This library is located across the street from Safeway. The MLK Jr. book "strength to love" may be available here. Reference #252.06 King In the foreword Coretta Scott King says this is King's bestsellng book. It capsulizes themes from his sermons into essays. Some MLK Jr.'s thoughts: -"love your enemy" in a rhetorical sense, not literally. You don't have to "like them". -capitalism is materialistic. At extremes, it corrupts the soul... -"neighbor" is an unknown person Christians lends support to without knowing his identity. Altruism. -One can "love" someone who willingly performs a wrong act but wasn't conscious of consequences. "He didn't know what he was doing". God has faith that person would change if given right info. -Jesus was a nonconformist. -God saw the Egyptian Pharoh oppressing the Israelites as "evil". -God will not unilaterally lift the burdens off mankind. Man must do the work. God will assist.. -MLK Jr. found Ghandian nonviolence compatible with Christian beliefs. -God doesn't see Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodist, Black or white worshippers as distinct entities. ..... Note: not a practicing Christian. Just a student of humanities... read more

Oakland Public Library - Dimond Branch - Read this book coincidentally before MLK, Jr. day. - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

I love the friendly staffs here. They gave me so much resources and let me rented a backpack full of hiker stick, binocular, maps, free pass, etc. They taught me a link that offers library cardholders to free concert tickets, tours, museums and etc. I have used so many and its free, but you only need to plan in advanced since it is limited availability. I have saved so much money on things I could have not afford otherwise. They offer free computer class, magic store, stories times, lawyers, tax help and so much more. I love taking my niece here and she enjoys the free markers, papers and peace. There is a limited small parking lot, but there are meter street parking's available. If you get hungry, then there is a Safeway across the street as well. This is my favorite library in Oakland. read more

This library is such a special place; I have memories of coming here when I was younger. It is a smaller branch making the environment a lot more cozy. And kids seem to love it here! That is a great sign, and results in a higher noise level. Because most public libraries seem to be on noisy side nowadays I don't hold this against them. I usually have my AirPods in anyway. I moved to the less active teen zone since it was empty, and was told by a librarian that I would need to vacate that area when teens arrived. I get that and actually appreciate them adhering to that rule. Librarians seem approachable and helpful. There was a range of community members visiting. The parking lot is small but there is some street parking and other business lots nearby. Bathrooms are ok. read more

The Dimond Branch is quite alright. I recently went here for a library program that was a Medicinal Plant Walk to adjacent Dimond Park led by a permaculture herbalist. It was very informative to learn about the local botany that is medicinal in our local habitats. There are several interesting library programs at this branch as later this month will be a poetry reading & workshop on publishing featuring Northern California Poets. Friendly Staff work here. I picked up some tunes as I picked out some CDs by Bjork, Fugazi, & Leonard Cohen. To reach the Dimond Branch take one of several buses from Fruitvale BART that will get you here. After visiting the Dimond Branch Library be sure to re-fuel at The Veg Hub for some yummy wholesome vegan fare. read more

Oakland Public Library - Dimond Branch - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

As a long time resident of Oakland I am embarrassed to say this is the first opportunity I have had at the Diamond District Library. I was in the area and needed to catch up on some homework. The library's exterior needs some love. The landscape, the entrance doors and the front steps all need a little help. However, once inside the carpets are new and very clean, the furniture is also new and clean and their is space for reading, studying and of course the children's play area is available for play time with the little ones. I'm very happy to add this to my list of places I've had the pleasure to do homework in read more

Oakland Public Library - Dimond Branch - Adult section to study or quietly chat. - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

Libraries are so great and Dimond is one of our favorites. It's smaller than some of the other Oakland libraries, but it's rich with character and love. If you have children, be sure to attend the events run by Sunny. They make every children's event memorable and enjoyable! I want to be as fun as Sunny, when I grow up!!! read more

Always plenty of books that peak my interest, and plenty of spaces to relax for the whole family.

We continue to find the dimond library an awesome community resource. the librarians are so friendly and helpful and shakira, the security officer, always remembers our sons name. during this first week of the OUSD strike, we've stopped by multiple times and visited with Banny the therapy reading dog and enjoyed the 'free comic book day' on saturday. thank you dimond library staff! read more

The Dimond library is a great place to chill and read! The staff is so helpful, and they really think of you with everything they do. overall I loved my experience there! read more

I was surprised that this library is so nice. There is a large area for children that is very nice (see photos). At the front of the library by the windows is a sitting area for all that has both tables and cushy chairs. There is a whole section for American Indian books. The layout is very nice, with diagonal stacks that add a privacy to browsing. Staff were friendly and nice. It's also good-sized for an Oakland branch. read more

Oakland Public Library - Dimond Branch - children's section - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Support your local Library. Support your local Library... that is what I mutter to myself as I fall asleep. I wake up only to recall that my dreams are simultaneously pleasantly vivid and rejuvenating the following morning. Books spur your imagination, if you read enough of them your vocabulary increases. This can help you out in job interviews, impressing dates, your rap flow and even rub off on your friends and family. It also expands your understanding of the world and people around you. Want to figure out what makes your favorite artist, idol, or celebrity tick? Pick up a biography on them and find out. What to understand how to be more productive or need parenting advice? Apps wont help, there's a book for that! The great strength of the Oakland Local Library is the amount of resources you get when you pick up your free library card. Can't find a book at your branch? They have 16 locations and if one of them have your book they can send over. Understand that it's a small old building and may not be suffice to studying, or prolonged quite concentrated times. For me anyways, it's really all about the books. Vast selection of authors, helpful staff for recommendations, online ebooks, slick looking library cards, they've got it all. Pick up your library card today, read to stir your subversive mind. Go to bed thinking of all the good you've done by supporting your local library and you will have a rich sleep. I guarantee it. read more

All the free books you ever wanted, plus storytime for kids. Especially with Link+ and ILL, the library can pretty much always get you whatever book you need. The website is simple but effective at seeing and managing holds/checkouts/requests/renewals. Also pretty decent online materials, like Kanopy for video and Overdrive, although I've found that now that I've gotten into the habit of just going to the library every three weeks or so to check out and return sets of paper books, I tend not to use them so much. The eAnswers service is helpful in finding and requesting more-obscure materials from other libraries. read more

It hurts me to write a negative review of a library, but watch me. I stopped here on my way back to the city to try and get some work for school done. The parking lot was full, but the meters were significantly cheaper than in San Francisco, which was refreshing The chairs and tables were small and low to the ground, making me feel like a giant-there's a first time for everything!. The patrons around me continued to answer their cell phones throughout the time I was there. Anyone who approached the reference desk proceeded to talk at "street volume", which was distracting. On my way out of the library, I noticed there was another section with tables and chairs that might have been a little further removed (ie quieter) than where I had the misfortune to sit. I'm willing to give it one more try to see if there's any possibility of hitting the mute buttons on the folks next to me, who seemed to have missed Library Ettiquette 101. read more

Times have changed and libraries that were once a place of silence no longer are. Maybe this library is just too small to accommodate distinct "quiet areas" for reading and study. Or people are simply disrespectful. Cafes are places for socialization. Parks are for play. A library is not meant for either nor is it a child daycare. read more

#1: it's a branch library, people... yet, my family with two kids and two adults never have to go to another location for what they want. #2 If you want to complain about resources (esp if you live in a nearby city) then don't visit an Oakland library, especially not one in a maybe gentrifying definitely transitional neighborhood #3 I defy anyone to say the PEOPLE here made your day one iota worse than when you stepped in. And probably the reverse--in my average day, the nicest people I see are sometimes these folks. (OK, OK, there is the one "frowny woman"--so says my kid--who mumbles to herself and then acts offended if you don't immediately conform to arm-length protocol for books you'd like to checkout--as if you are willing her to ergonomic error and wish her carpal tunnel...) But there it is, right! I'm one truly mean,mean judgmental person and that's alI I got. Also,it's less pretty than the suburban libraries of my youth, but it is a thousand million gazillion times more useful. read more

Coming to the diamond my bearings closer to the house easier to get to and hardly ever be crowded with even so it still enough from that got a lot of better books read more

Oakland Public Library - Dimond Branch - My boy - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

Ever Wanted to Finish High school ? Need More experience ? The Youth Employment Partnership Is Right For You Located in Town on 2300 international Blvd Oakland CA 94601 come join today and earn more money , Education, Ages 18-24 read more

I love the library. I have a weird nostalgia for all libraries really. This one reminds me much of the my local county library I used in junior high in Jackson, CA. It's pretty cramped, people really aren't that quiet, and there seems to be an overabundance of staff. I like all those features. The staff is really helpful and while the selection (not surprisingly for a neighborhood branch) isn't huge, you can order whatever book you want to come in to their local branch. I'll take it. There is never any parking. I usually try to coordinate a trip to the Safeway across the street so I can kill two birds with one stone & avoid the Austin Powers manuevering you have to do (only a slight exaggeration). The parking really isn't much of a deterrant though. Mini-soap box moment--there are a lot of great reasons to support your local library(!): **Well-run libraries encourage the kids in your community to use at a resource ** Borrowing books instead of buying them saves trees! **Borrowing books also saves you $$ in these tough times. There aren't a whole lot of free forms of entertainment these days, so drink up the local library. Soapbox finished. :) read more

Great place to have a quiet reading and the staffs are very helpful and great friendly smiles!

Adequate. The books are exactly where they are supposed to be and the drop box outdoors is functional. As one of Oakland's more smaller, cramped, yet busy libraries, there is a lot of activity in here and I've never seen the place empty- read: this isn't a quiet study space. However, it dutifully serves its purpose of being a place to peruse, pick up, or drop off library materials. Also, the staff people are wonderfully helpful and kind. read more

Nice place. It's an older facility but the resources are still in great shape. It's in a quiet neighborhood so it's a small location. Elevator is there and in good condition. Plenty of computers and books! read more

I really enjoyed the Bounce Baby class. The parking is a bummer, but overall I like it. I will visit again!

I really love my local library. The staff is super nice and friendly. I was impressed when I turned in a book 2 days late and they said "no problem, we give a grace period, so no late fee". Really? I mean it was only 40 cents which I am more than willing to pay, but thanks! Then the same guy gets rid of my grace period so I can check out up to 40 books at a time. 40? Crazy. You can renew and reserve books online too so that was cool. - 1 star because its super small and there isn't much room if you actually wanted to get some work/reading done. Also the hours are limited but it works for me. Yea free books! read more

Update: Because the library staff are so nice and helpful I changed the rating to 3 stars. Shhhh.... This is a library... This is not social hour, coffee shop, party room, conference room, someone's work office, nursery room, playground... I miss the librarian who would shh patrons and I miss the librarian who spoke softly and quietly. This is more like a bookstore than a library. Well, ha, that's an overstatement. There are some bookstores that are much quieter than this library. (Sigh)... Serenity now, serenity now. If I was you, I would get my books and get the hell outta here ... read more

Small older library, not your quietest library but will do. Staff is very friendly. Great for kids, parking lot is small so get here early. read more

Oakland Public Library - Dimond Branch - Reference Desk Area - Libraries Near Me - Oakland, California

THE PROS: 1. Friendly and helpful staff. 2. Well organized. 3. Neat and clean. 4. Never overly crowded. THE CONS: 1. Ugly building. 2. Noisy. 3. Extremely difficult parking. 4. Books you've returned are sometimes missed by the scanners, so you find yourself receiving "overdue" notices even when you've returned the books. Why four stars? Because even the last (and worst) of the aforementioned cons is outweighed by the friendly and helpful staff. They always helped me locate the "overdue" book (which was usually there on the shelf) and were apologetic about it. I used to work in a library myself, so I know how difficult it is to keep all the details - all the books - in order. And I do tend to check out a lot of books. Good branch, all things considered. read more

Right in the Dimond hub, by the banks and grocery stores (well, I'm only really counting Farmer Joe's), and on the bus route. The librarians are nice and helpful; it's pretty spacious, and even though I really only pick up and drop off books here, and *occasionally* browse the stacks, I appreciate having a good library in the neighborhood. read more

Sweet little library. The folks who work here are really helpful. They have a great used book section where you can buy casts off for pocket change. Also a great place to donate the books you no longer need. read more

I like this library alot. This is usually the branch I visit when I go to the library, although there are 6 (yep, 6) branches closer to my home. The libray is pretty cute, just a small building. It's all one room in there. but, it's spaced out fairly well, so the kid section is over in one corner, and the computer for public use of on the opposite side of the place. The reading chairs are well worn in! And, there aren't a lot of them. But, they are in a small clearing near the windows, so it's nice to sit down and look at a book with a view of outside and some natural light. This branch also has a SMALL parking lot outside, which is nice. And there are lots of shops, banks, etd all on the same stretch of street. As with all the libraries, the staff are always friendly and helpful. read more

This is the best local library ever! It's amazing how much they pack into such a small space. And somehow it never feels over-crowded. Love the staff. Love the selection. Fun for all ages! read more

My daughter and I love it here. The staff is friendly and story time is solid. Of course, this Oakland public library is small and has a poor selection of books. But they more than make up for this in spirit: the library has a good feeling to it. read more

This library offers a warm and community oriented ambiance, and the staff are welcoming and knowledgeable. This is a truly wonderful library. Great programming for kids too! read more

Great staff and programs, just got remodeled and is even more pleasant than it was before. Good collection, I always find something I want to read or watch! read more

Best I can do is two stars. The books a are well cataloged and staff is competent. The noise level is simply inappropriate for a library. The reference librarian talks, not just at street level, as previously mentioned, but quite loudly. It's almost as if she wants everyone to know she is alpha dog. There is no cell phone control, and the computer users are often loud. It's not really a library, it's more of a part time youth center. And I know the kids need a safe place, I just wish they would get some supervision from staff. If you're looking for a quiet place to read books, go elsewhere. read more