I went there to get a library card and the ladies were nice and helpful. And then I called them for…read morehelp regarding my pin and there were able yo help me over the phone and the gentleman was very nice and professional.

This is a special library. Staff who care about patrons, good community location. Lunches during…read morethe summer, weekly storytimes for families, crafts, nice collections. Lots of computers and printing available.

The Elmhurst Branch of Oakland Public Library is a quaint cottage-like library with adult, teen,…read moreand children's books/materials and Internet terminals. A nice little spot in a busy neighborhood.

Nice little building. I suppose I'm used to larger branches. The selection here is just really poor…read moreand the librarian working there the day I got my library card was very unfriendly.

Tiny branch library, but it's the one in walking distance. If I can't find an ebook of something,…read moreI'll have the physical book sent to this branch, and it usually shows up for pickup within 1-2 days. Returns are super easy with all the book drops outside. The main library does a better job of curating adult books (new releases, hot titles) so I rarely come out of the Piedmont library with something I didn't already expect to pick up, but these little branch libraries aren't exactly sized for extended browsing.

The Piedmont library is not just one of the smallest libraries in the Oakland Public library system…read moreI've seen, but one of the smallest libraries I have ever been in period. For it's size though it is a quality over quantity. There is a smart collection of magazines, books, DVDs, CDs, & graphic novels. Patrons here have access to the entire Oakland library online & all the libraries in CA through the Link Plus interlibrary loan system to pick up items on their hold shelf. There are two computers for internet. There is also a printer for print jobs or Xerox copies. Staff here is friendly. Kudos for the great selection of magazines including Lonely Planet for travel, Lucky Peach for foodies, & MOJO which is probably the best music magazine out there. Magazines is where the Piedmont Ave Branch Library seems to shine brightest. Piedmont Ave Branch Library is a short walk from Timeless Coffee which is a fully vegan coffeehouse serving heavenly hot drinks, desserts, & brunch. Check them out! The hours of the Piedmont Ave Branch Library are: Sun- Closed Mon- Closed Tues- 12:30pm to 8pm Wed- 10am to 5:30pm Thurs- 10am to 5:30pm Fri- 12pm to 5:30pm Sat- 10am to 5:30pm

Walked in was helped right away! August 8,2026. The…read moregentleman and lady working today were the best. Showed me how to download insurance documents from my cell! Say what! I don't need the computer! Thrilled! It was so easy! He walked me to the printer! I felt so welcomed! He mentioned my fines everything! So, that was nice he was just a perfect gentleman. Then the lady helped out it was so nice! Thank you librarian!

I love this library location. My family has been coming to this branch for years. There is easy…read morestreet parking. It is huge and felt very safe during the pandemic. We have used the toy and seed lending, bike fix, and the reading programs. The librarians remember us and have been helpful finding books for both my child and myself.

Veronica helped me a lot with my Kindle! I recently needed help with my library card and Libby and…read moreall that good stuff, and Veronica was not only helpful, but incredibly patient and happy to answer my questions. Shout out Veronica!

Came by quick and easy print also Fredricka very nice and polite. Thanks will be back for more…read moreprinting

I most definitely recommend the library to everyone! There's so many perks, events and learning…read moreopportunities + the Discover & Go perks (Google it or ask your librarian!). Get yourself a library card to check out books, magazines, DVDs & I'm not sure exactly of what else. Some libraries offer check out of tools (if not the Manor branch, the Main library does! ie. stuff for camping trips). You can also rent out private study rooms for a certain amount of time. You can use their computers (forgot how long the time goes up to) & I also love that they allow free computer printing up to 20 pages. Make sure to keep track of your return date for items checked out. They have self check out machines- super easy, and have the clerks available to help you out if need be. Enjoy!

I appreciate the hours; came in on a Friday when the main library(which I love) was closed :-( This…read morelibrary is open Monday through Friday and closes on the weekend. Study tables and chairs line the windows and there are also comfy looking chairs set up for alternate study positions. Children library is toward the back and there are also a couple of tables and computers back there. I like that study rooms can be reserved as well. As far as noise ummmm...it's loud in here. Not the occasional door opening or chair scraping on the floor. There's a constant orchestra of noise which may be ok for some but as for me, I prefer library silence to study. I understand that this library is one big shared space for adults and kids and actually didn't mind noise from the kids. It was all the other distractions, including another patron that was FaceTiming on speaker. Really sis? I'll come if I have no other choice but if you need a quiet space to study I would not recommend, or maybe bring noise cancelling headphones. Will give a 4 because I want to support local libraries.

Very rare special collection for visitors and history students nationwide ..Oakland main library is…read morenear lake Merritt ..special magazines never seen ...nice archives to show..basic library in the bay with more to see..teen center and lounge and chargers ...nice view ..very nice visit to Oakland main library ..wouldn't have known ..tour libraries in the bay ...back then 1970-1990 ...rare california books ...positive community

Oakland History Room at the Main Library…read morehttp://www.oaklandlibrary.org/Seasonal/Sections/oakhr.html I LOVE Maps. All maps but especially old maps, you know the kind that come in huge books... I also LOVE Oakland. So this means I hella LOVE the Oakland History Room because it's filled with, you got it... Old Huge Map Books of Oakland! So a nerd like me can spend HOURS here looking stuff up. Some friends and I own Victorians here in Oakland and I was determined to see the original maps from when they were first built all in the 1800s. I overshot the year on my block at first but got to see the map of when Veniza Garden took up most of it. Then I saw the map when my home, the Cates-Downing house appeared and later the building where La Borinquena (my family's restaurant) exists now. It was a little more complicated to find my friend's house since I had to go back to when the Fruitvale district had not yet been annexed to Oakland and was still called Fruitvale, CA. His house was literally in the middle of a fruit orchard and was the main house for years. It also explained why there were so many windows both for natural light and to oversee the fields. The woman helping me find all this information was sweet, kind and incredibly PATIENT! There are also tons of books, photographs and enough maps to wallpaper for days. Go with lots of time on your hands and be respectful of the artifacts you may or may not be allowed to handle. Oh, the smell of old books can be intoxicating in a giddy, nerdy way or smell musty and not so good otherwise. Also note that the hours are strange everyday they are open. To my fellow Oakland history nerds who also like libraries... Go Forth. Research. Be Happy.

Quiet and comfortable space to study. Easily located near public transit with decent parking around…read morethe area. If you need a quiet place to study come here.

My partner and I both became members of the Alameda County Law Library in 2023. What prompted our…read morebecoming members was a lawsuit that my partner was a plaintiff in, which we decided to do entirely on our own, without legal counsel. The lawsuit was against a major medical conglomerate, and it was truly a David vs. Goliath battle, which we knew it would be going in. We wanted to learn the legal process on our own, and not pay a lawyer to bleed us dry. Both of us have had bad experiences with unscrupulous attorneys in the past, and were not about to roll the dice again, in what was a very important case. As we found out early on in the process, the law itself is beautifully simple and straightforward. It's the procedural aspect that is a bureaucratic nightmare; an incredible maze of endless complicated procedures, paperwork, and deadlines, and designed to be that way on purpose to deter people from accessing the legal system without paying an arm and a leg to attorneys. Nevertheless, we persisted resolutely with the lawsuit, which turned into a nearly full-time job for both of us for the following year. We educated ourselves on the applicable California and Federal laws, and on more than you could ever hope to know about legal procedure. Enter the Alameda County Law Library. This is where you will find what you need to work on a legal case, in the many volumes of legal literature, but more so in the digital materials. For us, Trellis provided the majority of information we needed in the form of related case law, and how to prepare various briefs. I was very disappointed to learn recently that Trellis has ended remote access, and this law library ended their subscription to Trellis. Trellis was, by far, the most invaluable legal info. resource for us, and it's disheartening that it will no longer be available to pro-se (self-represented) litigants, in what is already a system heavily stacked against them. All the employees at the law library we encountered were nice. However, the assistance they can and do offer is very limited. As any pro-se litigant will be reminded repeatedly, both verbally and by signs at the front desk, "We cannot offer any legal advice!". Yes, we get it. We personally never asked for any type of advice on legal strategy, only on procedure, forms, etc., but even then, we were basically on our own. Perhaps they're afraid of big-wig lawyers coming after them if they help pro-se litigants. As I mentioned, the system is very much designed to intimidate the pro-se litigant, so huge respect to anyone who takes on the enormous challenge of self-representation. Even with its limitations, though, the law library proved to be a valuable resource for us. If you become a member, you will be on their email list, and you want to pay attention to their emails, there is a lot of good info there about events and resources that may help you. One time, we were informed we could schedule a brief phone call with an attorney who could answer procedural questions, and we jumped on the opportunity. The call was helpful. The library also hosts Zoom classes conducted by attorneys, on various legal topics, such as estate planning, debt, renter protections, etc. The classes offer MCLE credits for attorneys, but are also open to non-attorneys like us just looking to learn as much as we can. We've taken several classes now and found them to be very good. Even though our lawsuit has since ended, we still keep an eye on their emails for upcoming classes that may be of interest. I am grateful the Alameda County Law Library is there, and open to all who wish to join. There is a wealth of information there; but you will need to do all the investigative work yourself, with the library staff pointing you in the right direction. If you decide to do what we did, and fight a major lawsuit on your own, you will need two things before you begin: a set of brass ones, and a law library membership. Good luck, and message me if you want more info.