Foster City Library

Spacious, good parking outside. Great place for kids. This library noisy, loud, many children activities. Is not a quiet place for serious work.

Okay, I’m done with this library. I go to a library to get a quiet place to work and read, not listen to guys talk loudly on their cellphones or people have meetings where they loudly plan their friggin buffet party. This is not a single event, this is observations over about ten years.
I’m not just talking about the kids, which is great! Let them run around and have fun! I’m talking about absolutely no policing of rude adult behavior anywhere. I’m done. Peace out.

a bit noisy — with crying children, library staff never asks the parents to take their children out of the building.
restrooms are bad — women’s restroom has a distinct odor
but very organized and their booksales are awesome

For a neighborhood library, this is pretty good. They frequently have what I’m looking for, and it’s usually in stock. They also have a pretty large selection of genre fiction, which is great if you’re looking for a simple read.
I think, though, this library is best if you have kids. The children’s section is HUGE, and the children’s librarians are very nice. (Actually, all the librarians and paraprofessional staff are nice.)
In addition, they have a really large media section. Lots of DVDs.
Lots of tables, a decent Friends section, and a new «Discovery» room for kids/​teens. And a HUGE parking lot.
Definitely worth stopping in. Not my favorite to just bum around and browse, but I usually do find something I actually *want* there, so it’s worth going by.

Decent library, modern but loses points for size and noise levels. Compared to other libraries in the Peninsula, this one has a lot of kids hanging out and older folks sitting around. No real nooks to get lost in.

Convenient, clean & spacious! I always request books on hold and never had any problems.

Disgusting restroom. My first time at this library and was not too impressed. Loud open area, and if you want to concentrate you have to sit at the little cubicles that face the wall…
Back to the restroom… It’s probably more a reflection of the people who use the library than the library itself, but why would you want to hang out here with these people? 4 stalls were not flushed, with seat covers still on, with pee in the bowl. The WORST one was poop ON the toilet seat. Yes, on and not in the bowl. It made me think that someone squatted on the bowl and missed big time. The only «clean» stall did not close properly and had no lock. I had no choice but to use that. After seeing all that grossness I was just happy to find a stall I could use.
Yuk.

Ok, before you read any further, I am really a fan of this library because I am a mom and I have a 13 month in tow. This place has an AWESOME, kid friendly children’s section. I could see how that could be MAJORLY annoying to people who are coming here to study. I was in that boat 3 years ago when I was studying for my licensing exam, so truly, I understand. But I am NO longer there. So that’s where this review is coming from.
Anyway, I’ve primarily been going for the infant/​toddler storytime every Monday at 10:30AM for the past 6 months. It really does get busy! At times, there are upwards of 20 kids and parents/​nannies/​grandmas/​grandpas that are there with them, so it gets hectic. And if you get a bunch of kiddos who are less than 2 years old in a library, that is guaranteed chaos. But it’s welcome here! It’s hilarious! It’s fun! And as a parent, that’s really comforting.
The selection of board books and kid appropriate books has been really great. They also have a wide selection of toys, blocks, and really cool knick knacks they installed on the book shelves that kids can toy around with.
Last, but not least, the parents/​nannies/​grandmas/​grandpas who bring their kids here are almost always genuinely nice and SO understanding. Likewise with most of the librarians here. I’ve had such a positive experience here and it really makes me sad that we will be moving away from the area. However, I may just come back once a month just because it is so nice here.
So bottom line, if you are a parent of a young child, this is a really great place to go, not only as a library, but for the social and emotional stimulation you and your child can get.

This is a very small quaint library with only one floor. It’s much smaller if you compare it to the San Mateo main library. There’s a large convenient free parking lot next to the library. They also have a really good DVD selection with a lot of new movies to choose from.

This is a very nice library, free wifi and printing. The atmosphere is quiet, nice and very spacious. They have lounge you can sit down and also not many people.
The only thing I don’t like is that they don’t have a lot of good books in this location, so you will need to place a hold on the books from other location so they can ship it over to FC. You need to pay $ 0.75 for each hold.

Spacious with really great children’s section. Easy to navigate. The librarians in there are amazing!
As for adult section, not so much, very unhelpful, they tell you to look up things on the computer to find where they are but I don’t always understand the codes. Except for Lisa, she takes her time with the guests.
Bathrooms are a mess but that’s not the biggest deal
They can order from any library on the peninsula so really the selection is quite large if you pay 75 cents

The book and movie selection here isn’t that great, but it doesn’t really matter. When you sign up, your library card gets you access to all the libraries in the peninsula so you can search online and have whatever you want shipped to this location. It costs 75 cents to ship your book or movie, but come on, 75 cents isn’t that much, and you’re supporting the local library system! The closest other locations are the small library west of the Hillsdale Mall and the main library near downtown San Mateo, so if those are out of your way then it’s worth it to just ship what you want.
There are also some good study areas here. There are computer stations that you can log into with your library card, and you can use their printers free of charge: convenient if you don’t have a printer in your apartment. There are also cubicles with built-​in lights in the back of the library, which is nice if you need to buckle down and study.
All in all, a good library! And it’s right by the lagoon too, so checkout your book and then relax and read it by the water!

First time here. The cubicles in the back with lights built in remind me of being back in college and med school! This is the first public library I have seen that has this. Perfect for studying for a big exam as this area is quiet and located in the back behind the stacks, and away from the main entrance and kids section. Location is nice (next to lake), not sure if there is a café here but if so this is a library that has everything you need to get your study on!!!

This is a nice public library. It’s spacious. It seems to have a nice selection of media to choose from.

I’ve been to most of the libraries in the peninsula and even though I’m a foster city resident and love living here I have to admit that this library is not my in my top 5!
It gets a little noisy sometimes because its one floor and the kids have reading story time in the morning so you can hear them screaming and laughing! So if you want to come try afternoon. Much quieter ! Also sometimes you might not find a cubi to sit in! Again lots f people and some taking a nap which is annoying cause people need that cubi to study! Anyway overall it is an okay library ! Plus is I live two min from it!

Here’s another Sunday tip.
If you are in dire need to use an internet station, and you see an empty seat in front of a Windows XP machine that is logged in, but the seat has been empty for 5 minutes or more… do not, I repeat, do not even attempt to log off (or surf the net with the account logged in). Some retiree or granny type might do some verbal Bruce Lee on you, or pull in the librarian to get you to come off. And the person sitting next to that empty chair won’t even have the decency to remind you that «oh I’m sorry the person that was here went to pinch a few loaves of brownies and will be right back!». And I’ve seen other retirees trying to fight with OTHER retirees as well over who was there first or previously, short of causing UFC style breakouts (and that’s not short for Useful Funny or Cool).
As far as Chinese retirees, they are sitting by the sidelines reading their World Journal and Sing Tao newpapers. If you wonder you cannot find today’s edition, chances are they are hogging it.

DON’T MAKE ME ALEXANDRA WALLACE YOU!!! (J/K…not really because it’s not racial. but kind of because…)
I’ve been studying for the CPA exam so it’s essential that I get my studying in without distractions. The whole point of going to the library is so that I can study effectively and efficiently. This library is full of families who bring their crying babies as well as retired folks who nap & snore on the couches. When in the world have libraries become such a loud annoying playground? Why do families not control or remove their screaming kids when entering this quiet zone? Why don’t the librarians give a crap?
They have these awesome study booths in one end of the library but the parent’s have been tutoring their kids there. When someone told the parent that there’s a youth section on the other side, she explained that her daughter is distracted by the noise!?! Umm… ya… that’s what we’re trying to tell you!
I’ve spent quite a few weekends at this place and have yet to hear a «shhhssh.» Unfortunately, this place is still better than studying at starbucks so this is my only option. Next time I’m bringing ear plugs!!!

I live in a house with five other people, two of whom don’t have jobs and blast music all day, and one who works from home, along with three dogs and a needy attention-​hogging cat. I need some goddamn space if I want even the slightest chance of getting into law school (aka: I’m studying for the LSAT).
So I come here. Why not? The exterior is phenomenally ugly, but it’s been here long enough that I’m not bitter. I just want to study.
Whom ever designed the INTERIOR of this place is a fucking asshole. The air conditioner clacks incessantly as if rain is pounding on the wall with the force of Thor. People are answering cell phones, and people are generally not very quiet. I had to leave after two hours instead of the four I was hoping to get in, and when I got home to check my answers from the practice tests, found myself with more wrong answers than the last time I did one. What.
I won’t be back. I guess I have to deal with my brother blasting NAS, because that’s quieter than what this library can deliver.

Didn’t look at the books, went straight to the bathroom, which is conveniently located on the right hand side and right before you enter the children’s section. A few computers… makes me miss the Cupertino Library.
You have to pass by the police station to get to the parking lot…

After going to Spices 4 today for lunch (i will put up a review for that restaurant soon), I came here to study for a test.
The library here is very clean and neat. The first thing I recognize is the quiet-​ness. Millbrae does have a library, but that library is always almost filled with loud middle school/​high school kids hanging outside the door, or chatting inside the library.
This library also offers a good amount of tables for laptop users and has an outlet and a lamp. I enjoyed doing my study session in here this afternoon. People were considerate and kept quiet. It wasn’t hard to find a table at all. They have 2 self check out counters and 2 return counters outside. Very convenient.
The «hold» shelf was very neat and organized.
If im in the area again, i’ll definitely drop by this library.