offers anywhere from 0-2/4 bars of connectivity from various positions within the building. The strength of connectivity also fluctuates within fixed positions from moment to moment, and has, on multiple occasions, just stopped working. On a brighter note, the limited number (which, of course, is to be expected, considering they just opened) of books they do have are in fantastic condition, and there seems to be a good variety. The DVD/CD collection is also quite impressive and alluring. And fortunately, now, after 20 minutes of sitting in the library, the children have left and the atmospheric quality is actually quite pleasant and work-friendly. Now that I'm done ranting, I will do what I came here to. read more

i love this library. Im glad they opened it! Where else would I go to study now?! I do wish that they are open till after 8, but its okay. I seem to leave the library around 7 ish anyway. The wi-fi is just a little slow, but it's no mind. It's a great atmosphere to study in. I especially love the fact thats it real close by my house. Just a good healthy walk by the lake and there it is. read more

I live so close to this library, which makes me really appreciate it. I honestly cannot review on the book selection, since I haven't checked anything out yet. I have only used this facility as a place to study. As a study location, it did it's job, but there is definitely room for improvement. The "cubicals" (which really don't block you from others) are located directly by the kids section/play area. With that being said, make sure to bring head phones or ear plugs. There are a number of unattended children hanging out here. My first experience when I was trying to study, was listening to pre-teens fighting over a juice box. There was also a slight smell, which I want to say was of vomit, but I could be wrong. Once I got into the zone, and had my music a-playin', it was fine. I did go back a few times after that, and basically had the same experience, so just be prepared for that. Oh, and one other thing. They have some lights that are on sensors. Which...to me, doesn't make any sense. People sitting at desks reading/studying aren't usually moving, so the lights go off pretty often, which is distracting. read more

This review is for parents, specifically. :) Beautiful space. So-so parking lot- small and awkward but we get a spot most of the time. Kids area is really good- they have stuffed animals, big rug, and small tables- make it easy for the children to get what they want without help. Lots of selection in the kids books. Sometimes there are volunteer readers, who will read to your kid, which is sweet. I haven't been to a story time yet... But I have to write that he librarians themselves are kinda...mean? Rude? Completely lacking warmth or any sense of customer service? I mean, their jobs are paid by our taxes, aren't they? There could be a hint of polite service...instead, the feeling we get every time we go is that we are being a burden. It is a real turn-off. I guess I could return the favor and act like a bitch too, but so far I have resisted. lol read more

It's been said here before, but it's true -- this place is really perplexing. Pro: There's tons of light, lots of space, and a decent collection of the basic freshman-reading-list classics & necessities. Plugs, wifi, windows. Big, weird Con: It's loud. Like persistently, coffee shop-level loud. To the point where it seems like they're actively campaigning to be a library for people who love everything about libraries except the quiet. Librarians have conversations with patrons at full voice. Children's story hour is right out in the open. People take phone calls. The photocopier's always churning. Tutors work with students like they're at a kitchen table. Once an hour it seems like someone's noisily loading or unloading something, and it seems to be a favorite hangout for people who like to whistle while they wander. Lower your expectations and bring headphones and you can have a pleasant afternoon of work here. read more

Great space! Plenty of street parking. The issues are with the noise level and extremely slow internet speed. If I need to use the internet I tend to go somewhere else, because it is so hit or miss, and usually miss. Noise level is out of control. Librarians do not monitor it. Horrible acoustics. Sometimes they have concerts in the main part of the library, which would be nice if - It wasn't in the main floor of the library where people are trying to study. Is this not common sense? Some of the librarians are really nice and some are a total pain in the ass to deal with. read more

Have to agree with the other reviewers, wonderful architecture, great for children apparently because there are always noisy children activities, but god awful place for studying, working, or any quiet reading. there are very few desks with outlets, and the quiet room is not even enclosed so you can hear everything going on outside. Dont' really understand the point of that. Also there is absolutely no regulation re: sound. Not only do the staff not monitor talking, between adults, much less screaming children, they are usually carrying on loud conversations themselves. The library does have odd hours, but they have improved somewhat, even opening on Saturdays now. The wifi is hit or miss. But count on it being slow. read more

Good study environment? Check. Quiet? Check. Table space? Check. Outlets? Check. Short restroom lines? Check. Serviceable wifi? Check. Parking? Check. I believe that hits all that I want in a library. Yay! I'm a fan. read more

I really like this library. The building is beautiful as others have said with nice tall ceilings and lots of natural light. Wi-fi is atrociously slow but that should be expected because it's free. Parking was already full on a Thursday afternoon even when I arrived 30 minutes after it opened. There's plenty of street parking, though. One bit of advice: if you own a laptop with a glossy screen, it's nearly impossible to view it without suffering severe eye strain from the glare because of the abundance of natural light from all directions. I unfortunately own one of these and left earlier than I wanted. read more

Gorgeous library; decent DVD selection (but I'm still a Los Feliz girl at heart). Great location--I fortified at Silverlake Coffee Co. ahead of time. I'm super excited for the book groups, though! There are four of them, all meeting next month. Librarians were very helpful. read more

It's perfect! Very spacious, great children space, study space - whether you're the individual who enjoys their space or the view of the trees outdoors- clean bathrooms! Parking lately is very limited depending on time/day you come. There's a parking garage below, several places to grab a bite and then work on emails or binge watch Netflix. Have been going there since High School now graduated college and still enjoy it! read more

Sooo great to have a library this close, and that's about the biggest plus. It's beautiful, and has a good atmosphere, but the library is very small, has difficult parking at times, and does not have a good selection of items on the shelf. I always reserve online from the LAPL website and have the items sent to the branch, just takes a few days to a week. read more

Best library in the world and has the coldest water fountain in Los Angeles. Small quibble: The elevator has labeled the Parking level as 'G' and the Ground level as 'P'. Melvil Dewey would be perplexed. read more

returned a number of times to read the l.a. times, check the chicago manual [14th not 15th ed. :(] and to check out dvds. luckily, the dvds are in pretty good condition in that the library has been open only twelve weeks or so. i don't know if people chew on them, or just don't care, but many libraries in los angeles have dvds in a truly sad state of yarg. love the open reading room - but sometimes it is colonized by chatting texting teens which can be annoying. lovely reference staff, but one particularly haughty, churlish book check-out fellow. [yea! i don't think i've ever used the term churlish in a review...] great futuristic DIY check out stations: put your items with bar code flat on mystery tablet, place your card bar code on a light square to be read, list appears on screen and is ready when the selections turn from yellow to sea green. receipt optional. (and in fact on much higher quality paper than all other lapl libraries, fyi.) read more

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This charming bookstore is run by a lovely group of volunteers, curating used books into a great selection. All proceeds from this bookstore go to fund special programs and materials for The Silver Lake Library. read more

Silver Lake Branch Library - The Silver Lake Library Bookstore is located on the right-hand side when you walk into the Silver Lake Library. - Libraries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Badass library! Not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good... The librarians here are all very sweet and helpful. The self-checkout is quick, and efficient. Perfect for days when you'd rather grab your books, run and hide from the world, and curl up with a good book. The selection seems to be on the skinny side, but that could be because our family is spoiled with the bounty of the other LAPL branches - Atwater, Los Feliz, Edendale, Echo Park, and Central...we're looking at you! - which is easily remedied by putting placing an interlibrary request online or in person. The hold shelf is conveniently located around the corner from the self-checkout. We love that the children's section is not separated from the rest of the library, and feel that it reflects our community's emphasis on inclusivity. read more