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    Mission Bay Branch Library

    4.2 (63 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Denise C.

    sfpl...many reasons uses of sfpl...most days except holidays ...at home..back again...national library..30 or so...

    Quiet, clean and safe racks of books to stroll
    joe m.

    Clean and safe library with a lot of great services for the community. You can have a quiet space, jump on a computer and get help from the friendly staff. There is a kids area where children play on the floor and are looked after by staff. Highly recommend stoping by!

    Book stack and new releases
    Tiana T.

    Wonderful library with plenty of seating relative to its size. Plenty of events during the week too. This is one of the locations that has vinyl available for checkout.

    Regan T.

    This is such a wonderful library with friendly staff and the best cataloging/checkout technology. They have the self-service scanners that automatically scan a stack of books, so no waiting in line or anything. Signing up for an account is super easy too (though if you have an account with any of the other SFPL branches, you don't need to make a new one!) - you can even do it online and all you need to do is show them a form of ID in person to be issued the physical card. My favorite feature is being able to have an online account to manage books you've checked out and also have on hold. The hold feature is amazing--its the library equivalent of placing an order for in-store pickup. Super popular titles will of course have a few days or weeks of a waiting list but those that are available to check out only take a few days tops. The best part is this service extends to all other branches so if a book you want is only at one location for instance, you don't need to waste time and make the trek there; they will BRING it to your preferred location! The building of the Mission Bay branch itself is very nice and well kept. The bathroom can get a little sketchy but definitely better than the Caltrain station bathroom nearby. There is always a security guard though and the building is so beautifully maintained. The environment is warm and welcoming--I've never encountered an employee who wasn't helpful and kind. The space is not super large but there are a few tables and armchairs/seating areas. Support your local libraries! SFPL is truly one of the best out there.

    Juan V.

    Cool place to read a book and magazine. Lots of DVD's and Vinyl. I enjoy just relaxing and reading at this library. A good San Francisco Public Library location.

    Shane S.

    The Mission Bay Branch Library is a short walk from the wonderful AT & T park which is home of the San Francisco Giants. This library is a single floor & small yet has a smart collection. I especially liked two features set up at this branch. One feature had books that were going to be made into feature films. The other feature set up was a list of the 100 Notable Books by the New York Times. These features definitely personalized some of the library's selection for patrons which I appreciated. How awesome is it that they had some books by famed vegan cookbook author Isa Chandra Moskowitz including the classic Veganomicon that she co-wrote w/ Terry Hope Romero. There is also a book club meeting on Wed evenings w/ the next discussion about A Gentleman in Moscow on Wed Nov 29th at 6:30pm. So is nice that they have community events. The woman that checked me out was very kind & even gave me directions to the Powell St BART. Please note the library has new hours Mon & Tues 10am to 6pm Wed 11am to 8pm Thurs 10am to 6pm Fri 1pm to 6pm Sat 10am to 6pm Sun 1pm to 5pm If you are looking for a place for coffee or tea you can't go wrong w/ Philz Coffee which is on the same block.

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    15 years ago

    It's a library. You can get lots of books and DVDs!

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    12 years ago

    Great small library with clean tables and fast wi-fi. I don't think that there's a better place to do some free studying.

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    Ask the Community - Mission Bay Branch Library

    Is there a book drop available when library is closed?

    yes, there is a book drop right next to the front entrance. Thanks for asking

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Mission Bay Branch Library

    “They also have a bunch of DVDs you can check out, so you can save some money from renting them out.”

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room - Across the street from Crocker Galleria

    Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room

    4.4(67 reviews)
    1.1 mi•Financial District

    The history of the Mechanics' Institute is quite intriguing, with great ties to the early 20th…read morecentury and is considered a historic building of San Francisco. Though this location is not the original building, it stands strong and tall in the heart of downtown. As with many structures affected by the 1906 earthquake, its original location was damaged and lost. But this location has been here early on for those who worked in the trade and was one of the first libraries before city public libraries were established. There are many stories to this building, housed with books of many genres. There's also community events that are for members as well as for non-members. So yes, there are fees to join any of their community events here. The history itself was probably more interesting about this building than the building itself. It is definitely very dated inside, but there are some notable designs that can make you feel like you're in a different time. A positive visit nonetheless.

    Chess tournaments held here and it's kind of difficult to find if you are not familiar with…read moredowntown SF. The elevator looks original and the stairs are tight but look grand. The sitting area is tight but sufficient and there are outlets for computers and chargers.

    Photos
    Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room - Mother Road  ~ Featuring Octavio Solis and David Mendizábal {5/22/2024}

    Mother Road ~ Featuring Octavio Solis and David Mendizábal {5/22/2024}

    Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room - Lunar New Year and The Year of the Dragon: What Will It Bring?  Maxine Hong Kingston, David Lei, and Linda Lei.{2/1/2024}

    Lunar New Year and The Year of the Dragon: What Will It Bring? Maxine Hong Kingston, David Lei, and Linda Lei.{2/1/2024}

    Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room - Chess room

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    Chess room

    City College of San Francisco - Downtown Center - It was packed! Noon lunch crowd

    City College of San Francisco - Downtown Center

    4.2(21 reviews)
    0.9 mi•SoMa

    This CCSF branch is great! Their location is so convenient, just a few minute walk from Powell Bart…read morestation. The building itself is pretty new, so you won't feel like you are walking into some super old building. I took a few ESL classes here. Most of the instructors were great. They really cared about teaching cuz they were always so passionate in class. During all my college years, I miss the teachers here the most. Their library is always quiet and great for studying. I prefer this library way better than any public library in San Francisco. Why? SFPL's schedule is not making any sense! Even though SFPL has many great locations, they keep their library hours SHORT! I don't get it, if you have such facility available, why not just extend the hours to make it more accessible for everyone? Anyways, CCSF downtown's library closes at 7:45 on most days, which fits my schedule perfectly. Even though I don't study at CCSF anymore, I would stll stop by their library if I need to get some work done. Yes, they do have guest wifi, no need to worry about not being able to connect to the rest of the world ; ) There are some great things to do near by as well. There are plenty of shops, there is a motive therator, there's places where you can play pool, where you can go ice skating, etc. You will have a lot of fun studying here. Anyways, go check it out, you may love it.

    The pastries do taste good and worth the money. I would still think you have to devote time to get…read moreyour order in and pay. There is no parking. Unless you want to pay at the parming garage across the street. Bus or walk only. But if you are in the neighborhood, it is good to stop by.

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    City College of San Francisco - Downtown Center - Peanut butter cookie

    Peanut butter cookie

    City College of San Francisco - Downtown Center - Lobby

    Lobby

    City College of San Francisco - Downtown Center

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    Public Knowledge Library

    Public Knowledge Library

    4.0(1 review)
    0.8 mi•SoMa, Financial District

    The Public Knowledge Library is the latest public library of the San Francisco Public Library…read moresystem & is the 29th library in the system. It is located on the second floor of the SFMOMA & opened about 6 months ago. It will be here at SFMOMA until 2019 & perhaps permanently. The Public Knowledge project includes installations by artists & librarians using resources such as books, magazines, & newspapers addressing the shifting paradigm of libraries to digital technology. The Public Knowledge Library aims to showcase the historic & contemporary relevance of public libraries to support individual needs & interests along w/ generating a community spirit. When I visited today besides browsing some excellent books they also had on display an original card catalogue cabinet from the main library from 1917 that was used until 1989 when it was replaced by digital records. Also on display here was vinyl records & listening stations w/ a focus on musicians in San Francisco. I was delighted to listen to the original first recordings of Joan Baez in San Francisco that was recorded in June, 1958 when she was just 17 years old. It was interesting to listen to her play w/ just her vocals & an acoustic guitar. I also enjoyed listening to some of Miles Davis Live at Blackhawk in San Francisco. I liked reading the linear notes on both records. Items here are non-circulating yet don't worry as many of the items are available for check out at the main library. It is worth paying a visit to SFMOMA if in SoMa to visit the Public Knowledge Library & look forward to returning to see other exhibits here down the line.

    Mission Bay Branch Library - libraries - Updated September 2026

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