In my opinion the Contra Costa County library system is the best reason for living in the east bay, we are lucky enough to have communities that care enough about public access to education that there is a vast quantity of old and new books as well as versus periodicals on a wide range of subjects. Last week, I checked out a new book that had been published just two weeks prior. In the past I have lived in other counties that could only dream of having the resources to offer such a wide range publications. The library's website ccclib.org makes it effortless to locate the call number of any book or request a hold if the book you wish to read is at another location, checked out or your plain too busy to locate it yourself. The library it's self is very well organized and the holds shelf is next to the door making it easy to get in and out. It is true the Pleasant Hill library is very humble, but this adds to it's charm. It's located within walking distance from Pleasant Hill Middle School, and offers story time on weekday mornings so you can expect a certain amount of white noise. However, there are still plenty of of quiet spaces, just ask any of the helpful staff to point you in the right direction. The Pleasant Hill library is open till 8 on Tuesday nights, and closed on Sundays and Mondays. read more

Nice and clean library! Friendly people. Has a kids playing ground inside. 4 starrrrrr for this library :)

Friendly library meets all my needs. Nice helpful staff if I requested a special order. Parking is easy no charge! Keep this library open please. read more

I know that I am part of a dying breed. I visit the library pretty frequently. I go at least once a month to stock up. I get three books, one a week for the time I can have them. Nine times out of 10 my books are returned late, oops, but I figure my late fees are keeping them afloat. I guess that also means that the "free" public library isn't so free. read more

The two ladies in this library are RUDE, unwelcoming with attitude. I was in the library on Friday jun 11th and instead of saying hi or even being nice she told me in a not friendly manner that my kids shouldn't be in the library since they weren't mask. She said they have to wait outside even me as an adult got shocked of the way she was talking with her body language let alone my little 3 & 4 daughters. They were hide behind me even they aren't shy at all. I put the mask on and then they were to grab the book while I was checking out my pile of books. She told my child that "she is not allowed to grab more books because they are closing". It wasn't nice at all. She has no right absolutely no right to talk to the kids that way with her ..... body language. I got so upset as well as my kids. It wasn't their first time they not respecting but this time because of the way they act with my children and with me in front of my children I got so mad and upset. I'm encouraging them to read books and love it but in this small dark library instead of being nice with smiles and talking in a nicely manner they kind of attack kids. Because it was 5:00 pm and they were about to leave and couldn't wait for us to check out. I don't want to go back to this library I rather drive to Lafayette or Walnut Creek . read more

we love this library for story time with Patrick. Be warn if you go during the 11:10am time.. get there early to get you or your child a good seat. It gets super crowded around that time. Best if you can come to the 1:10pm time slot... not as crazy. read more

Favorite library in contra costa county. Helpful staff, good selection and the online site is fantastic. Hold system is very good as well. As a child I loved the children section. The somewhat new check out machines allow for easy check out. There is a upstairs fiction section and a research room. The facility is pretty large and there are plenty of tables to explore your next favorite book. read more

I was looking for a quite place to study and this library is not the place. Screaming kids, people walking back and forth and talking loud. How annoying! The library is dirty and super dusty and I had a sneezing fit. Looking forward to the new library in 2019! In the meantime - back to Walnut Creek! read more

Thanks to the wonderful staff at this library. As a teacher, they are my best resources. Their supports during this pandemic are even greater. I appreciate all their hard work and dedication. Today, when I picked up my requested book on the Flower unit, the brown bag was hand illustrated that looked like a marigold. A personal touch that made my day. Thank you so much. read more

I come here for Storytime on Fridays with my one-year old son. He LOVES it. The staff is very friendly and helpful and they sing some great cute songs..."The more we get together...together...together...". They have a great play area for kids as well with stuffed animals, foam blocks, books and toys. My son usually spends an hour running around the library and never wants to leave. read more

Pleasant Hill Library - Libraries Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

This library is awesome. The staff is super helpful and the place is very welcoming. The reason why I am leaving this raving 5-star review however, is story time. You see, every Friday at 11.15am something magical happens at the Pleasant Hill Library. Story time with Patrick. This guy is a genius. He brings such entertainment and energy to this 30 minute happening that you completely forget abut your every day parenting struggles. I have been to many kids story times in the area, but nothing compares to this. To most kids (and should I say parents as well?) Patrick is like a celebrity, and for good reason. Parents, if you haven't already found this hidden gem in Contra Costa county, go check it out. Every Friday at 11.15 read more

I have such a soft spot for this library. I have been coming here since I moved to the burbs 12 years ago. The staff is nice and helpful and there are plenty of good book choices. This library seems older, but has definitely kept up with the times- they have computers for internet and catalog use and self-checkout machines. I love the library! read more

Not many things make me happier than seas and seas of free books. I all about the books, but also has your standard books on tape and cd, dvds, cds, and magazines. I love the online hold system. Just request a book from anywhere in the CC Library system and it is waiting for me in 2-3 days. I also am prone to requesting that they hold books right there from this library, which probably is a little lazy, but it works. Yes, it isn't the most modern library in the world, but to me it reminds me of the same era library buildings that I spent many, many hours in as a kid. It's definitely functional. The staff have always been helpful and pleasant when I encounter them. I love pausing and reading the eclectic mix of community flyers in the doorway. Puerto Rican handbell choir at the UMC, anyone? read more

Ok, so have to do another review...now this is not a fancy library, but they have the nicest & most helpful staff and they are working hard to bring great programs to the Library. Went to a fabulous magic show tonight, jam packed. The children's section has been updated, added to, & organized. The Head Children's Librarian is so great...I am so grateful for his creativity and energy. I love this library! read more

I was ready to pull my hair out with computer glitches on my home computer. As I'm trying to complete many security forms for a new job at the US Postal service. So I went straight to the library and found a sweet angel who helped me get it done successfully. PAM deserves any raise she is due. She handled me with grace and helped get my work done smoothly, with a kind voice and smile. Love her! Thank you for employing her!!!! read more

My hometown library. Been going here ever since I was little. Cozy, dependable, and friendly staff.

**update** My daughter is now 3 and we still love coming here! Staff is great and we still love the story times and now the art projects on Thursday's. read more

It was not love at first sight for me but now it is one of my favorites. It is an older building but it is well loved. I love the sheer amount of items available, the Pleasant Hill library is a fantastic place to get lost in the stacks. I hope the new site keeps the character and soul of this library while improving the infrastructure. The Walnut Creek branch is physically beautiful but the prime focus seems to be on the building not the books. read more

I go to the library storytime for toddlers here. The librarian who leads the program is so enthusiastic that you know he loves kids, and truly enjoys spending storytime with them. He actually expanded storytime to three times a week as so many families joined the sessions. The storytime is not only about stories but rhymes, finger plays, parent/child interactions, imaginations, friendships, some sign language, and much much more. It's the only storytime that my son is willing to sit through. He likes the routine and can recite them when I least expect. Well worth the drive to come here, to meet his friends, and to have a sandwich lunch in the courtyard next to the library. The check-in and check-out area is wide and very kids-friendly. Each one of them has stepping stool under the machine and my son loves to check in/out the books and DVDs by himself. Even the water fountain has a stepping stool underneath. How great is that!? The library also has a park with a play structure for 5-12 year olds in the back and sometimes students play baseball and soccer there. So my son can burn off some extra energy there playing or watching the game if the storytime is not enough for him. read more

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Compared to Walnut Creek downtown library, this one is not very new and fancy. However, I love coming here. I will never worry about finding parking. Primarily, people working here are very nice and patient. By the way, they are open on Monday now! read more

I love this library and could easily spend hours wandering the aisles, pulling books off the shelves, and reading the backs. As much as I love my time spent there I unfortunately don't have the luxury to spend hours searching through the books. Luckily, the Contra Costa County Library website exists to streamline the checkout process. The website has the entire collection of books available so you can find out which library in Contra Costa County has the book you want available. You can also put books on hold and they will e-mail you when they are ready to be picked up. If there isn't a wait list, this can take as little as a couple days, even if the book is coming from another branch. What is even better about this system is that the hold shelves are right near the front, next to the self checkout. This alleviates the temptation to look at the rest of their books and I can get in and out of there in less than 5 minutes. read more

I had trouble finding this location. It's old and a bit creepy with all the shelves of books. The paperback/hardbacks are intershelved, so you have to go through aisles and aisles of books just to find your favorite authors. You also need to dig the book out to check out the cover, vs being able to browse by impulse when checking out the covers. read more

As a parent of a two year old, I think this is the best library imaginable. The children's program, run by the ever-popular Patrick, is stellar. Great story times, awesome additional activities, huge selection of books. I hope that the town rallies to build a new facility because it's old and could use repairs, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the best children's program around...and I've checked them out in SF and throughout Contra Costa. This awesome staff deserves facilities that live up to the quality of services that they offer to our community. read more

I came here today and had a really difficult time studying here. First off, the workers kept on moving furniture in the quiet study area and the furniture was so squeaky it could be heard across the entire room. Note to them: Get some WD-40. Then about an hour later I felt like I was studying in Chuck-E-Cheese as they had this Gingerbread House event for kids. There are doors to the quiet room and they didn't close them which irked me even more. I'm never coming back to this fucking noisy "library" ever again. read more

I drive 30 min to take my daughter to Patrick' story time. He truly enjoys singing to kids and they have a blast every time! We love this place because of him! read more

The library in Pleasant Hill is way too noisy. I spoke with an employee and was told "libraries are no longer quiet places." I did complain to the librarian. She was nice, but I let her know that libraries should be quiet places. I don't hang out there, but if I can't check out books without getting a headache from the noise, I'll go back to buying books. If kids want to play loudly, they should be outside. Where's the parents? read more

Really friendly place but mostly my review is for Patrick. He runs the children's program and on Fridays its standing room only to listen to his imaginative new material every week. He is amazing. read more

Pros: Large library, lots of materials. Check yourself out which makes checking out convenient and opens up the availability of the library clerks. Cons: Library has a lot of loud patrons. I tried studying here and I cannot even remember what I studied. I could hear a loud conversation coming all the way from the other room. A lot of people chit chatting here and it seems to be the adults not the teenagers! Hard to concentrate. read more

Wow! I couldn't have been more delighted to walk in on a Saturday morning with my 20 month old granddaughter to be greeted by a fun and FREE art activity that kept her entertained for a quarter of an hour! How many libraries even consider the under 5 set? The story time with Patrick (he's a superstar) is legendary on Fridays but I hadn't realized there was more going on to encourage parents (and grandparents) to visit the library with our pre-readers. My hat is off to the staff at Pleasant Hill Library who are doing more for early literacy and community connections than any other library I've been to! Sign me, "One impressed grandma!" read more

While this library isn't as updated and new as the downtown Walnut Creek or Lafayette libraries, it still holds tons of books and I remember often going here in my childhood to find books other libraries nearby didn't have. There is ample parking with their spacious parking lot. The library is spacious and there is also a lot of study and reading spaces. read more

Online holds rock-you can choose which library you want your book to go to! New machines in library allow you to check out or return books at any machine. read more

5 stars for their story time and children's section. 3 starts for run down feel of building and parking lot. Patrick is practically a Bay Area celebrity in the 4 and under set. I'm waiting for him to be the next Blue's Clues guy! The parking gets awful during story time. All of the parking lines have faded and people park wherever. Sometimes you can find yourself unable to get out because you've been blocked in. read more

Great little library! The Children's Story Time is incredible!

Helpful and patient staff, cozy little library with adequate selection of books. Relaxing environment.

This library is a fabulous asset to the community! The head librarian, Patrick, is dedicated to the idea that creating a welcoming space for children will create lifelong readers who will be lifelong patrons of the library. I couldn't agree more! My two year old is always excited to go to the library and now loves to "read" her books herself. The storytime on Fridays is like a concert (fabulous for children but be prepared for crowds), there are evening events like Dan the Magic Man and storytime yoga, and there are usually art supplies and toys out on Saturdays. For adults, the periodical section upstairs is incredible and the fiction section is nice and quiet. Definitely one of the most community friendly libraries I've ever been too! read more

Visited here on a Saturday morning. Filthy public restrooms. Yuck. That was disappointing.

While this is a no frills, older building I prefer this location because there is always plenty of parking and it doesn't get too busy. The kiddos enjoy the storytime and the staff has always been very helpful. To make thinks easier on myself I normally place a hold on items online and have them sent to PH so I can go in and out in no time as I have a hectic schedule on most days. One minor dislike is I have witnessed a large group of middle school age kids gather in the children's section in the large tables just to hang out which is no biggie but they are loud and use every swear word in the book to be cool. Which it is not cool with the little ones an ear shot away. This is an issue around 3pm on most weekdays Also, I am hopeful they get one more self check in machine at that location (they currently have one.) read more

I have mixed feelings about this library. I would like it more if it had better hours. There are no days where it is open until 9, it is closed sundays, and it only has two days when it opens before 11. I don't know if it is still the case but it was at one time the central library in the county. When you take this into account it is even more annoying that other smaller branches in the system have better hours. The sad thing is it sounds like the library actually improved their hours compared to a few years ago. It is relatively convenient to get to from 680 and contra costa blvd. A big parking lot with plenty of available spaces. But be warned it can become a different story if you try to come during a storytime session. That big parking lot gets almost completely full and the one time i went when a storytime was taking place i was lucky to get a spot. The building is older than some of the other libraries in the county, some people might like that design and feel but people used to shiny newer libraries like walnut creek are going to be disappointed. Some of the librarians here are friendly, on the whole i think they are probably not as friendly as clayton but not as rude as some of the librarians at concord. Some of the more annoying librarians strut around like they think they are the smartest and coolest librarians in the world (like storyteller patrick). The biggest problem I have with this library is that it feels like it is mainly designed to be an afterschool library for the school nearby. This library in my opinion is much nicer in the summertime when the school down the street is not is session. During the school year it becomes a zoo after the kids gets out(around 3). Loads and loads of school kids come in and treat the library like a playground or cafeteria. During this time the front of the library becomes a school pickup area and many parents drive in and wait in their cars to pick up their kids who are hanging out in front of the library. I was in the clayton library with someone once and she told me I should not be talking so loud. I was not actually talking that loud and i told her she would be shocked with the noise level if she went into the pleasant hill library during the week. It really gets ridiculous , a library should not feel like an afterschool kids club or a school yard. During this time of the day the libraries look like afterschool and yard duty teachers. They continually walk around and try to quiet the kids down. They try to make the kids who are swearing and talking loud leave the building. This librarian monitoring spills over to the computer lab too, I and other grown adults were using the computers and a librarian comes into the computer lab in the afternoon to check what everyone in the lab are using the computers for. I assume the real reason he is doing this is to make sure the schoolkids in the lab aren't playing violent games, looking at porn, gambling etc. Overall I think the layout of this library is pretty good. I don't remember the old layout that well from the few times i went there when i was younger but i'm pretty sure they improved it overall. The 2nd floor is a nice area for viewing reference material now, 6 or 7 study tables can also be found on that floor. There are about at least 8 study cubicles in the far corner of the library, more than what the other county libraries I have visited have to offer. The compute lab is my favorite part of the library. The computer lab is usually open at least during the times i have wanted to use it and there is always computers available. This library has a weird dynamic with varying noise levels. As i've said the center of the library gets noisy as hell with the kids and teens. In an ideal library the storytime and the teen activities would be held in a enclosed community room. Fortunately all this noise doesn't appear to carry over into the other room with the study cubicles even though they are there is actual door separating the two areas. I was surprised the noise did carry over into the study cubicle/magazine section. read more

PH Library recently gave away old, USED books for free. I love this event encourging people to collect and enjoy the classic old books avaliable for free. The free books did contain a funny smell, 1 *star* off...I need to spend an hour getting rid of the odor smell. read more

I can't believe how the unparental ( my own word) supervised kids are allowed to behave. Running, some screaming, loud voices, throwing things, improper language etc., is an example of what I've experienced. When staff was alerted it was: their in a program and there teachers not here yet. Even in the "quiet rooms", kids on the library's computers playing games and being loud. Friends and also some reviewers have experienced the same thing. The library is not a daycare center, but that's what I've observed it to be. Kids waiting for their parents to get off work or a way to meet up to play games with their friends. I'll not go back during just after school hours. This is an inconvenience since I'm a senior , disabled citizen , who uses public transportation. Please reconsider policies. Thank you read more