pretty popular and a great resource for people in this neighborhood. seniors, teens, children, everyone! most of the time it's pretty filled up because it's not a huge library but youll always still find a seat check calendar for special events like some DIY stuff if you're into that. there is a seed share box too. try growing something in your yard read more

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Checked out Portola branch Sun 10/19/25 walked from Bayview branch, like 25min walk. They have seed catalog not much in there. Restaurants - separate women!/ has 2 stalks, 1 sink. Magazines, books, children s area. Small garden outside. Good for folks in neighborhood. read more

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While walking at John McLaren park, my family and I found a library card and keys, on our way back home we stopped at the Portola Library to return the keys, i went inside the library and approached one of the ladies sitting at the front desk, I politely said " hello, good afternoon " the lady, an Asian woman, simply looked at me without saying a word, reached out to my hand, grabbed the keys and returned to her business as if nothing had happened, whatever happened to "hi!! Welcome in!! "Thank you!! Portola Library is not a place I want to come back, not a smart way to promote education. read more

Such a lovely day at the Portola Library. Nicole the branch manager is amazing and is always attentive to everyone around her. She is such a beautiful light in the library. And the younger readers just love her. The staff were very helpful and friendly. If you're visiting check out their garden next to the children's section. They have sage, beans, jasmine, lime, rosemary etc. A very well maintained and clean garden with benches to sit and enjoy outside.. The young ones can even water the plants with permission. Definitely a great library to visit in the neighborhood read more

This is my current library location and it's been such a nice change from the civic center location for various safety reasons. The one downside is that it is much smaller and I wish it had a larger adult section. After my first visit, I started just reserving books through the SF library app and sending them to this location for me to pick up. The pick up shelves are at the front, right next to the checkout, which is super convenient and easy! read more

I went here with my friend recently. They have a nice selection of graphic novels here including a favorite The Watchmen by Alan Moore. Me and my friend found an interesting poetry anthology of the 20th century and we read some poems to each other. I love the colorful mosaics that decorate the outside of the library. A small branch yet filled with character. read more

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Best library in the city. Great programs for kids and super friendly staff. Wonderful children's books selection. Wish it was open more hours! read more

New location between Martin Luther King Middle School and ER Taylor Elementary School. One of my neighborhood libraries since I happen to live within a driving distance from here. I've been coming to this library when they were over at San Bruno and Silliman. My first time coming to their new location today. I'm coming here again since the library is the place I'd usually a lot of time at. A very good study space for me to get my homework completed cause I also get distracted when I am at home. The procrastination seriously leads to forgetting there is a homework assignment to be completed or falling behind. Free Wi-Fi? Nice! The library is a good place to be at! Why? The art of learning new knowledge is not just a one time opportunity, it lasts a lifetime! Looking for information, resources or books you need for any homework assignment? Your local library has the answers you need. Books, magazines and newspapers along with an abundance of other resources are available. Come check it out! read more

Portola Branch Library - Libraries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really like this library. It is convenient because it is near my house. They offer free wifi; thus, I come here to study whenever the wifi at my house run into trouble. This library is really good. read more

This is the best library because it is managed by Ms. Nicole who is the branch manager and also the children librarian there. She has done storytime at my daughter's school before. My daughter recognized the librarian when she first visited the Portola library because Ms Nicole did such a great job at her school. She is full of energy and you can tell she loves kids a lot. She made my daughter so happy because she read her two stories today. She also made some very good recommendations in regards to good books for kids who is learning to read, and she challenged my daughter to spend time reading instead of always on the screen. Due to its proximity to the schools, it can get very crowded on weekday afternoons. The kids need a community like this because they can also get homework help at the library. Although it might not be quiet like most other libraries, you can feel the positive vibes. This library is a good place for the kids to hang out and to be inspired.They do have many new books there with friendly staffs. read more

Portola Branch Library - The best librarian there. Ms. Nicole is so loving! - Libraries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Small, aesthetically pleasing library! One of the places in San Francisco that still has the happy, community and local vibe; untouched by gentrification. @ Paul: Considering that the neighborhood has a large population of East Asian families, if you are so disturbed by the local library having "50 little Chinese boys", consider going to a library in the Marina. Might be the type of people you'd feel comfortable with. It is pretty loud, but a lot of people like myself are okay with it. I love being in a happy and bustling environment. When I want a more quiet place, I just visit another library. I'd rather have children play video games in a library, where they can socialize with others and be in an academic environment, than have them play at home and be isolated. Also, some students may not have access to computers at home. It not only is a library, but a positive community center. Plenty of events, opportunities to volunteer, great staff. If you hate children however, this place may not be right for you. :) read more

After two years in San Francisco, I finally got my library card! Now that this is my local library, I strolled in the other day looking for some light reading. Seeing that I wasn't looking for anything in particular, the small selection wasn't an issue--kind of the opposite, actually, since it narrowed my choices significantly. And that's not a bad thing. I walked out the door with a couple good books. I get a good little community vibe when I'm walking around on San Bruno Ave. It's magnified ten times in this small space. Good job, guys. read more

First off, if you are looking for a quiet place to study, this is not the place. If you are looking for a library with a great selection of books and other media that has the flavor of the Portola District (San Bruno Ave) then you are in the right place. NOTE: If you are looking for a quieter place to study, you might want to check out the bernal heights branch which isn't too far away. I am always amazed that such a small library can have such a great selection of books. I find here books on business, parenting, cooking, architecture and interior design. There isn't much seating because this place is busy and there are lots of people there. If you are patient you can always find a seat. As to loud libraries, aside from main branches and extremely large libraries such as in Saratoga, Cupertino or San Jose, I have typically found most non-university affiliated libraries in the Bay Area pretty loud in general, especially on weekends. I believe a large part of this is in the larger libraries have the space for a separated children's section and have separated quiet study areas. read more

I'm so thankful for the reinnovation and new location. This library is amazingly techy. Maybe I'm not so up to date with the library technology, but you can check out your own books at this location. The same concept as self check out at a super market. Pretty nifty for a library that locate in this area. Staff are very useful here, just like most libraries in San Francisco. The place is well-lighted, clean, and organized. I'd come to this library more often, but I don't seem to finish most books that I check out. One of top SF library that I've been to. I'll wait for the Richmond district to open. I heard that one will be beautiful and techy as well! read more

This branch is not near my home live but I've occasionally visited its old location at the corner San Bruno Ave and Silliman because it's near my work, and I dine out there occasionally. I made a visit at this new location because I found in the library search catalogue a video I was looking for. I definitely admire the big difference between here and the former location. It is definitely much nicer, more spacious. On top of that, they now have a much better selection of videos than before. I commend the San Francisco Public Library for the good work on this new branch. read more

What is the best way to get and give kids more chances to educate themselves? Putting a public library inside a public middle school. This new remodeled library is located just at the corner of the middle school Martin Luther King. Jr. More than that, right across the street is E.R Taylor elementary school. For elementary and middle school kids, this is a great location for them to borrow and read books. What a great way to help kids learn. Reading is knowledge. read more

I have to thank this library for restoring my faith in libraries. As a kid I would check out 8 or 16 books at a time (whatever the limit was back then) when this branch was still located next to the firehouse on San Bruno Avenue...you know, back when that blond librarian with the Southern accent still worked there. She read 'The Polar Express' to my class. Anyway, during my teen years and entering into early adulthood, I felt that the library - ALL LIBRARIES, because this issue followed me to college - was always charging me for books I had already returned. This past year of tough economic times has affected my return to reading as much as I did when I was a child. I would love to buy books from bookstores but who can buy a book these days? The new location has been open for a while, and I finally paid a visit last month. Checked out 3 books, read them in 3 weeks, and returned them. Thankfully, I have not been charged. Faith restored. I expected the actual stacks to be a little more updated looking, and fuller, but they weren't what I was used to when thinking about this branch. I do like that they have new books right by the door, but they need a bigger fiction selection. Staff was friendly. I like where this is going. read more

I used to go here all the time during my childhood to just chill and do my homework. This place is the perfect library on the weekends. But during school hours after school before COVID, it becomes one of the loudest libraries in the WORLD, turning a library into a little gaming café for them little kids and they are screaming at the top of their lungs but the staff doesn't mind it till they scream too much. But the community there is top-notch and that is one of their biggest upsides. read more

One quick and easy tip for making this library 100% better -- get rid of the gaming computers in the kids section. I've never been in here when there hasn't been a group of 50 little Chinese boys crowded around these computers shouting at the top of their lungs while playing games...I really don't see what internet gaming has to do with the purpose of the library. read more

This library in my neighborhood so it's great for walking distance. Unfortunately, it is by far the worst place to sit and study. Their private "quiet" room is always occupied with an event, so there's no place to seclude yourself (weekends). There are children running around or speaking super loud or babies crying. None of the librarians say anything so it remains as loud as a playground. In terms of picking up a book and reading leisurely its good, but again, studying in peace and quiet is not an option. (Which I think is the purpose of a library, don't you?) read more

I have been to this branch many times. The most staff are very friendly, especially, the librarians. However, a staff who shelve books is very mean to the patrons. One time, a young student tried to find a book, so she pulled out few books out and put on the shelf. this staff walked to her and asked her if the student would check out all these books. The student said that she only wanted one or two. The staff was very angry. She immediately turned black face and she took away the books on the shelf. She said that she messed up her books and.... read more

i am sooooo happy for the new location because 1) a block away from my house 2) great for kids.. conveniently two schools are right next to each other-makes the parents and guardians for easy pick up 3) clean and 4) great staffs i usually come here myself or friends to study and to do homework because i always need study space cause i get easily distracted when i'm at home (due to having way too much snacks at home then i get food coma and leads to "get no work done") this library includes wifi, but some times its on and off-bad connections at time, but bare with it. it is a public library and everyone in there shares the same connection. they open 6 days a week except for mondays. WHYYY? please consider opening on mondays and please please open until later nights. read more

Roz, the librarian, and the rest of the staff here are great! They do a lot with the limited resources (e.g. space). The branch is used heavily by the community, especially kids. It will be great when the new branch is built, with more space for adults, and additional computers. The collection is more limited than at other nearby branches (e.g. Bernal, Excelsior) but all books in the system are accessible and can be picked up and returned here. 3/2009 Update: The above info referred to the previous location on San Bruno Ave. The brand-new branch, which is twice the size, has now opened. The staff is still terrific, but now the collection is too! A whole bunch of new materials are available, and the DVD collection is way larger than it was previously. There's more room to display new materials, and browsing is easier with more space on the shelves and between stacks. The new branch has more computers, and comfortable places to sit, and is a terrific improvement over the previous facility. read more

Just a great, local library. Wonderful section for kids and teens.

Woooooottt, love this library. Great location for everybody, love the environment inside. So blessed to have library near my house, benefits everybody. Except those that dont goto libraries. read more

Nice location and layout, sunny, relatively few residentially challenged patrons, "International lang" sections here = mandarin/cantonese. It's the loudest library I've visited particularly during weekends, forget it. No epiphanies here, the open-air children's section is often quieter than the video gamers. World of warcraft, minecraft and ringtones... cmon. Studying can be challenging here. read more

When the San Francisco Public Library opened its newly-constructed Portola branch in February I was pretty excited: it's larger than the old branch, there are more computers for patrons to use, comfortable seating areas, and it's closer to where I live. Then I noticed something. Whenever I was there the library was overrun by large groups of children from neighboring schools conversing as if they were on a playground. Each time the noise got so bad that I found it necessary to leave. Don't get me wrong. The new building is beautiful. But if you're bothered by a lot of chatter, you might want to head to another branch. read more

The Portola Library epitomizes the word community! From the back garden and seed library to the amazing selection of multi-language books and media... this place has it all! The Portola Library is buzzing with activity for young and old... who needs a stuffy old book depository. My youngest son was mesmerized with Nicole's read aloud and my oldest son received individualized attention searching for information for a class project. The care and service provided is personal, friendly and knowledgable. Thank you Portola branch for always adding that extra bloom in San Francisco's Garden District. read more

This is a great part of our neighborhood. Shiny New library. Great kids section. And fantastic foreign (mostly Asian) DVD section. Very impressive. Great staff. read more

Nice place to be on a Sunday. My son really likes this library n it's close to our house too n parking is easy to find. One thing was bugging me was that the library suppose to be a quit place but the libraries two lady sitting in front was just so loud n lost in there conversation and they work there!!! Didn't even care to lower they voice was just loud n going on n on... that's why I gave the library two stars I didn't had that quit moment I was looking for. read more

Portola Branch Library - Libraries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Beware that during the summer at least (and possibly during the school year, won't know until it starts up again), at 3pm this small library gets overrun by children and it starts to resemble an out-of-control daycare. The noise level jumps to 10, kids are chasing each other through the shelves and around tables, occasional screaming, and once I heard a bookshelf of CDs crash to the floor. The staff makes no effort to control the noise, I guess this is just how it goes. Prior to the afternoon rush though, it was fairly quiet except for a Chinese woman loudly arguing with a small child in the back. I have no idea what it was about because I don't understand Chinese, but it baffles me that 80% of the dialogue was the mom rambling as if she was scolding the child, and 20% must have been the child's retorts. At that point, PLEASE just take your child outside to do your parenting (ignoring the fact that you're not about to reason your 6-year-old out of his bad behavior with own shouting anyway). A cell phone went off very loudly... wow, that's Library Etiquette 101. An adult should always silence their phone upon entering a library. Another cell phone rings 10 minutes later... the man ANSWERS it. Library Etiquette 201: see your phone vibrating, take it outside to answer it. If you can't make it in time, you call that person back and apologize that you were in the library. They'll understand. If they don't, they're a bigger asshole than you would have been for answering your phone while still in the library. But all of those rules went out the window at 3:00. And because it sounded more like a playground at recess than a library, no one noticed the special needs gentleman who spent 5 minutes telling me about where he went to high school, then college, then all the classes he took, (by the way he's 41, he told me that too), what his thesis topic was, what a thesis is, the breakdown of paragraphs in a persuasive essay, how he ended his thesis, dot. dot. dot. I'm a patient person so I listened to him politely until I couldn't take it anymore. I came here to do work, I have to get back to it. So I tell him nicely "that's amazing, but I'm sorry I have to get back to work." A few minutes after that, he finally says his goodbyes only to circle around in 90 sec and come back to me for one final anecdote. I'm not passing judgement on the handicapped individuals of our community; I'm blaming the library, because I believe if it had been quiet enough that man would have recognized that approaching a stranger to talk to them would have been too out of place, and he would have left me alone. Instead, the noise of children going wild provided him the perfect cover for cozying up to someone to chat it up. read more

I call the library my "Poor People Netflix." When I want to see a DVD, I add it to my queue--that is, I put it on hold at the library. It takes a little while, but I eventually get to see most things that I want to see. Plus I get to hear albums I've never heard and read books and hear audiobooks and... Yeah: big fan. This is a pretty good branch for getting your requests on. They're processed relatively quickly when they're not in use by other patrons (three days is usually the maximum). The set up for getting them isn't great, but the staff do what they can with the space they're given. Make sure you check to see what you're getting when you go to pick stuff up. Your DVDs are behind the counter and your books and CDs are on the shelves in the front. The staff are super-duper busy; I've found that they will do their best to make sure I've picked up all my holds, but sometimes I've left without something. That's the double-edged sword of the bustling library--they're not always able to hold the hand of each patron. You need to do some self-care here. Also--they just opened 7 days a week! Open Mondays now too. Atmosphere: not quiet, not serene, not dead air library. This is a hopping, lively joint where members of the family from small children to grandfolk gather. The library works to make sure everyone gets what they want (it does belong to everyone) instead of what some people think they need. If you're a person who thinks that people should read certain things and hush because it builds character, this living space may irk you. read more

Why would they put internet gaming computers in a library? Nora A - obviously you are not from here and unaware of SF library rules. Libraries are supposed to be quiet places for people to read and study. No, those of us who abide by the rules should not have to "consider going to another library". As other reviewers have noted, this is an extremely loud library - children running around crying and screaming. One librarian even told me that the many Asians in this neighborhood seem to think this library is a daycare center. We taxpayers pay these librarians; salaries - they should enforce the rules. Too bad as this is a new library. read more

This is a newly renovated library. The layout looks neat and clean but its a small place so when this place is full, I can imagine everyone is on top of each other. Don't forget your library card because you can't use anything or play with toys without it. At Bernal we didn't have this issue. But I felt it was such as issue today and really ruined my experience. Not coming back.. read more