Very cool and refreshing to avoid during a hot summer day!! There are a lot of beautiful spaces to sit down at to study, read, and do work in! I enjoy how strong the AC is in here and the staff are also very friendly and informative. I was assisted by the male staff here who gave me great tips especially with handling multiple library cards!! (I had to open a library card here as I didnt have one for this branch!) There's outlets everywhere, even next to chairs, which are super handy. Reminds me of my university library with how modern the lighting and furniture is, but way cleaner!! Lots of activities and clubs too over here such as Lego club or Chess club. Just gotta pay attention to the many flyers being displayed around. The hours here are pretty good and the Wifi speed is pretty handy. I don't really pay attention to how loud or quiet it is in here since I usually just keep headphones/earphones on. read more

See all

I've been coming here to study and it's been wonderful! You don't need a library card to come in and use their WiFi or to reserve a room but I'm sure the process is simple and quick. There are multiple tables and work areas to use and almost every table will have an outlet attached or within reach. They do not allow any food in the library but drinks are okay- I bring in coffee or matcha without any problems. Reserved rooms are for 2 hours but the wait can be a while so sign up early! The remaining areas are pretty quiet to work in but it does get louder than library noise from 3-5pm on weekdays when the students from the nearby school come in. Bathrooms are clean and it feels pretty safe. Definitely would recommend anyone who needs a place to get their work done. read more

Amazing Library that continues to host Events and workshops for both kids and adults. This library also provides access to a 3D printer, allowing you to bring your imagination to life. Since July 2024, this library has been proudly Fine Free. While you will continue to receive reminders for overdue items, no fines will be charged. Parking can be a bit challenging since it is shared with the Downey Theater. read more

See all

Downey Library is such a gem. The space is modern, clean, and welcoming... did I mention clean? There are plenty of areas to sit and focus, whether you're reading or studying. It's a great place to get work done, or simply unwind with a good book. The staff greet you and always friendly. I always feel productive and relaxed when I'm here. Definitely one of my favorite libraries in the area. read more

The good: Spacious, clean, free parking and wi-fi. The bad: Free parking only for 2 hours - not worth the trip if you need to study heavily or work on some job applications. It also gets quite busy during the day with most work tables filled. The really bad: What's up with the Red Room and red dividers? I tried to study there but the bright red walls and dividers triggered a migraine. Color psychology studies have shown that the color red for walls can trigger aggression and raise blood pressure. Who's idea was it to use it in a library, of all places? A mellow blue or green, or neutral color would have been more appropriate. read more

This was my hometown library growing up and I heard about renovations, saw the glitzy photos on the website and heard from patrons about changes as they came to my worksite (another library that's close by). So, I made plans to visit on a Saturday afternoon around 11 a. Pros: open and spacious, new furniture with outlets clearly marked, free WiFi and plenty of spots to sit. Also a variety of programs for kids and teen space (teen space looked fun and promising, but was closed behind clear doors that were locked). Cons: colors for each designated space really scream at you. Parking lot shared with other city spots nearby and can be hard to find parking. In truth, it lacks the cozy feel from when I was a kid (carpet, wood furniture in neutral hues) but there are spaces (children's, teens) where one may feel welcome. read more

See all

Great set up for studying as well as close to the police station so I always feel safe when I have to leave late from a study session. Clean and respectful staff. read more

Love the studio room they have everything ready and set up when we come in like the headphones, mic and anything else we need so kind and helpful read more

My babies absolutely love coming here! They have a toddler play area where my boys are able to socialize with kids their ages and in the summer they even offered a potty training course! Whether I'm bringing my boys in for some fun or going to get some school work done, I love the environment. They have many books for sale and even Blu-ray and dvds for checkout. When the internet connection at home is slow we resort to movie days where I'm able to share movies from my childhood with them or we enjoy the newer releases for a 7 day period. Everyone working here is super nice and extremely helpful and they offer stickers for the kids and even bookmarks at the front desk for our book needs. The drop box in the front also makes turning in books and movies convenient but out of the 2 drop box openings, be sure to check which box has the basket for catching lol read more

Fantastic medium sized library, has a lot of things going on all the time. Many times I'm just showing up out of the blue so my daughters can gets some books and will see some kind of art/craft classes going on. Even though it can get packed, they will usually be gone with one group and let a new group sit down and enjoy the class. They have s 3D ringing lab that will print just about anything you want for free!!! I just had them make me a wolf head that can mount on a wall and hold a coat. read more

See all

I love this place. They have rooms that you can reserve for two hours to study or do business work.

The staff is great and very helpful! The library is well stocked, the programs offered are fun and educational and the library is clean.

Trying out a new public library. Plenty of seating available, WiFi, and outlets for charging. Background noise is nice.

I know they were close for a long time so it's nice to see that this part of the neighborhood is back in action. I love all the fun stuff they did for the Day of the dead #DowneyGirl read more

See all

Downey library has a lot of great services for the community. It's very modern and has a wide variety of books and resources. However, many people no longer respect the fact that a library was intended to be a QUIET place. The staff are also rude here. I was also threatened with getting kicked out for eating a granola bar but people having loud ass conversations or watching pron don't get told anything? There's homeless people outside that yell and intimidate passerby's and they don't get told anything? What a joke... read more

This is our local library we live about about a 15 min walk away. Today was our first time there after their renovations for baby story-time and it was awesome! First off the Library looks amazing, super spacious with plenty of areas to sit. Everything was updated to look very modern and clean. We were there a few minutes before it started so the very kind librarian gave us a quick tour. We loved their children's area! It's huge with a great selection of books for kids of all ages. It's really cool that they also have a film room, a maker's space with a 3-D printer, and laptops for people to use. We were so impressed with the facilities that we decided to sign up for a library card as we will definitely be back for more story time and to check out books. Kudos to the City of Downey for their awesome investments into their public spaces via Measure S. Highly recommend! read more

Downey City Library - Baby Storytime! Every Saturday morning... - Libraries Near Me - Downey, California

See all

Great arts and crafts programs for the little ones! I love the new library! I think it's great.

This is a great lil city library w many activities for children all month long. I bring my kid here for storytime with Ms. Claudia and he loves it. The toy/play/reading area is roomy and the book selection is great. I also noticed that they have a wide selection of multicultural books, which was refreshing! All the employees that Inhave encountered were very helpful and nice, making the checkout process a breeze. Plus, they have a section of free books, which is something I look forward to! Outside of the library, there is an area by the station w some wide open space to allow your toddler to roam around freely. read more

I bring my 2 year old on Tuesdays for story time and she loves it. They have arts and crafts right after and a small toddler play area to play i after. read more

I really like my local library. It's small which gives it a more intimate feel. Upon entering there's all kinds of information on what's going on in Downey; flyers, pamphlets and the like. The bathrooms are always clean and unoccupied. The computer lab can get really busy. You need to log in with your library card ID number to use them. You can print items out in black and white or color for small fee. Wifi is also available. The children's area is pretty large. It can get hectic and noisy and I'm really glad it's a separate room from the rest of the library. Lots of sitting areas are available and it's always bustling with families. On the other side of the library is the young adult and adult section . This is where you'll find most adults reading and studying . There is a laptop cart where you can check out a laptop for a designated amount of time. There's also a gift shop which sells used media like books and magazines, sometimes DVDs too. Also in the adult section, there's a room for quiet studying available. Each area is adequately staffed, I've never had an issue finding help when I've needed it. Staff has been courteous and helpful. Last but not least, there's a cafe that has expanded ! It used to just be a cart in a corner at the entrance . Now it has outdoor seating in a patio to the left of the library. The library is between the Downey Civic Center and City Hall. Parking usually isn't an issue. I just wish their hours were a little longer! It's nice to visit during the summer and is a designated cool spot during heat waves. read more

Downey City Library - Libraries Near Me - Downey, California

When i used to work out here many years ago, I used to hang out at the Public library here. Nice well kept place now. They have remolded and did some work with the library like many others. Library is really big with a nice childrens book area and lots of computers. Right next to the police station. Nice people work here as well. I used to rent books here with my library cards. Just a good place to be. read more

As much as I hate to admit it, the Downey City Library is not a source that I peruse very often. I love libraries. We visit this one as often as we can, but after a while I get easily frustrated, not because it's small, smelly, and perhaps slightly outdated. PROS + public computers/free WIFI + printing/copying capabilities + designated tutoring tables (signs are usually posted) + digital resources available such as magazines (National Geographic, Newsweek, Popular Science, Rolling Stone, etc. through Zinio and your DCL online account) & much more + I haven't requested help in a long time, but the ref tech was particularly knowledgable when I needed help finding a source from the 1960s MIXED FEELINGS +/- in general, very nice staff members +/- story time on Tue. mornings (as of 12/31/16) for children ages 3-5 (parental attendance required) CONS - the enhanced DVD collection speaks volumes to me... - there are SO many kids' books with torn pages and scribbles (I know kids borrow them, but come on!) - the checkout process can be very time-consuming - parking is usually hit or miss People who do not want to read e-books might feel a bit slighted coming here. LOCATION The library is right next to City Hall, the police station, and a few other key places. OVERALL I can't help but wonder if libraries are or will be a thing of the past. Or maybe it's a change that I don't particularly appreciate. At any rate, the City of Downey could show a little more love to their library. I think the staff would agree. Here's more info: http://www.downeyca.org/services/library/default.asp '16 Challenge #96 read more

Downey City Library - 10/14/16 - Libraries Near Me - Downey, California

See all

Library closed. Renovation till 2020. Long time over due. Parking is even under construction. You can check out the Vazza Cafe outside the library. Also, don't come @ 3:00pm, warning! It's a nightmare I went to study and worst mistake ever the high school kids take over and take all the seats, their loud and not supervised. It's bad! I hope it's improved with study tables bc Downey Library is hurting read more

Downey City Library - Libraries Near Me - Downey, California

Friendly staff, lots of choices, and you can use a computer/laptop. Also has an easy self check out option

Morning to whom it may concern, the individual working at the desk was discussing personal matters unprofessional to discuss in front of customer I asked for a study room she the employee stated, she would put me on the waiting list I the customer aske, how long she stated two hours which is fine she wasn't friendly and seem to not want to be bothered with servicing me . Please address the matter and remind the employees to hospital and leave their personal matters at home. Also treat every individual with kindness and professionalism. read more

First time coming to the library since they remodeled it. The library is very open and plenty of areas to study . You can check out a laptop for use at the library. Didn't really get a chance to walk around the entire library but the staff that I interacted with was nice. They have self checkout machines . The chairs are a little uncomfortable because there is no cushions . There are a lot of areas to plug in any of your electronic devices to keep them nice and charged . read more

Downey City Library - Study area - Libraries Near Me - Downey, California

Rude response on email with a peace sign very unprofessional when just simply asked a question (Susan)

It's ok, but it has a lot of high-school kids studying. And cubicle study sections and chairs. Cubicles make me sleepy and claustrophobic. Very nice clean technology advanced library. Too many kids for my liking. read more

Beautiful and vibrant interior with plenty of options for study area. Books are plentiful along with other media. Bathroom and fountain are clean. I did not see anything wrong with this library. Noise can be a bit above quiet but it is almost never near the study areas so it's not very noticeable if you aren't sensitive to hearing. read more

I love this place, I commute to uci and when I have days I don't want to drive a hour but still need to study I come here and use the study rooms. The renovations are great and they have amazing resources. read more

The library is one of my favorite things about Downey. It's clean, has a great selection of books, and an awesome kids area.

The Downey City Library as a whole is mid, but one thing really sets the place on top of any other establishment I have ever entered. The employee I believe is named Cynthia really changed my life within just 5 minutes of being in the library. I felt so welcomed and comfortable and I was able to find my book right away. All of my worries and frustrations in life vanished when Cynthia helped me. This person deserves a raise. Cynthia puts all their time and effort into everything, even the library TikTok!! I laugh at every video!! I will forever change the way I look at books now because of Cynthia. Thank you Cynthia for being alive Downey City Library you better treat them right! read more

The new revamp is great,specially the kids area. So many resources that are available to you. I usually go in the morning so it's pretty empty and perfect. Mrs Claudia is very sweet,she's the lady that reads to kiddos. Nothing bad to say about this place. read more

Great story time and newly renovated. Extremely nice lady doing the story time. Like genuinely nice not one of those bitter old ladies that fake it she's the real deal Claudia is her name read more

Very nice library. Very modern. I like the study rooms available for group studying. You don't need to be a resident of Downey to get a card. read more

3/20/23 BEST LIBRARY EVER!! :) Please take a moment to read! My daughter went to this library today and couldn't stop talking about how well kept it is but most importantly, how great of a staff there is! She wanted to reserve a private study room but to do so, she needed a physical library card. She didn't know this so she went to ask for help at the information desk. The lady said her library card was in the system but not updated, which is why she had no physical card. She then asked my daughter if she wanted to update her library card! My daughter of course accepted and told me how amazing this lady was at taking the time to help her with this process!!! :) since all the study rooms were occupied at the time, my daughter was placed on a waiting list which was no problem at all! In the meantime, she started her work in the children's section because it's more peaceful and she said it looked very cute! There were crayon boxes on the tables and lots of books to pick from! My daughter, about an hour later, receives a phone call saying that a private study room is available and all she needed to do was scan her library card at the kiosk inside the room and then she'd be checked in and her time limit of 2 hours would start. That whole process was smooth my daughter says, and she was able to get a lot of work done. She also needed to print something but was unsure about that process. She saw that the two employees at the information desk were busy so she went to go look for someone else. A nice young lady putting away books (with glasses and her hair tied up with a pink clip) was the only employee around so she asked her. This lady kindly stopped what she was doing and went out of her way to help my daughter. Not helping as in just pointing to where she needed to go, but actually taking my daughter to where the printer was and showed her the steps. My daughter had to print out six pages and this kind lady said she is able to ask the information desk to staple the pages together if she'd like! :) My daughter would have been so lost had she been on her own but felt so grateful this noble lady helped her every step of the way! My daughter wishes she would've gotten her name but we have a little description of her a few sentences back. I rarely write long reviews but I just wanted to recognize the staff that helped my daughter today! Unfortunately, great service like this is now rare. But Downey City Library, we love how you hire your employees and we will definitely come back!! Thank you so much for making my daughter's day! read more

If you're looking for a quiet place to work or study, this is not the place. You can hear conversations echoing in the hallway and kids running around and screaming. Even with the doors of the "study rooms" closed, you can still hear the people in them. Cell phones are going off, people are sleeping/snoring in the corner and the internet is very slow. I tried to use my hotspot but couldn't get a good connection. Disappointed because It's a beautiful newly renovated library, but just a little peace and quiet in certain areas would be nice. read more

Honestly would not recommend this library to any serious learners. It's noisy for once and the staff doesn't do anything about it. The library is supposed to be a quiet place to focus. However, if you come here you will definitely not get that. Secondly, unless you got a Downey parking permit, the limit for PUBLIC PARKING is 2 hours only. That is not enough time to do some deep studying. It was my first time here and I regret it. I would rather go to a Starbucks than ever come here again. Piss poor library! read more

A Library is a place where silence is to be respected. Unfortunately, the Downey Library and its employees have no concept of neither - silence nor respect! You're better off going to the mall to do your homework or read a book, or whatever you'd like to use a Library for. Everyone is loud from the public to the employees. No one cares. There are children screaming, teens on their cellphones, and groups of students laughing regardless of whoever is around. AWFUL read more

Nice clean library. It has self checkout. There is always parking available, there are power outlets near tables, they have study rooms, you will need to be patient to get your turn during peak hours. One can even borrow a computer while you are at the library. Kids like to join the activities they have for the kids, and if you get hungry friends of library has a store where you can buy snacks. read more