More Than Just a Library…read more Peninsula Center Library was the very first library I visited when I moved to the Los Angeles South Bay, and over the years, this place has been through a LOT with me. I've used it during periods of unemployment, for booking study rooms while interviewing for jobs, and simply as a quiet place to sit, read, think, or get some work done. It has become one of those places that holds a lot of memories for me. First, the building itself deserves some appreciation. The modern design and huge windows that let in so much natural light are a must for me. Walking into a bright library just makes my day better. There's also an underground parking structure, although it's limited, and I especially appreciate it on those hot South Bay days when having my car parked in the shade makes a difference. I also LOVE the Friends of the Library sales. They have highly discounted books, CDs, DVDs, and -- my personal favorite -- PUZZLES! The larger monthly book sales are especially fun because they open up the big room and have a much bigger selection. I've bought countless books and puzzles here over the years. I've participated in their reading program, too, and the staff have always been helpful. More recently, work has made this location less convenient for me, so I don't get here nearly as often as I used to. I now visit Katy Geissert Civic Center Library more often simply because of convenience. I used to come here 2-3 times a week, and now I'm probably here around 2-4 times a month. It honestly makes me a little sad because I still love this library. The library's online/app services have also been incredibly useful. I've used them to reserve study rooms and place holds on books without having to make an extra trip. And speaking of study rooms -- these have been a lifesaver. Whether I need somewhere quiet and private to focus on work or a reliable place to take a virtual job interview, being able to reserve a room has been incredibly valuable to me. I also love the bookmark contests! I get to see the creativity of local kids, and some of their artwork is seriously impressive -- sometimes downright jaw-dropping. I love grabbing a free bookmark on my way out. At this point, my typical library visit feels like: walk in for a book, walk out with a book AND a bookmark. The kids' area also looks like such a fun space, even though I don't personally use it. Overall, I love the staff, programs, resources, architecture, and just the general vibe of Peninsula Center Library. It has been much more than a place to check out books for me. It has been a quiet refuge, a workspace, an interview space, a place to discover books, and occasionally a place to find a great puzzle for a few dollars. Even though I don't visit as frequently as I used to, this library will always have a special place in my South Bay story. And yes -- I'll probably keep coming back for those Friends of the Library sales and puzzles.

The Peninsula Center Library in Rolling Hills is a beautiful and welcoming space that has become a…read morefavorite for our family. The children's section is particularly impressive, featuring a massive selection of reading materials and a dedicated playground area that keeps kids entertained. It is the perfect local spot for a productive afternoon or a fun family outing. The weekly programming is fantastic, especially the monthly Chinese story time. We recently attended a session led by Lily, who was wonderful with the children. She used a great mix of storytelling about caterpillars and fruit along with high-energy songs and movement. It was such a joy to watch my granddaughter get involved and follow along with all the actions. The facility is very well-designed for convenience, including the easy underground parking right beneath the building. Whether you are looking for a quiet place to read or an engaging activity for the grandkids, this library is a true gem in the Peninsula area. It's a wonderful community resource that we look forward to visiting every week.

It is the first (and I think only) LAPL branch to have a sensory ROOM…read more It is one of those rare spots that you can vibe with your toddler OR teen. Suggestions for use: Child - Grab a book and tell a story with the help of the felt board Baby/Toddler - Play with toys that encourage fine motor skills Older kids/Teens - Bring in some books (including one for yourself) and parallel read/play (let's face it, teens will probably love the sensory toys too) The children's librarian is also very helpful and approachable.

Came here to get a library card because my Libby account for La county stopped working.read more

I'm adding a star because Ms Judy the youth services librarian is amazing. She is so enthusiastic…read moreand welcoming to all. I was there to check out books and she excitedly showed me all the youth summer programs she set up at this branch. And, yes, I came back with my LO and told my friends. Love Ms Judy

The good: I came to this library to check-out picture books…read morefor my toddlers. I jump around to different libraries within this library branch and are mostly similar to each other. I like how this library system automatically renews your books for you when they are due. You can renew them multiple times so it makes it super easy for a busy mom like myself. The young reading section was sectioned out very nicely and was easy to navigate. The bad: The board book selection was a little sparse. I didn't find many Vietnamese nor Ukrainian books (though I didn't expect it either). I wish there was a self check-out system. This library is on the smaller side for a public library. The interesting: They have a lot of great reading programs with coupons and incentives for kids.

I went there for passport renewal. The entire team made the process so easy. I am so glad they…read moreprovide this service. The library is clean and has good collections of books. I feel so lucky to have this great library in my neighborhood.

What a beautiful library. The parking lot can accommodate several vehicles, the library is very…read morespacious and they have a lovely deck between the library and the school. Eve, the manager, is very helpful and the staff is very friendly. Can't wait to conduct the Zumba Fitness class in August.

The good: This is a small library that is organized and has…read morefoam blocks on the ground for kids. There's a table with coloring pages and crayons. They have a lot of fun events, contests, and prizes for special promotions. It's adjacent to a park. The librarian was friendly and quick. Signing up for a card was very simple and they had several designs to choose from. The bad: It's a very small library so it's extremely quiet. This is great if you're the only reader here but I felt too awkward here with my toddler who doesn't know how to control her volume well. Even at regular volume I felt like the entire library could hear us. There were very few board books. The interesting: You don't get a paper receipt but you do get an email. Books auto renew.

The Walteria Branch Library is fantastic! I could not ask for friendlier or more helpful…read morelibrarians. It is one of my feel good spaces!

Great customer service and clean safe library . I enjoy the printing and copying services…read moreavailable to the community.

Carson library is newly renovated. They have a great children's area and activities during the week…read moreand Saturdays. We love taking our daughter here! Tricia does a great job with the children's events. Thank you, Tricia and Carson library!

Yes! Books are fun. Stop buying them online or downloading them. Go to Barnes and Noble!…read more My kid is doing the Summer Reading Program and she's so excited to get her stickers. I'm so glad Barnes does this. She can't wait to get her free book. I also like that they give you a discount at their Starbucks when you buy a book.

I have been coming to this Barnes & Noble since I was a kid and I am happy it's still around so I…read morecan now bring my LO. Our favorite part of the bookstore is probably the toy section at the back of the first level where your kid and inner kid can make their birthday wish list. The staff here is always friendly. We love all the events they host here, especially the free Lego builds.

**This review is based on the December 2022 Tree Lighting Event hosted by and at Lomita City…read moreHall.** This fun event was held on a rainy Friday early evening. Thought it might be a cute event to attend as I have seen many Christmas movies with a tree lighting ceremony. Although, it was raining most of the day, many locals came out to the holiday fun which meant looking for street parking. We got a free spot in a lot for local businesses about a block away. When we arrived, the big tree was already shining bright with the Christmas lights. And that's okay. The local bands and school choirs were joyously singing carols under the guidance of their director. They did an amazing job. There were some vendors under tents (Rizzo's Pizza is the only one I remember) and many locals walking around and many watching the band and choir. Overall a pleasant event. I may possibly check it out again next year if not a rainy day and allow more time to find parking.

I have lived in Lomita "The Friendly City" for over 20 years. My house in Lomita was my first and…read moreonly house purchase in the South Bay. In my first 15 years here, there was no street sweeping on my particular street. When I learned that they would start street sweeping, I was a bit confused as it wasn't something I thought our particular street needed. I then learned that this was Lomita's way to help combat the Trailer Park residents from leaving their cars parked on our street for weeks at a time. Now unfortunately, there is literally no parking on both street sweeping days each week, due to the trailer park residents frantically squeezing their cars on the opposite side of the street in order to avoid the $52 ticket. Fast forward to the Covid era where working from home became the norm in mine as well as many neighboring households. Lomita temporarily postponed their street sweeping ticket revenue service for a short time during this time, but shortly reinstated it. Meanwhile, Torrance was still postponing their street sweeping for months longer. I have two problems with Lomita and their street sweeping practices. 1) The parking enforcement has now doubled up. They used to patrol on street sweeping days only, but now I see them every day. Are they trying to make up lost revenue for the city during the Covid street sweeping shut down? I have never seen this frequency of parking enforcement in my 20 years here. Story Time: I have a neighbor who was forced to squeeze into a spot across the street from his house due to street sweeping. With no where else to go, he ended up parking near a corner. He didn't even have a chance to move his truck back in front of his house after the sweeper went by, before parking enforcement gave him a $300 + ticket. He would have been better off receiving a $52 ticket for not moving his truck for the sweeper. Hoping he would receive understanding and compassion, he wrote a letter and sent in pictures of where he parked to the city. He explained it was a temporary parking spot while waiting for the sweeper to pass and showed pictures that there was still plenty of room between his truck and the corner. Lomita "The Friendly City" showed zero compassion and declined to help with the violation. 2) The street sweeper literally does nothing. I have attached a photo taken immediately following the sweeper going by. See all the leaves on the sidewalk? They used to be on the street in the gutter. If the sweepers job is to blow the leaves onto the sidewalk, it's working. Ignore the oil stains, they are courtesy of the trailer park residents who leave their leaking cars to sit each week (they used to leave them for multiple weeks until the city enacted the sweeper). If I paid someone to remove leaves and debris from a certain area and all they did was move them from one spot to the other, I would fire them. Why does the city allow the sweeper they hired to continue with this poor service? Why did the city reinstate the sweeper and ticketing prior to the end of Covid while many residents are still working from home? Why did the city allow a huge apartment complex to be built on the corner of Crenshaw and Lomita blvd, where it's already notoriously gridlocked? I'll tell you why... MONEY. At the end of the day, it's always about money. Welcome to Lomita, the friendly city?

If nothing else, this college is amazing because of students like Jon who burst into the room…read moreasking "are all states by definition totalitarian?" Who does that?! Harbor College students do. Well some of them, anyways, and that's what makes this place amazing. I mean, one of the students was looking up "Filipino blood sacrifice practices when building." That makes this a magical place, if you ask me. Not to mention, they hire amazing teachers like Kent Stoddart and Christian Lozada who both go out of their way to help students. I would know because I'm one of them.

I was in the PACE program from 1993-95. At that time it was the best option for working adults to…read moregain an AA degree and have transfer credits to a 4 year university. I learned SO much in the PACE program. I consider it the best college experience I had. I then transferred to Univ of Redlands for a business degree, and PACE prepared me not only for a BS but also for the rest of my life. It was a spectacular experience. It's really too bad it's not available anymore at Harbor.

Never EVER order anything from outside the US. I paid insane shipping for my $140 order, which…read morenever arrived (apparently they didn't pay customs). Once I contacted support to clear things up, they never replied to me. It seems like they scammed me. No way to get the books i ordered or a refund? Please please go somewhere where people value your time and money.

Absolutely recommend, fully, heartfelt, completely. The employees are knowledgeable, patient, kind…read moreand do not pester you. The selection is phenomenal, I could spend so much time there. Prices are great. So well done and curated well.