This is such a gorgeous, remodeled space. I greatly desire to take my son to this local library and enjoy our time. Sadly, because of the grumpy, dismissive and unhelpful staff, each visit has been less and less enjoyable. The county of Los Angeles does an excellent job providing funding to its libraries to feature musicians and readers from all around the country, always such an educational experience. But alas, the library staff at this branch has made this space almost intolerable to be in. The architecture at this branch is such that is truly an "open concept", so noise carries throughout the library. Libraries are, of course, traditionally, quiet spaces. However, to best feature a warm, welcoming space for young children, who do not understand the concept of quiet, perhaps they should have considered placing the children's area in a separate, closed area where nose could not travel. I have witnessed, first-hand, these librarians running around telling kids to "Stop. Put back. Glaring at the children for talking and enjoying the space." Although these children are being well-supervised by caring, attentive adults, the librarians have made it their weekly mission to make this space the most uncomfortable for these kids. I grew up in San Diego and we had the most wonderful public library; it was truly a space I felt I could go into, enjoy books, make friends, and I always felt safe and welcome. We are very grateful to live in a large city where there are so many library branches to choose from. We won't be returning to the Manhattan Beach County Branch any time soon. Such a loss. read more

For the library itself I would give 5 stars. It is a beautiful library! I love their children's section with toys/puzzles, and a sitting area that they can play in. They have computers on the side that children can play learning games. I love the self-checkout and self-return terminals as well. They also send reminder emails for holds/due dates, which are nice and helpful. I appreciate the small key chain library card. There is a small 2-hour parking lot that you can park in for free, if you are lucky enough to find a spot (or wait for one). Minus 1/2 star for parking challenges, but be patient and you will hopefully find one. Otherwise a great library! Also, they are open Sunday afternoons! read more

The new libary albeit small is pretty awesome. The staff are all incredibly helpful and friendly as well. I went in on a Saturday afternoon to get acquainted. Even though it was Saturday, it wasn't overly packed and the selection was impressive. It's very easy to navigate, clean, and quiet. There's an awesome art installment out front to boot that's worth checking the sunset out through! read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Light Gate, art installment outside of the library - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Love this place--new, clean, and lots of views of the ocean through the glass architectural walls. Smallish, but intimate and thoroughly modern. A great place to study, research and read because of all the natural light. A massive improvement over the old library. Well done, Los Angeles. read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Great view! - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

HANDS DOWN THIS IS THE BEST LIBRARY EVER! opened up after major renovation early this year. they have floor to ceiling windows throughout the whole 2-story library....WITH AMAZING OCEAN VIEWS. It feels like a resort. Its also located in a great area on highland avenue with lots of options to grab a bite too eat and within SHORT walking distance to the Manhattan beach pier. Lets keep this place clean! read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Study at peace with gorgeous view of ocean - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

This is a lovely public library with the MOST gorgeous oceanfront view on the second floor! It almost seems impossible to concentrate when you can see the ocean from a library like that! The study rooms are also very nice. My only wish is that this library would get more public funding so that it could acquire an even greater range of fiction. read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Beautiful place to study!! - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Yes a high tech library overlooking the ocean HOWEVER do not go on Tuesday/Wednesday mornings because it's children's days & the whole library is very noisy & like a daycare overcrowded with strollers in the first floor. I agree with the person who voted 1 star gave it 1 extra star for the ocean view. I was making a phone call & was asked not to yet the whole library was so noisy with kids! Didn't push the issue so I hang up. It's a loft style where the 2nd floor for adults can hear all the noise downstairs where the kids are & the noise level is worsened by the echoing of the whole place. I like it quiet when I go to a library(as it should be) they need to isolate the kids in an enclosed room. read more

Modern, inviting and with an incredible view, this library is a sanctuary for readers all ages! It has rooms for study groups and a toddler/kids area. The Staff is nice and well prepared. A must in Manhattan Beach. read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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As a millennial living in the age where everything can be accessed online, I couldn't remember the last time I set foot in a library, thinking they were obsolete and behind the times. This library is the exact antithesis of that thought and reintroduced me to how the future of libraries should look and be run. Staff here is extremely helpful, and I can't believe how great of a resource libraries can be. This location however, is also RIDICULOUSLY nice. Nevermind the fact that all these bomb.com restaurants are a stones throw away, but you got an EFFING VIEW OF THE OCEAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. If I was a visitor of LA I'd tell people to go here! The only downside is the 2 hour parking limit (free - but annoying if you have to keep moving it around - no restrictions Sunday though) but that's a small price to pay for a all glass/wood, is ocean-facing building of goodness. I'm definietly going to be GTL (go to library) more often. read more

I recently asked a friend of mine who always takes me to cool places why she doesn't write reviews on yelp and she said it's because she doesn't want to share her findings with strangers in cyberspace. Even though I understood her sentiment, I couldn't relate to what she said until I discovered 'Manhattan Beach Library.' If there is one discovery I want to keep to myself and not share with other yelpers, it's this library. :) This is one of the smaller and older public libraries with pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. It's located in downtown Manhattan Beach with the ocean and many eateries in walking distance. They are open till 9 p.m. from Monday to Wednesday, 6p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 5p.m. on Saturday. This is the only library I found to have a small collection of Asian mangas (aka comics) as well as plenty of Nora Roberts paperbacks in sight--talk about distraction ... *sigh* (other libraries seem to hide these stuffs from me pretty well). I give four stars because they don't have wi-fi AND it gets a bit loud with groups of beautiful Mira Costa High kids in the afternoon. read more

No doubt this Library is a gem. But when I was in the third grade I borrowed a book about Paul Bunion. About a month later the scary man behind the counter with the pentagram necklace and long gray hair told me I owed the library tons of money. We were all very scared of the what we called then the Devil worshiping guy at the library, but now he was talking to me... Yikes. 2 years later I found the book and returned it. My mom had paid for the lost book as well. Then in the 8th grade I went to the Library to try to work out my science project and the devil worshiper said I had a book that was 5 years over due. While the devil worshiping guy worked there I could never check a book out from there. Around 1999 he was replaced by a cute young boy that took my fee's and penalties off, because they were so old. read more

I LOVE this library! It's architecturally gorgeous with expansive Windows that let in natural light. There is also a ridiculous view of the ocean. It's beautiful, utterly beautiful. The library itself is awesomely organized and well staffed with friendly, professional people. Lots of study areas that are well thought out for little kids, teens and adults. There are also multimedia enabled, private study rooms available for reservation in 2 hour time slots. You can hold group study sessions, wrangle loud kiddos, or hold professional meetings in semi sound proof surroundings. Wifi isn't the best as oftentimes it has trouble connecting and the parking situation isn't ideal as most nearby meters only allow for 2 hour parking. No long study sessions unless you are a local and can walk over or get dropped off. read more

Get that corner seat on the second floor facing the Pacific Ocean and you're set for study time. You also have the option to check-out study rooms for 1-2hrs. Best to sign-in ahead of time but study rooms are usually available on the spot from 6p mon-wed. 2nd floor quiet in general and have comfy couches. Bathrooms are clean and neat. Parking is not free, 2-3hrs max depends on where and when you park. read more

The BRAND NEW library just opened and it is GORGEOUS!!! I will start upstairs with the spectacular ocean views and comfy swivel seats for you to read and take in the sights. The entire wall is glass. It would be amazing to relax here with a great book and take in a sunset. On a chilly day, there is a lovely fireplace upstairs to lounge around. There are several work tables available upstairs. There are also 4 study rooms to use for 2 hours. 2 of them are first come first serve. The other 2 you can make reservations up to 1 week ahead of time. Upon entering this spectacular building (after crossing the lush mini hill) you will encounter the children's area. They have comfy chairs, a bunch of toys, 4 kids computers with children's games and headphones (i would bring my own), lots of tables with puzzles, a sea wall for kids to explore and play with, and many, many rows of books. Story time is still on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There are computers to use with you library card. I can't remember how many, but I think it was more than 8 on Level 1. This is what a MB library SHOULD look like. Too bad they don't have a cafe to enjoy goodies while enjoying the atmosphere and view. read more

This was the first time Ive been to this library and I'll definitely be coming back! I came to study for the day in hopes of finding a quiet place to get my work done. It was easy to find, but parking is only for two hours so plan accordingly. Once I was settled I needed to connect to the WiFi and the employee on the 2nd floor was able to give me a library card and pin within a few minutes. The view was great and they even automatic have sun shades to help with the sun blur. The overall library is well-kept and the restrooms are clean. read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Entrance view from police/library parking lot - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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This is a review of the bookmobile since the MB library was demolished in June 2013 and will not reopen for a while. I grew up in Manhattan Beach and, therefore, had been going to that library my entire life. When I moved back to L.A. in 2008, I was visiting this library at least 3 days a week. It was traumatic to know it would be torn down but...that's progress. The bookmobile is a temporary replacement. As such, its main purpose is to house materials that people have requested from other branches. I try to have half of my requests sent here and the other half to Hermosa. That way I can see more of the former MB staff. They have a limited selection of books available to check out (I think most are for children). The hours are pretty limited, unfortunately. It's now closed on Mondays (while the building used to be open Mon-Sat). From Tues-Fri, it's open 2-6pm. On Tuesdays, the parking can be tricky because of the farmers market. Saturdays it's open 10am-2pm but that will change soon to 11am-3pm. There's not much else to say. It's related to the library and it's temporary so it gets 4 stars. read more

Location is wonderful great view of the water. The Staff are super friendly and helpful. Shout out to the Library Pages they are kind and patient with the children read more

Good library, easy to search system. Has a broader selection of books than Hermosa Beach library. It does get super busy in this library. Closest parking is behind the library in a lot that also is parking for town hall and police so it gets crowded. A little further away is the underground garage. On Highland Ave. there is 15 minute parking if you just need to run a book in to drop off. The monthly book sales have a good selection of books, however I find that it is more expensive than other book sales in the area (typical Manhattan Beach). read more

One of the nicer COLAPLs. Their TV DVD selection is great (for a public library - this is not amazon.com nor Amoeba Music, folks) and has lots of stuff not found at the other branches. Easy parking, good selection of books, nice staff.....yes ! read more

I really enjoy going to this library it's in such a beautiful location and you can see the beach from the second floor. The staff is always really helpful and they are very friendly. Libraries can be dole sometimes but this one just feels really bright and relaxing. I love coming to this library to do homework and if I need to find a new book to read this is my go to place. If you haven't been here before it's worth giving it a study session try. read more

This is a pretty cool little library. It has a decent amount of seating, and tables. It has a few solo study tables, as well as a quiet studying room which I thought is nice. Their overall book, cd, dvd, audio book selection is mediocre, since this library is on the smaller side. The inside looks a little on the dated side. The tables and chairs look like they have not been updated since the place opened in the 70's. They have free wi-fi, but they want you to log in using your library card number and pin number. Parking is across the street at a public parking lot with meters. As far as location goes, this library would be hard to beat. It is literally in the heart of Manhattan beach, only a few blocks from its sand and ocean. read more

Gorgeous library just blocks from the ocean with floor to ceiling glass windows! I love this library. I only wish there were more tables and seating along the ocean view. I came here early one weekday to do some work at the library. Got a great seat by the windows to daze off at the ocean when I got tired of working. Very modern and clean library I might add. They have a small free parking lot which wasn't hard to find a space in on a weekday morning. I came back later and it got a bit full with college kids. It's only 2 hr parking though. I would have liked to stayed longer. read more

Quite an upgrade from the previous MB library. lovely private study rooms (book with librarian) and overall respectful patrons. Awesome view, and temperature is well moderated. the only SUGGESTION I have to the staff is for something to be done about the screeching of the chairs. possibly put felt on the bottom so that every time a chair is pulled out to sit, it doesn't disrupt others around? The noise of the chairs resonates. OTHERWISE AMAZING! read more

Great County Library. It's at a fabulous location, right by the beach with a great view of the ocean. It's a fairly small library, but you can select and reserve items online from other county libraries in LA. The architecture of the building is also really cool. It's new and modern looking. Check the hours before you go and plan for parking! read more

Go grab a table anywhere on the 1st floor and rest assured, you will get your work done. It's beautiful, clean, quiet and has lots of charging points with great views. Has a very positive vibe and somehow boosts productivity. A Saturday well-spent doing work, without feeling too bad about not being on the other side of the street ( : the beach) read more

Yep, you can safely ignore all reviews of the Manhattan Beach library dating from before last month. The new library is amazing, modern and very well-appointed. I was a little surprised to snag a table on the 2nd floor right in front of the ocean-view window earlier this afternoon. If you're as lucky, you won't want to leave, even if your parking meter is about to run out. read more

Solidly sexy glass-walled public library. It's got that whole airy, everything is a window, everything is pale blonde wood, all the furniture is funky and a fun color vibe down pat. I'm a fan of the row of seats facing out the window on the second floor, and particularly like how in the late afternoon sun will reflect off the shimmering ocean and stab you in the eyeballs, but lovingly. I liked how the fellow library patrons all sat there basking in the sun like glorious sea lions who own Macbooks. After a period of time, someone (who???) lowered the blinds and the sunlight was abolished, which was quite sad. No one said anything because, again, who??? did this? But I could tell from some uncomfortable shifting that we all missed that golden western light. read more

Just because something is modern, doesn't mean it's better. There's a reason an O'Keefe and Merritt stove lasts forever, whereas my GE stove's electric panel has never been the same since the last transformer blew in MB. I had such high hopes for the new library. I envisioned a beautiful, comfortable and practical building, a place I could enjoy and love, as libraries have always been magical and special to me. I'm sadly less than enamoured with this place. The look, the size, and scale of it is totally out of proportion to this town. The endless glass paneling looks like a cold, high tech prison in a Mission Impossible film. It's not hard to imagine Tom Cruise rappelling down the side. The interior artwork is unattractive and soulless. One piece is a black, sort of seaweed, creeping crud, and the others are some sort of hanging octopus creatures with tentacles, guaranteed to spear some unfortunate patron when the big one hits LA. and these ugly things come crashing down. It doesn't appear that the addition of a second story increased the number of books. Everything I reserve is from another library, to be picked up in that awful first floor section where the alphabetical scraps of paper sticking out between books are flapping around and falling out all over the floor. The names don't even go consistently across; you have to see where the shelving ends, and then look underneath for your scraps of paper. God forbid you have more than three books, once you remove yours from the shelf, the other books topple over and their corresponding scraps are now on the floor. Book retrieval is a two-handed job here, if you want to be considerate. I had hoped this would be a cool, comfortable place to spend time in over the summer. Nope. Hot as hell. The A/C is not up to cooling this glass space. Does the first floor feel odd under your feet when you walk in? Not your imagination. Apparently, parts of the ugly, already cracked cement floor are "rolling", to mimic the sand and the waves of the ocean, or so I was told. I'm sure the first senior to break a hip because of this "artistic" flooring choice will be quite impressed. Oddly angled wooden blocks comprise the main desk, and no space was left between them, so employees have to hop over them to get behind the desk on that side. Brilliant. One of the front desks is "artistically" tilted, so anything on that desk, like the computer, is sliding downhill. Can you imagine having to work at a tilted desk? It must feel like a daily reenactment of Titanic. What an arrogant, ludicrous, unintelligent, and impractical design choice, for a DESK! No adult space to sit and peruse books downstairs. Claim the single bench, or go sit with the kiddies. Upstairs, some decent seating with electrical outlets, and great views of the ocean, if you came here to eat your lunch, and you aren't here to work or read. A fireplace, because we always want live flames near our books, keeps it exciting! Clean bathrooms, a plus. Nice water fountains, very easy to fill a bottle. All walls here are glass. You have no privacy in any of the rooms, everyone walks by and stares at you, like you are a lab specimen. I have also seen people actually walk into the glass walls, as it is very hard to tell which is a wall, a door, or an opening. It is particularly entertaining to watch people squeeze through the crack between the rooms downstairs, because they don't want to walk all the way around. Part of the wall of the meeting room downstairs is, wait for it, glass, so that the sound easily passes through, and everyone downstairs can hear everything going on in that room, whether it's music accompanying dancers, or someone speaking on a microphone. Two stories means all noise is amplified. The available parking is worse, as the front spots are reserved for "low emission" vehicles, although it seems that designation is disregarded by those desperate for parking, and is not enforced. It wasn't perfect, but I miss the old library, and I really miss the old staff! read more

Brand new state of the art library, they have great group study rooms and amazing views for reading/studying. Librarians are super friendly and helpful too! Free wifi with library card and free 2 hour parking. read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - Nice study view, outlets everywhere!! - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

I love the architecture and views. Very spacious and comfortable. They have a variety of programs. But I would say it is hard to find things on your own. Other than that I love how they have specific sections for teens to study and for kid activities. They also have laptops available for rental. read more

LA County Library - Manhattan Beach Library - View from the second floor. - Libraries Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

most beautifully designed library I have ever been too! make sure you park in the lot of 15th, behind city hall if you want free parking though ;) wonderful children's area & even better adult section upstairs with ocean views & comfortable seating to stretch out & read. come on a tuesday & you can walk to the farmers market from there easily only thing i dislike is that they don't open until noon on friday's & then also close early in friday's @ 6 read more

I LOVE this library. I come here all the time to check-out books and to just get some work done sometimes. The internet is fast and reliable. There are tons of desk (with built-in outlets) and sitting chairs all around the library. There's even a little sitting area next to fireplace (i've never seen it on though). I love how automated it is and how easy it is to check-in, check-out or even request books. read more

I love this library and bring the kids I nanny to their weekly storytime. The only reason I give 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the parking. I have spend 30 minutes circling for a parking. Other than that, this library is amazing! read more

This is a great library to enjoy research and reading in. A lot of light comes in through large windows and the ambiance is warm. It's very much alive with activities for seniors, children, and audio learners. There are also speaker nights for a variety of topics. Nice place to feed the mind before or after ocean breezes and waves feed the soul. read more

Helpful knowledgeable professional staff. Beautiful clean architecturally striking building. Comfortable appealing well-stocked children's section. Wifi, plenty of computer workstations, all the services the LA county library system offers. And I guarantee you, when you take a comfortable seat on the second floor by the west windows, the drop-dead gorgeous panoramic view of the mighty Pacific will blow any thoughts about parking hassles right out of your mind. read more

Great selection! The dvd selection is very decent, and they seem to update the new books shelves quite frequently. Staff is friendly and helpful. What stops me from coming here more often is the parking- I get the feeling that people park in the lot to go to the beach or restaurants? read more

To all my book worms and cheap dvd rental enthusiasts, this library has a great selection and several copies of popular magazines. Great place to unwind and disconnect although the wifi is great. Also a great place to bring the kids. They have a large variety of kid books. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Awesome place!!! Best helpful staff and modern books....view of the ocean is splendid!!!

ghetto. you would think Manhattan would house an awesome library but this place is ghetto. at least there is free wifi and free 2 hr parking around the corner. read more

Private study rooms were easy to book, the space is very clean, had good AC, and the views were amazing from the top floor. It's in a great location if you want to pop out for a quick snack or coffee. read more