I recently went to the Montclair Branch Library. It is in a converted cottage and is charming. The library is small yet nice selection and friendly staff. I loved the owls on the sign that greet you on your way in. They had Joseph Heller's Catch 22 classic here and a memoir by John Waters on display. Loved that they had boxsets of the Beatles and Miles Davis. The beauty of the Oakland library system is you can put a hold on items from other library branches to pick up here if this is your local branch. read more

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A beautiful cottage style library, space constraints limits its collection but it is an absolute gem. Nestled in the hills above Oakland, the perfect spot to read a book. read more

Montclair Branch Library - Front of library - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

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What a charming library! It's been a few years since I've had a library card, but I was inspired to get one to check out free ebooks on my kindle. The Montclair branch is the closest one to my house, and is a cute cottage that they've turned into a library. It's quite small, with 3 sections -- the main section (adult books/magazines/DVDs), kids section and a teens section. There are 4 computer stations that you can use and a relatively clean bathroom. The staff here is super friendly and very helpful. Parking was pretty easy to find -- plenty of street parking surrounding the library (but may be hard to find if you go during peak times). I was surprised they had a physical copy of "Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell" since it's a relatively new book -- what a pleasant surprise! Since the library is quite small, the selection of physical books is rather limited. But if they don't have the book you're looking for in this library, you can request it from other CA libraries and get it sent to the Montclair one. Overall, I love this neighborhood library! read more

Montclair Branch Library - Montclair library - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

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What a lovely and welcoming little library! I come here often to work, lounge outside on the tree-shaded bench, and - you guessed it - pick out a book or two to bring home! I'm always warmly greeted and treated respectfully during my visits. Coming to this library helps me feel like I'm part of a community. read more

Super friendly and helpful service. Access to many of excellent services. Wonderful having this on the neighborhood.

This is a cute and quaint cottage turned into a public library. It's the perfect place to study, although you will get the occasional child freak-out or screaming baby. It's a pretty low-traffic library and kids know to keep quiet. You can also rent tools and toys here. There's even storytime hours. Plus, there are sometimes helpful events like Lawyers providing legal advice. I work from home and have found libraries like this one are a great place to work. There's free Wi-Fi and no pressure to purchase anything while you're there. read more

This is a pretty small library that is frequented by children and their parents. Generally not a quiet place because most of the times I've been there, there are kids around. Because the building is small, noise from the children's area carries throughout much of the library. If you don't require quiet, though, it's not a bad place to camp out for a while. There are some tables, a couple of cushioned armchairs, and 3 computers with Internet - you just need a library card to log on. The free wifi isn't very fast, but hey it's free. The bathroom is clean, but you need a key from the front desk to use it. Public bathroom keys give me the heebie-jeebies because you have no idea what kind of germs & grossness are on them. There's no parking lot - just street parking, which can be pretty difficult to find. read more

Cute neighborhood library. Quaint. Small. Lots of kids on the weekends, which is cute. If you're doing some basic reading you're fine, but if you have intense studying to do this isn't the place to do that. Because the library is quite small, voices travel. You'd have to be a pro at focusing to shut all the noise out. Otherwise it's a nice spot to get work done. Street parking is also pretty easy. read more

That we still have local libraries at a time when everything is going digital is just.. charming. This one in particular is especially so. I came here for one of their weekly "Toddler Storytime" sessions, which happen every Thursday morning and is usually followed by "Baby Bounce," where parents play, sing, rhyme together while bouncing their itty bitty babies. So every Thursday, this quaint little building that once was a house fills up pretty quickly and turns into a very loud (and even more adorable!) space. Those of you looking for peace and quiet might want to visit the library on another day. ;-) This library features 4 computers with free internet access for visitors as well as (according to their website) 45,000 books, paperbacks, CDs, audio books, magazines, newspapers, videos and audiocassettes for children, teens and adults. read more

My library just got even better! Why? Because they now have a library cat! It's a sweet black and white kitty that lives nearby and hangs out in the library when it's open. All libraries should have a cat IMO. read more

Cutest library ever!! I saw from the website that it had some sort of story book themed architecture (at least from the front) and figured it would be as small as the Lakeside branch. It might be just tad bigger, but it's certainly not as tiny as it appears from the outside. There are computers and a study area in back, past the walled and sectioned-off Children's area. Everything is very well-organized and (thanks to the delightful staff) I was able to find what I needed in just what I needed in a matter of minutes. read more

When I first moved to the area, I was glad to know there was a library somewhere nearby, but finding it proved to be more difficult that I'd imagined. I was not expecting a house-sized cottage. In truth, the Montclair branch is adorable on the outside, and the staff is friendly and helpful. But the inside is very cramped. There is also only on-street parking, and since the library is right near a local school, finding parking nearby can be frustrating. The lending rules of this library make it pretty nice, though not as nice as some I've been to in other counties (Oakland won't allow you to reserve movies). The lack of space also means this library isn't really an ideal space for doing projects you need peace and quiet for. There are only a few internet-ready computer terminals and they're almost always in use. Your best bet to use internet here is to bring your own laptop and sit outside on the steps. The garden outside the library is very pretty. And if you happen to live in the neighborhood and you have friends over, you can show them your library and they will all exclaim over how cute your library is! read more

I'm really glad we have a branch in Montclair. It is located in a super cute little building. The inside feels dank and cramped to me, though, so it isn't somewhere that I want to spend time. It's like having a very good friend who is a hoarder. You love them, but you hate to spend time in their house. So I've tried to get things worked out online before stopping by, making sure the book I need is there, so I can just step in and be out of there with it. I really am grateful to have a branch in Montclair when I can actually get that to happen. The hours are so erratic and so few, though, including that they are closed all day every Monday, it's hard to make regular use of the library. I'd have to keep their odd schedule tucked in or posted among all the other things there are to keep track of in life. It just doesn't end up working out very well, and I end up having to buy books I would have rather borrowed from the library. Which is par for the course in this increasingly consumeristic, throw-away society. I think the key to keeping things rolling in that direction is continuing to starve our public services. We have got to figure out a better way to fund our public services. read more

This cute and friendly little library has a nice children's section. We come here occasionally on Thursdays when they have Toddler Storytime and Baby Bounce. Both activities are fun and engaging for the kids, and they're free. Street parking is available, but it can be a challenge to find a close parking spot on Thursday mornings. read more

This library is sooooo cute, as stated before looks are deceiving for this quant little or should I say quite large library! I enjoy going to Baby Bounce, I am so glad this service is offered in most all of Oakland's public libraries :) Also, the selection of babies/children's books is very extensive! Enjoy read more

The Montclair branch always has what we need and they have great recommendations. The summer reading program is great for kids and parents alike. A convenient and nice library and great public service. Easy stroll from there to the park or the village before or after. Makes for a nice family hour. read more

The best things about the Montclair branch of the Oakland Public Library (OPL) system include availability of parking, curbside drop-off bins, very helpful librarians, and, as a mom, the comparatively large children's book section. As a frequent user of several OPL branches, I've been on a quest to find which branch offers the most "entertainment" for my child (i.e., keep her engaged longer than ten minutes so I have a chance to find a book or two myself). Well, Montclair is hands down my current favorite branch to visit with my five-year-old, where kids have access to a nice, clean space filled with quite a large selection of children's and young adult books. Younger kids will love the great selection of picture books placed right at floor level where they can select a book or two on their own and sit and flip through them, either on the floor or at one of the 3 kid-size tables. Early readers have a nice selection of chapter books like Ivy & Bean, Beverly Clearly, and other favorites, and the Young Adult section seems to have a lot of sci-fi/fantasy, angsty vampire series. There are other activities including a nice selection of toys and blocks, and the librarians also offer markers/crayons and a selection of coloring pages. There are a few kids computers, one with free access to ABC Mouse, which we love. And don't forget to have your five-and-older kids ask the children's librarian for their very first library card. The librarian made my daughter feel so big and so proud when she got to sign her name on the back of an actual real OPL card and then check out two books of her very own. A very nice touch. The grown-up section is smaller than the kids it seems, but the selections are good. If you don't find what you're looking for, just log on to your account on the library computer and you can search for, request and have delivered to your local branch, any book the OPL system has, which is just about everything. Montclair is a great little community library with activities and events for residents of all ages. I think it's generally best for parents and kids, and can get a bit loud. Adults without kids might prefer the Dimond branch as it's quieter and has a much larger adult section. read more

I've been a patron of this little branch library for decades. All three of my daughters went to Montclair School and as so many other children of working moms they were instructed to go to the library when they got out early and had no after school activities and I would pick them up there. That's why, to this day, there's so many kids there after school. I am envious of the space and amenities of the Rockridge branch library with its multitude of shelves, rooms, art displays, etc. but it lacks the charm and personality of the Montclair branch. The limited selection at Montclair is offset by the ability to reserve books not only from the Oakland Library system but also from many library systems all over California. Plus the ability to download audio and ebooks no matter where you are is a real plus. The current librarians are special people - Lynn and Jeremy come to mind. In fact they are so hospitable a neighborhood cat has taken up residence during the day. Contrary to popular belief, the Montclair branch library was never a house. It was designed and built to be a library. Pictures from the 1930's show the library before it was surrounded by homes, and when the railroad trestle ran between it and where HWY 13 is now. Enjoy.. read more

I wish I could give this library 6 stars. It's housed in a super cute little house and has a GREAT children's section and a fairly decent DVD selection. The new children's librarian is AWESOME! After I submitted feedback that I would like there to be some book lists for strong female characters and LGBT family books she updated the existing LGBT book list, taking care to determine if the books were actually in the Library, and she created a strong female list. Love her! Thank you! In addition she's acquired a bunch of new books for the library including a gorgeous copy of "Country Mouse City Mouse." I would give this library 50 Stars if I could! read more

I love my local library. I took my kids here for story time on Wednesdays before they started school. The staff is very friendly and helpful. And I run into friends here all the time. A gem of a place! read more

Well I'm always going to be a fan of a place that lets you rent books, dvd's, and games for free so I guess all public libraries get love for that. This library is a hidden gem in my neighborhood, first off its located in a convenient location that I can get to from Montclair Village when I'm walking my daughter in her stroller or during the day you can find parking on the street between the hours of 9a-2p after school starts and before it ends at neighboring Montclair Elementary School. Driving by you may miss it because it is tucked away on a quaint street and you almost have to know that it's there in order to know that it's a library. Inside the library is very small but they pack a lot of books in there. I go in for the toddler books and read and play games with my daughter. I think it's a great place to kill an hour with a little one. I'm not sure what the official number of books you can check out is but I think it's around 30 book which really helps when you are trying to keep your child interested in reading and don't want to spend $10-$20 a pop for kids' books with 8 pages and 24 total words. If you're in the area stop by and check it out. read more

Montclair Branch Library - The front of the library, it looks like a small home located right next to Montclair Elementry - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

A great small neighborhood librairy. Enjoy taking my grandkids to Thursday Story Time! Alot of materials in a small space. Only negative, thusfar, is no fax sending services available on copy/fax/scan machine. read more

I love this little library. I know libraries are going out of fade, as are books and newspapers, but I still appreciate them. This one is cute and quaint. It's in an old building with a vaulted ceiling. The staff is friendly and helpful. Every little community should have a library like this read more

a very cute branch in an adorable old house with some of the best storytimes in town from one of my favorite fellow children's librarians. if you have a baby that needs bounced, the montclair branch is your place! read more

Sure it's not perfect but it's cute, close and always seems to carry whatever my book club has selected. Many thanks to the friendly staff for taking great care of this neighborhood gem! read more

It is a nice library located in a quaint building. Has a good selection of books as well. I went on Tuesday to sit and work a bit however it is way too LOUD. The staff members seem to treat the place as a neighborhood social gathering place. There is constant (and very loud) chatting, laughing, etc. I was so surprised and disappointed. I have been in coffee shops quieter than this. read more