This is the most beautiful library I've stepped foot in. I didn't find newer media and books that I was looking for, but this is a great place to hang out and study. They even have a cafe downstairs! Everything is well maintained, clean and is just fun to walk around at. The staff was so nice, but I didn't realize this location wasn't a part of the SCC system. read more

Santa Clara City Library - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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Walked by many times and didn't get to go inside until recently attended an event in the library. It's a huge two-story library with many seatings and it's very spacious. This is one of the nicest libraries I've been in around the area. This library is conveniently located next to the Central Park. After coming here, it's also nice to scroll around the park as well. There is also a Safeway and a few restaurants in the complex across the street (Homestead). read more

Massive in size!!! Since I was in need of some entertainment for my toddler, a library was the best bet for my book loving little monster. The library is huge, very clean, and the staff is kind. Navigating the library is pretty easy but the staff is open to assist and answer any questions you may have. The Santa Clara City Library comes highly recommended. read more

Santa Clara City Library - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

The staff is very friendly when I go to check in the state park pass. The computer system is easy to use. They have a good selection of recent books. The place is clean. One of my favorite libraries to visit. read more

A very clean, spacious and plentiful resources for books, puzzles, games, you name it~ It's nice and peaceful to come here to do work and get some productivity in. read more

I love libraries. This one is in the upper quartile. Very big, great selection and I loved the high ceilings. It is also right by a large park. Wonderful and friendly staff. read more

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It's very clean; staff are nice and helpful. Easy to find what you're looking for and different types of games from young adults and kids. I enjoy coming in here because I feel safe and comfortable atmospheres. read more

I am writing this review to inform that when I visit the Santa Clara Central library (Homestead Rd), I feel that people behave in an unusual manner as though they want you to leave the library as soon as possible. It is difficult to report as an official complaint as you know certain people are making you uncomfortable and yet the subtle negative behaviors or mocking mimicry or surrounding drama will not be taken seriously by any authority. However I want to report through Yelp, since if this can happen to me, it can happen to anybody and we need to speak up to stop such nonsense in public places that are supposed to be safe for everyone. The 3 star rating is for the vast collection of books and polite customer service by the library staff. read more

Very friendly and knowledgeable. I was treated with great respect and kindness. It is always a great pleasure working with this particular branch read more

Beautiful library with great people. Great place to study or get work done because everyone stayed quiet. They even have video games? read more

Santa Clara City Library - Video games - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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Sadly since the pandemic hit the library had to cut hours and I was told they also had to reduce more than half of the staff. However this 2 story library is still a great library to check out. It is well lit and very spacious. It has a large collection of books from baby, teen, young adult, graphic novels and more! There is ample parking from the front to the back parking structure. The library is still very lively and offers many events to the community such as "Storytime with baby and me", tax help services (during tax season), mini conventions and other services. For their "Storytime with baby and me" they offer 2 readings during 2 different time-slots. They have one geared more towards babies ages 0-2, which have shorter stories and more singing songs in between books (ie If you're happy and you know it, etc). While this is happening they have the other story time reading located in the room nearby which is geared towards preschool kids. In this room they have a nice big projector so everyone will be able to see what story they are reading. These books are a little longer and there are less singing songs. Tickets are handed out 30 minutes prior to story time to ensure it doesn't get too packed. Story time begins at 10:30am and 11:15am on Fridays! Be sure to pick the right age appropriate time for your little ones and have fun! read more

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Love it! Has a great collection and you can also get your library card super fast. Staff is also great, is my favorite library and I go even over the weekends to study. read more

I finally came when they were open because I'd always miss their open hours it's a cozy library that sort of reminded me of the movie Matilda for some reason. Anyways, I found a corner in a lounge chair and finished reading a book I had been waiting for. Just an all around nice library, especially ideal since I can walk from Orange Square which is a boba shop that also sells Taiwanese bento boxes and snacks. read more

Pros - Comfy chairs for long study periods - There's a history archive area which feels like a mini museum - Spacious and lots of natural lighting - WiFi connects seamlessly Cons - Study rooms can only be booked for an hour read more

See previous review. This is also an excellent place to review and learn what is going on in Santa Clara civically, and given various family and local events held routinely at the library. This includes periodic book sales and a book club. The computing facility / tech center is useful and current - updated as well. This is among the best city libraries I have visited and I use the reading facility routinely. Great! read more

I will compare this library with Milpitas library to show you why I gave only 4 stars to it. 1. Hours: Milpitas library offers 7 days when this library offers only 6. Milpitas library also offers longer hours on each day. For example, this library closed at 2pm on both Friday and Saturday. 2. Quietness: Milpitas library is much quiet than this one. There were lots of noises in this place (at least today). People talked loudly, kids were running around, and you can even hear baby was crying. So, go to Milpitas library if you live on north side of Santa Clara city. read more

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Excellent library with great selection of books for children, teens, and adults. The children's area is great for reading and learning enrichment. Kids can also enjoy some coloring or use computers for games / learning. For adults, great fiction collection and always a nice curation of new books for your perusal or borrowing. Easy to get a library card, and catalog system is handy. Adults can use the tech center or find spaces for laptops. read more

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Wi-fi went out and needed a quiet place to work. After doing a search, found that this library is one of the most highly rated in the area - I can totally see why: - It's beautiful, lots of big windows and natural light - Free wi-fi that is decently fast and easy to connect to - Great selection of books and media - Huge quiet area to work in - Connected to a beautiful park which is perfect to stroll in between work sessions - Right across the street from Stan's donuts I plan on coming back! read more

The Central Park Branch of the Santa Clara City Library is a large, bright and attractive building with a good selection of books. There are plenty of areas to sit and read, so this a great place for students to study or do homework. Check online for the periodic workshops or special events held here for both children and adults. In the fiction section upstairs is a block of shelves dedicated to local authors, where you can find, among other fine selections, two of my books, "Accusing Mr. Darcy," and "Captive Hearts." read more

Santa Clara City Library - Central Park Branch-Local Author Section - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

This is probably one of the best libraries I've been to! It's always so clean and there's plenty of places to sit so finding a place to settle down to study or get work done is always easy. It's so quiet in there and everything is so organized. And the really nice thing is that it's connected to the park so once you're done with what you need to do you can take a stroll through the park. Don't forget to look through the calendar of events! There are a lot of free workshops and activities that are really beneficial and interesting! read more

Never donate books to this library. A nasty older lady will show up and try to bully you, just because it obviously makes her feel good. A super nice young lady was processing my books and had all the really high quality hardcover stuff on the shelf already when this lady shows up ready for a fight. Looks at the few books that were left in the box and said. "These are all bad quality, and I know what you're going to say: You've had these your whole life and they're precious to you. But we can't take any of them. And some of us are over 70 years old and we can't lift these heavy books." Referring to the HQ writing reference books I had bought there maybe 3 months earlier. So I took back all the good stuff, 2 Dozen like new hardcover Beatrix potter, from the cart and suddenly she changed her tune. "Well those are OK!" No thanks! I donated them to another charity who were happy to get them. This place: "F" read more

Very nice library! Two stories and makes for a wonderful place that relaxes one for a long stay with books. Have been coming for a few years now and every time it gets a little better. Last week, when I went though the stacks, even more seating was installed, especially tables for people to work and read at. The kids section is FANTASTIC! Taking up almost half of the ground floor and cute decorations throughout. So many options for every age group. I have brought my niece here several times when she stays with us. Parking is limited in the front but there is a large parking garage underneath. Little cafe for a drink and snack while one reads is a nice touch. The interior is well maintained. The artwork unique and pleasant to look at. The building overall is a dated but this is overall one of the best libraries around. read more

Santa Clara City Library - Donating some of my books to a wonderful new home. - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

I love all libraries, and this library is no exception. I especially love this library because it's so big and cozy. Those two things are usually mutually exclusive, but this library brings them together! There is also so much community involvement here, from the local seed sharing program to the used book store to the community noticeboard. There's a small cafe, and great kids/teen sections. Most of all, the CHAIRS ARE SUPER COMFY. I sat in one for 4 hours and my butt was fine. I love libraries. read more

Santa Clara City Library is located in Santa Clara. I was there for their annual Comic Con. They do a fantastic job. The setup is great, and it draws comic book fans and cosplayers as well as the general public. They have lots of panels, special guests, activities, and vendors as well as food trucks. The staff are friendly and helpful. A good time is had by all. I was there for the event last year, and I plan on attending next year. It's free, and it's a great event for all ages. read more

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Female librarian on a power trip. Before this encounter, there was a lot of kids and parents as it's story time. Naturally it's loud. Me and my son were situated in a table next to the nursing area/station. My son is watching on his tablet with the volume that is not even too loud to bother anyone specially where we are at. This lady librarian with glasses came to me and let me know it's library policy to have headsets on for tablets. I mean not even with a friendly tone. I told her it's very loud awhile ago with kids going on (so shouldn't she be telling them to keep it down as there's people reading or working???) My son even felt how unfriendly this librarian is and told me he rate this as 1 out of 10. We've never have an issue with this on other libraries and trust me I've been to a lot of libraries in the Bay Area. Last time we go to this place. read more

Great library with loads of natural light (aka big windows) and open space. There are plenty of books to browse through and everything is well organized. The librarians are eager to lend a helping hand when you have trouble locating a book or need tech help. The one downside to this place is the people eating in the library... i understand if you want a small snack... but take your lunch outside! Not only does it smell, but there is so much noise being made by the rustling, crunching, and slurping. There's a freakking park right outside the library for you to eat at -_- go. Overall, wonderful library and i definitely will keep coming. But it'd be nice if the librarians could remind people to take their lunches outside. read more

Santa Clara City Library - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

This is one of the best public libraries I have been to!!! You don't need to live in the area to have a library card (this is a first for me)! They have an incredible selection for children, teens, and adults. I was amazing how many stacks they have for the main subjects, and they have a large selection of foreign films/TV series. There are so many tables, chairs, and even adjustable art tables. They have a few group meeting rooms, but the most impressive part is they have a cafe INSIDE! You can check out a max of 60 books and 10 DVDs~! The only downside is the parking lot is tiny which is shocking because this place is crowded! Oct 5, 2018 Update: There is an underground garage that is for the library! It's not that big, but definitely helps when the lot is full! read more

This library has parking in front and behind. It it right near a park. It is a very large and clean library. It is also two stories and has a cafe on the first floor. I love libraries. But in order for me to find a library I think it is exceptional It has to be a library I could spend half a day in. Do I want to hang out in this library for hours? This means it needs to be comfortable. Good lighting, preferably natural lighting. Open feel. Cozy. Nice tables. Also more private tables Incase I want to feel like I'm In my own little working reading nook. This library does all these things well. High ceiling. Large windows. Sunny. All types of tables. Private working rooms. The Santa Clara library is awesome. The only downside is that everyone else knows it so it can be kind of busy in there some days. read more

Santa Clara City Library - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Spacious, airy, pleasant, clean. Lots of tables, armchairs, power outlets scattered throughout. Very enjoyable spot.

We come to this place for magic. We come to Santa Clara Library to laugh, to cry, to care. Because we need that. All of us. That indescribable feeling we get when the lights begin to dim and we are told we need to leave immediately because they closed ten minutes ago. We do not just exit, but are somehow reborn. Together. Dazzling words on a tiny white page. Sound that I cannot feel. Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this. Our heroes feel like the best part of us and stories feel perfect and powerful because here ... they are. Santa Clara Library. They make books better. read more

I love coming here with my son. We can wander the kids area, there's places to read and an outdoor area to sit or play. It's also so wonderful to walk out the back and see the fountain play on the playground and then come back to finish browsing books. The staff is helpful and friendly! read more

This is the largest library in the city of Santa Clara. Membership in the library system of Santa Clara is free and only the residence address belonging to a Santa Clara zip code is sufficient. By getting a membership, one gets access to 4 libraries in the City of Santa Clara. This is a great place to read and study. Even on a Saturday afternoon there are enough seats to read or work. The collection is really great as well. There are multiple copies of the best sellers and the new books available. The catalog search is also spot on most of the time. Any bibliophile will really enjoy spending his/her day here. I am definitely coming back quite often. read more

Santa Clara City Library - Entrance to library - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Nice library with a huge area for studying, magazines, books and movies. They have study rooms that can be reserved ahead of time and online. There's also a small used book store that is ok. There's also a cafe with snacks and coffee. Very good library. read more

Deigned well architecturally but missing alot of books. I was searching for Risk Management, however their variety is little to none.

Everyone at this facility is always extremely helpful and kind. The selection here is really vast and the library itself is always kept super organized and clean. If you have something you are in search of and they do not have it, they will be able to borrow it from other libraries in most cases. The parking is easy since they have multiple areas. read more

It's a great library. There's a first floor for children's books and a second floor for more quiet studying and adult books. The library is huge and everyhing is new. There's also a cool outdoor patio area in the second floor, which is super neat if you're into reading books outdoors. Front desk people were also super friendly and helpful. I got my new library card super fast with their help. Wifi also connects pretty well in most spots of the library. Only downside is that it gets pretty crowded during the day. If you're looking at finding a good spot for yourself to study at, you have come earlier to snatch the spot. Most likely, you'll be sharing spots around a table with 1 or 2 other people. On the flip side, it does add to the studying environment! Overall, a fantastic library! read more

An amazing two story library with adequate parking. An underground parking lot around the corner. An interesting location sharing a road in with a school, park, swim center (daily fee), and across the street from a grocery store. Clean bathrooms, plenty of signage, study space with outlets and study rooms. I'd highly recommend visiting on a regular day, but the events here are a must! The STEM central event on 4/29/17 was great with drones, VR, electric skateboards, glass blowing, paper making, paper robots, pinball machines, Self driving car, NASA astronaut guest, photo booth, and more! read more

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Very nice public library located next to Central park and next to a catholic school and church. I often came here as a kid to check out books. This is a safe location with friendly staff ready and willing to help you find what you are looking for. So come on down and enjoy what this place has to offer. read more

Came to use a private room for some studying and the lady assisting me was really nice to make my reservation and give me some info about using the rooms. Per my understanding, we can come back and make reservations for rooms as long as it's not back to back. The guy who was at the desk (when I left to grab some lunch), however, said it's only 1 reservation per person per day, and further added it's in their rules and policies book. I think as long as reservations are available, it should be on a first come, first serve. Anyways, didn't care for that guy's attitude and not sure if I'll make a reservation again as for 1 person, the room limit is an hour, and if what he says is right, not worth it coming for just 1 hour. Aside from this, library is nicely decorated and spacious! read more

The good: it's an amazing building, attractive inside and out, plenty of windows, plenty of books. You would almost think it was the library for a major city. The bad: maybe all the money spent on that building could have kept the place open a little longer, now that funds are tighter than they were when the built the thing (the contrast with the hideous and dark, but open more often, Sunnyvale library is striking). I used to work late and it was frustrating to not even be able to make it to this place most of the week. If you use Link+ (a great, free way to request books from other library systems, mostly in the area) you actually have to return the books while the library is open, so this really can become an issue in some cases! The surroundings are nice (the park) and you can always park across the street near the CVS if necessary (I've only once bothered with the garage, not crazy about that blind turn). They do also have some interesting events; it was cool to hear G. Willow Wilson speak recently! Oh, one last quirk is that you can't request (or "hold) an item if it's on the shelf, only if it's checked out. And just now I wasn't even able to request a checked out item because one of the copies was "Missing"! I think the latter thing is a bug, though. read more

Santa Clara City Library - No kidding! - Libraries Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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