My go to library. It sucks that they close earlier around 6pm on most days, but it's still an excellent, world-class library. I love how quiet and clean the Saratoga Library is. I've gotten a good amount of work and reading done in this library. I also love how close it is to Highway 85, so I can quickly stop by to return items or pick up reserved items when I'm in a hurry. The Saratoga, Cupertino, and Morgan Hill Libraries have all redefined the standard I expect libraries to have now. MLK Library in DTSJ is trash compared to these three IMO. The sheer number of books, blu-rays, and video games each library has is insane. You're missing out if you don't sign up for a Santa Clara County Library card! read more

Visited Saratoga library for their story time arranged by my son's baby group. It was my first time going in to the library, although I've passed by it a handful of times. The inside of the library was so neat and clean. There was a lot of natural lighting too, which made the library seem more inviting. The kid's section of the library has a large selection of books. There is a play structure with a slide, a "bonfire" area, and a play corner for new walkers. There are even a few reading books by the window. My son had a great time walking around, exploring, and reading some books. When it was time for storytime, the librarian walked my son and his baby group to a private room. It's nice knowing that they offer this service aside from the regular weekly storytime. They have a parking lot, which was about 90% full by the time I left around noon. I went on a weekday. read more

One of my favorite libraries! The staff are friendly and helpful. We really love the summer reading programs they host every year. They also have fun reading programs for kids with stickers and prizes for various milestones. We love how they have refreshed coloring sheets each week for kids to work on. The newly renovated kids section is also really nicely done. The slide and balance logs are a huge hit. Sometimes older kiddos tend to zoom around too fast, so parents should watch out for their little ones. We try to also come by for their book sales when they have them on some weekends. Sometimes they have bag sales on certain Sundays, which is fun if you want new reading materials or books for the kids! read more

Saratoga Library is a favorite go-to library for our family. We enjoy coming here on the weekends to discover new books and play at the Children's play area. It's a nicely kept facility. Recently they're upgraded the automated book return machines, which are really neat. The Children's area always has a stack of coloring sheets available for kids and a calendar of events going on for the month. Lots of open seating for kids to sit and read at. The playground area is popular, especially the slide and log balance beam! Kids tend to try going back up the slide, so parents should watch out since there's usually a stream of kids wanting to slide down as well. The book holds area is easy to navigate. You just find the first letter of your last name and they use the last 4 digits of your card number to flag your reserved books. We really enjoy the summer reading program they do here as well. They have one for adults and one for kids, so everyone can participate. This past summer, the completion prize for adults was a $5 voucher to use at the Book-Go-Round in downtown Saratoga. We really enjoyed checking out the shop for new reads! read more

Wonderful library for kids! Our kids loved playing in the Redwood Romp area while I browsed for books for them. The patio is currently under maintenance so any snacks and drinks have to be out front on the benches which don't have great shade. read more

Front desk is hit or miss. If you get the girl that is inexperienced, she will do the least things available to help you. You may need to ask her two times for what you might need. Honestly, I think she's just not listening or paying attention and not because it's a lack of English skills. So you just have to repeat yourself two times and be patient. It's a little bit like dealing with the DMV. Honestly I think ppl like her should not work the front desk or answer phones. Just go work in the back without dealing with people, right? read more

How is a free amazing giant library not 5 starts? Ok, I get it...it's not really free and our taxes pay for it but come on man. Compared to my little town's library which is also great but around a third of the size, this one is incredible. Also, anyone can become a member. Maybe everybody knows this already but I thought only a resident of Saratoga could use it. They have books of course but also video games, DVDs and a broad selection of magazines among other things. My happy place!! read more

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My favorite library in South Bay. I just wish they would open past 9 PM on all weekdays and not just Monday and Tuesday!! There's something for everyone. A kids section is on the right side of the library when you enter and the older section is in the left side, which is fantastic for people who prefer a quieter atmosphere to study in. I've been in libraries where this is not the case, and this makes a lot of difference. Around 3 PM on weekdays is when middle schoolers and high schoolers tend to trickle in. There is a group study/team project room in this library, which I love as well!! It helps for people who need to speak and collaborate in a more productive environment outside of school/work. My favorite part of this library is the quiet study room. People actually tend to respect the fact that it is a quiet study room, which I love. There are charging outlets on the bottom of most desk stations, and you'll frequently see older people reading newspapers and younger people studying or working. read more

Saratoga Library - Libraries Near Me - Saratoga, California

Might be my favorite community library so far. It's huge and very spacious. Lots of natural lighting. Individual study tables on the sides for the adult/teens section. Large study tables with working outlets in the middle with comfy leather chairs. Haven't booked a study room yet but they look pretty big compared to other places. Huge reading room, albeit a bit musty in there.WiFi connects and stays connected without a problem. Outside and around the library is a small orchard that you can walk around and explore. Large parking structure. There are slots outside and inside the building for donations. read more

Saratoga Libary is a large location of a variety of selections to choose from adults to children novels, and other services are provided there. Food vendors are available for purchase. As I had been arriving to location of any on site staff interactions is primarily communicative in English. Table space, and study rooms, and other rooms are available. Great please to get away when you need some alone or quiet time for self. I come here often since I enjoy the area. read more

This place has a great children's section, with toys and children's books, and storytime! We decided to stick around for storytime on a Saturday morning, and I like how the library had puppets and other materials, but the storytime librarian's enthusiasm was rather lacking. Not sure if she was a sub or if her day was not going well, but her tone seemed rather sarcastic, and she seemed like she was rushing through everything. Do the kids care? Probably not as much, but my son literally walked out lol. I would consider going to the library if we were in the area, since they have shared toys and books, but I would probably not go out of my way to go to storytime. This is a pretty parent-centered review, so if you're not a parent, it's probably not very applicable to you :-) read more

Given the wealth of this community , this library has all the amenities you'd expect for studying and reading It's big and in a really nice area surrounded by an orchid old school.... Easy access , huge parking available Cozy great for college age folk! read more

Never thought I would be reviewing a library, but here we are. The Children's Section is amazing! Such a comfortable, engaging space for kids. They have a spacious, redwoods-themed, indoor play area. It has a climbing structure and slide, nicely done carpeting with alphabet and numbers, a balance beam log, make-believe fire pit with roasting marshmallows, cute nooks to read in. They also have ample tables and chairs (both normal sized and toddler sized). Lots of big windows and natural lighting! Definitely recommend a visit! read more

We visited this library over this past weekend and boy were we surprised... in the best way possible! The children's area ( i have very active 4 year old twins) is out of this world, fabulous! They have an entire playstructure inside the library! And its not a small play structure! It has climbing areas, slides, bridges etc. In addition there are small areas around it with places for parents to sit with their child and read a book or to watch their child. The library is full of children's books they are well organized and very well maintained. We didn't need to talk to any staff but they seemed to have adequate staff for each area. Checking out material is also very easy and getting a library card is also easy. They have a café that seemed to be well stocked we didn't go in ( the boys didn't ask so I didn't suggest). The bathrooms were clean and close to the children's area. Best part was it was cool inside as the temperature outside was a little warm. I can see this being a good place to go in the summer. Despite it being a Saturday afternoon the place was crowded but not packed. We will definitely be back! Way to go saratoga library, you've done a great job! read more

I'm writing to wholeheartedly recommend the Saratoga Library. Over the past two years, I've visited this library on and off, and every time, I've left feeling genuinely happy with the experience. One of the standout features is the staff. The librarians and staffs here are consistently friendly, welcoming, and incredibly helpful. Whether you're looking for a specific book, movie, research paper or just need help navigating the shelves, someone is always ready to assist with a smile. The space itself is excellent--there's plenty of room for everyone, and the environment is always comfortable. It stays cool during the summer and warm in the winter, making it a perfect place to read, study, research or relax year-round. Another major plus: the library offers top-of-the-line computers for anyone with a library card. This has been a huge help for me and others who needs a nice place to research. Recently, they even opened a new indoor playground for kids. Yes, it's indoors! So whether it's raining or scorching hot outside, you can bring your child here to play and explore in a safe and fun environment. It's just wonderful to see all the smiling in their face :-) All in all, this is one of the best libraries I've ever been to. It's one of those rare public places where you truly feel that taxpayer money is being used wisely. The entire staff deserves to be recognized for creating such a wonderful community space. If you haven't visited yet, it's absolutely worth stopping by and seeing for yourself. read more

For years I was able to access the New York Times online remotely for three days through the library. Now I can't even figure out how to access it anymore. I called and talked to a cranky librarian who couldn't help me. I tried getting help online. I still can't access it. I don't know why I waste my tax dollars paying for a library, when all I want is to read the New York Times easily and for three days at a time. read more

A very large library that offers a lot of resources such as classrooms, a large room for events for different celebrations (as long as they are not business related), and a group study room. A large section is decided to the kids. The language section is one of my favorite part of the library to check out and this library offers books, dvd's and audio collection from different languages. Would definitely recommend to check it out. read more

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Mariah was so helpful, patient, resourceful and kind. She really helped with technology class.

This has been my home library for over 12 years. I spend so much time here. It's perfect. Lots of natural light, and my wifi works great here. Huge collection of books! They also have a large assortment and wide variety of DVDs to borrow. Multiple quiet study rooms, as well as study areas at the ends of bookshelves in the adult and teen sections. They have all the books, but if they are missing any, you can order books to borrow online, and they will quickly be delivered to this library for pick up. I've done this so many times and always love getting the email that my book is ready to be picked up. They have books for sale, interesting artwork displayed, and a room for printing and other computer needs. The workers have always been friendly to me. Their bathroom facilities are really clean. This is my favorite library in the San Jose area, and I've visited most of them! read more

This is hands down the best library in the SFBA. The beautiful contemporary architecture on the outside (with grape vineyards and apple orchards all around the library) make it such a pleasure to come here. The interior is good, they're very high-tech (have been for quite a while now - I remember coming here in 2011, and my jaw dropped), and they have just about every book under the sun. Love, love, love coming here all the time, even though it's farther away than the Los Altos Library (another great library!). Sometimes, you just have to drive farther for the beautiful vineyards, the fruit trees, and the aesthetic architecture. All those apple orchards in Saratoga are right next door to Cupertino (Apple's headquarters). read more

I was in the women's room this afternoon and suddenly the janitor stormed in. So I yelled why he was here and he answered he needed to get the towels. I hurriedly came out then he dashed out and I managed to meet him outside. I reported to the supervisor who tried to defend Hugo, the janitor. I think it was totally absurd, illegal and scary. Be mindful if you meet male janitors in the women's room. I filed a complaint with the city as well. read more

Saratoga library was my favorite one. Quiet, friendly staff and nice environment. But yesterday and today I came to use my laptop here, the Wi-Fi is very unstable. I tried to research to see whether is my own issue. But today later I drove to another library and then found out the Wi-Fi there is super fast I felt like flying. I hope Saratoga library would pay attention to this issue and help to fix it. Since using computer to connect to Wi-Fi is very important to me, I have to check other libraries besides this first choice. read more

This is the quietest library I have ever been in. It currently has a lot of people in it, of all ages, and I feel like I'm here all alone. Also, there's so much space to just sit and work on your laptop in total peace. They have fast, free wifi, a huge parking lot, and what seems like a giant selection of books. What more can anyone ask for in a library? read more

Very large & nice collection of books as a branch of the Santa Clara Library. Their selection of large print/large font books is extensive and I truly appreciate these books for older book-loving eyes. The parking lot is quite distant from the entry unless you have a disabled plate or sticker for your vehicle. read more

I like the library. However staff could be more informed and nicer. Their misinformation cost me some money which could have been easily avoided! read more

I absolutely love coming to this library to study! Wish it were open longer.. but I'll take what I can get :) Last time I came with a friend, a librarian offered us a room to study in! It was a room with a TV so it would be good for group work where you all needed to look at one computer screen. I was so happy the librarian did this, because this room was pretty much sound proof! My friend and I were able to study in peace even though we could see there were a lot of people walking around outside of our room. Definitely try to get in this room if you want to get some work done! I feel like this library has a lot of nooks and crannies where you can just hide away and study or read! It is true that after school there are a lot of kids coming from Redwood.. but I don't find them loud or distracting at all! It is nice to see some of them so studious too. haha I like that there's also an "eating area" in the center of the library. That way, you don't even have to leave the library if you get hungry and want to eat a quick snack! I'll definitely be frequenting this library a lot since it's so close to my house. convenient and helps me get my work done.. what more could I ask for? read more

Saratoga Library - Libraries Near Me - Saratoga, California

Nothing bad to say about this place! Wide selection of books, ample parking, great location

A beautiful space with an excellent selection of books and friendly staff. And they have a gorgeous orchard outside!

It was always notably quiet, extremely well-provisioned, and the staff were always helpful and friendly, except for a very few reference librarians who didn't seem to know Internet basics or how to operate their admittedly very useful copy machines. But overall, it would be hard to find a better public library. This one was like stepping back many decades, except for the Asian & Arabic languages sections - although I never saw a single person browsing in those sections in the nearly 5 years I hung out here. Also an excellent periodicals and newspapers section, and an excellent sale- books section, consisting of almost exclusively pre 1980- published books. So, there is a question whether political correctness holds sway over purchasing decisions. read more

Over the summer, I came here a lot! The selection of books was great. I found many books on Industrial Engineering, Physics, and mastering Business techniques. In addition, I was able to find this book on 21st century architecture that was exceptional. Last week, I even stumbled upon some books that talked about low risk-high reward investing. It was great! ..............okay, I lied. I just went there for the air conditioning. But, I'm sure they have books on all that stuff. I just choose to play with puzzles while my kids look for books. LOL. This library is decent size, but has a lot of seating. Depending on when you go, it is sometimes filled with students pretending to do homework, but socializing instead. Especially after school. I did the same when I was their age, so no big deal. The children's section has a bunch of good material for kids of all ages. They also have movies available. They do have a lot of tables there, too, but sometimes the other parts of the library are filled up, so you might have that moron adult that takes up the tables there. They also have some computers to look up certain books and also 1 or 2 librarians to help you out. If you have younger kids when you go there with the older ones, there are some puzzles and games for them to play with while the other ones look for their books. As for the other sections for adults, there are a ton of books for every kind of topic. They, too, also have a bunch of movies, including many Asian series. Lots of tables, including a few rooms for quiet or group studying. Other perks include being able to reserve books, not only from this library, but from other libraries within the network. There are also different activities for kids, including story reading. If you have old books and/or DVDs (what are those?), you can donate them here. Oh, and of course, can't forget that AIR CONDITION!!!!! read more

I realize things change, but this used to be my favorite library. Sad to see the generic plastic/metal racks, overhead lighting. It's too bright. This library used to be full of character, quiet, cozy with lamp lighting. A library should be quiet, but the open-concept design means I can hear conversations far away, and people clicking on their laptops, etc. One woman was swirling her iced beverage around. WTF. There are reading areas next to windows that face the road. Not quiet. read more

Okay been coming here for over 20 yrs, I love this library. I understand these people are under stressed doing covid. But...however! We are all in the same boat! We should be kind to each other! There this librarian or a volunteer worker, I got to get her name! Anyway had to deal with her about 5 times now....she got to be the most rudest person and not pleasant at all! She makes you feel like... how dare you come here and check out a book! Almost like the Seinfeld episode where they had the soup Nazi! She seems like she does like being there or just irritated with people. She needs a attitude adjustment...rude, rude, rude! read more

My Favorit place in the bay area to get good books. The librarians are helpful und kind. I like to be there in the mornings for studying

Sweet! But Archna Singh the Circulation Lady isn't. She threw me an attitude when I lost my library card. I had my husband and one of my kids card and she could see my card was listed in their computer and current, not expired. Archna was twisting her words as though I had to go home and get "evidence" that I lived in Saratoga. "As If!" Because my Drivers License wasn't proof enough! Otherwise I had to pay $80.00 out of area card. What attitude! Eventually after un-twisting her words back to her and questioning her confusing reasoning she gave me a replacement card. Archna has the worst attitude from anyone from this library that I have ever experienced. I was born and raised here I've been coming to Saratoga Library all my life during its different incarnations at different locations. Someone had the vision to build the library with high ceilings and to build it in a protected fruit apricot/plum orchard. Simply beautiful. Separate computer section for adults on opposite side from children. They use all PCs here, unlike Los Gatos which uses Macs. You can print at .15cts a page. There is also a separate copy room area near the checkout area. The kids area is fantastic! Little tables and chairs for kids with a wonderful selection of books. Today they kicked off summer reading with crafts and balloons. They have a "cafe" area which is a table/chair socializing area where you can purchase vending machine items. They also have gently used books that are for sale for a small price. They have a nice enclosed area for working in small groups, little nooks for reading, beautiful local art work on display, self checkout, big clean restrooms, a recycle your magazine for others area, and a wonderful community meeting area. Today we were here for a robot demonstration from Saratoga High School in the community room. My kid loved it! They also have computerized drop off for your books. The librarians are awesome. Overall it's been a nice library. It would be better without Archana. read more

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Very nice library! I'm so lucky to live only 5 mins away from it. My review is for the children's area, in particular the video/media section. I give it 5 stars because they have a GREAT variety of Barney dvds and videotapes. My niece was obsessed with Barney this past summer, and we visited the library every few days to get her new Barney rentals. This library is awesome because you can look online to see which Barneys they have, and request for transfers from all of the other Santa Clary County locations. Totally beats having to pay $4/rental at Blockbuster! Super clean and recently renovated, brightly lit inside, lots of corner areas to study by yourself, enough tables to study side-by-side with a partner, and a room for group projects. Plenty of parking, and a safe location. read more

This library is pretty awesome. I just come here with the kids so I have no idea about their selection of books for adults. Their kids section is great though, lots of little tables and couches for kids to read at/on and they even have crayons, so they stay nice and quiet :) On Wednesday they have story time at 10:30 which is great too. Just make sure to be on time because it only lasts 30 minutes. read more

Saratoga Library - Kids section - Libraries Near Me - Saratoga, California

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I love that this library is in the same network as other South Bay libraries like Palo Alto, Cupertino, Campbell, and Milpitas. You can check materials out at one library and return them to a different one if it is more convenient. Also, you can place a hold on library material and have it sent from one library to one that is closer to you. This library is very quaint, sitting right beside a little orchard of trees. There is a separate space for group work (with about 6 large tables inside) that allows you to chat quietly with other people, and a smaller room that you can use for an hour to tutor or for a quieter space; this room fits up to 6 people fairly comfortably. Bonus: The area where books and videos/CDs can be returned even when the library is closed is indoors and also has a small bench to sit and relax while waiting on someone. Also, it's pretty close to the 85 freeway, making it a convenient location for anyone visiting from neighboring cities. read more

This is a gorgeous library, although a bit on the smaller side. There is plenty of parking spaces and a great 3-5 minute parking area at the end of the drop-off turnaround. I always see a wide range of bookworms here from students to elders and young adults! The librarians are very helpful and always smile at you when you walk in through the front doors. You can ONLY eat in the cafeteria area which is where the soda machines are past the entrance check-out machines. I love using their hold system (how I usually get my books) and there are many spots for studying including a quiet space and some other nooks and crannies around the area. read more

This library is the nicest library that I know of in Silicon Valley. It's also huge. There are some benches to sit on outside and lot of nice trees and flowers around the area. There is some art work inside that changes often. They have a large selection of books, CD's, DVD"s, foreign books and DVD's and CD's, and a decent amount of computers available for use. If you need to use the computer here, come here early in the day. Forget about finding one when most kids get out of school in the afternoon. Luckily, I don't need to use their computer as I have my own laptop. There are lots of places to sit down at there. There are a few quiet rooms there for reading and studying. There is one room there just for studying. Also, right now until 4/30 if you bring in some non perishable food items that aren't in glass that's not expired or home made, you can get up to a $100 fee waived off your account. You don't even have to bring in a lot of stuff. They're looking for canned fruit, granola bars, nuts, peanut butter, low sodium foods, low sugar cereals, and healthy food in general in cans, boxes, and plastic packages. The lady who checked me out was so nice. She complimented me on my outfit and said that she liked my earrings, necklace, metal floral head band, and my duster. How sweet! She said that I know how to accessorize and put an outfit together which is true. Not to brag or anything, but it's one of my few true talents that I have. There is plenty of parking in this area. Baskets are available at the front and around the library. They don't have bags there, so bring your own if you happen to go crazy at the library like me. I had to walk slowly to my car since my hands were so full. As for the DVD's, I was surprised to find fairly new releases there as well as adult movies like 50 Shades Freed, lol. They also have lots of shows on DVD as well as movies. New rentals can only be checked out for a week. Also, I noticed they offer free classes and seminars on different topics each month. This month they're offering free evening beginner yoga classes from 7-9p.m there. I tried it once, and it's a lot harder than it looks, so I'm going to pass on that. It's nice that they have those things available each month. read more

The Saratoga Library is one of the best libraries in the whole Santa Clara County Library system. It has everything that you would expect a library to have nowadays. A large area for the kids, a large area for teens, general (adults) area, and plenty of computers to use. And not to mention a cafe. Not even my most favorite library has that. I would definitely make the extra drive to this library, even though there is a newer library here in Milpitas. read more