Hayward Public Library

If you are looking for a quiet place to study do not come here. This place is loud and more like a shelter. As I am sitting here writing this review someone is snoring loud as hell. The other guy was talking on his phone loud as hell about 4xs as if it was his office. The librarians do not tell anyone there’s no talking on phones or please use headphones while playing music or watching videos. The standards here are non existent. This library is full of distractions. Go to a different library where people conduct themselves as if they are in a library!

Medium sized library located in downtown Hayward, conveniently located with in walking distance from the BART. There is also a Saturday farmers market that is down the next block and they frequently have book sales outside on Farmers Market days. Outside they have several book drops which look like mail drop boxes that are painted to look like animals and other things as well as two book drops located on the side of the building by the entrance.
The first floor has a computer area, teen zone, and several study areas. The first floor is often full of people using computers and study tables. The second floor is where the children’s books and computers are located. This small area is nice and they have a play corner and several different types of toys. This is also where the meeting room is located. They have home work help in the afternoons during the week and several children’s programs in the morning. Several of the children’s programs require registration which is usually several months out so prepare to get on a waiting list.
The library collection is small but you can also have items transferred over from the branch library or use Link+ (service offered where you can borrow items from all over the bay area and have them sent to the library).

The grounds are so peaceful and make me happy as soon as I show up. They have a lot of non-​fiction and I’ve never left without something intriguing and educational. And the staff is one of the best I’ve ever experienced, they’re so friendly and helpful!

I love this library! Lots of book selections available! Lots of computers! The people who work here are knowledgeable and friendly. I love coming here! A Hayward jewel!

It’s not in the best neighborhood, i.e., lots of homeless people. I’ve never felt unsafe. There are two floors. I think you have to be at the library when it opens to access a computer. It’s always packed if I come in after 12pm. It’s clean. I wish they had a wide variety of young adult fiction. They have loads of manga/​animé and non-​fiction. All in all, not a bad library and I love the trees near the front entrance.

Pretty darn good library, great selection of awesome cookbooks! Not necessarily the best place to study though, ppl can be loud sometimes

Always a computer open, but you may have to sit next to someone who kind of smells because that seems to be the crowd here– everyone minds their own business, though so it’s tolerable. They also have a great movie selection, you can rent for free with your library card. It’s a good place to come, print something, or grab a movie and bounce. I wouldn’t hang out to study or read here.

I love this place! This is the main library of Hayward, and it’s located in downtown. This library doesn’t have that much books to offer, but the best thing about this library is the programs it offer for toddlers. My son is enrolled in their «Learn and Play» program. The learn and play program introduces parents and toddlers to early education and socialization that is fundamental for kids early development. Sherry, who teaches the class is really great of what she’s doing. She begins with nursery songs that captivates the kids to participate in it. When at home, Im proud to hear my son sings the slippery fish or wheels on the bus song that he learned from this class. Sherry also engages kids and parents to participate reading books together. Then the other half of the program is the playtime. Toys are provided for kids. Overall, this program is FREE. You can enroll for Thursday or Friday. It’s one hour class and it’s worth it! There’s a waiting lists because it’s a great program.

My favorite pen pal web site is blocked ! youtube is blocked ! This is crazy to block non porn sites.
I just quit going to this library.

This library is really spacious and they have a good selection. They also have a lot of computers, which you can use for free. All you have to do sign up at the front desk for a library car and your good. The copy machine in only 15 cents & you can use cash or card. In order to print from the library’s computers you need a print card.

Been coming here to print stuff. Workers are friendly and helpful. The place seems clean and quiet. The one time I had to check out a book, it was in stock. Location is also good, in downtown Hayward.

SHRIEKING CHILDREN; HOMELESS AND/​OR CRAZY PEOPLE ROAMING ABOUT THE BUILDING, INSIDE AND OUT; & WEIRD, RUDE LIBRARIANS. That just about sums up the Hayward Library experience.
As far as resources, the computers are usually fully booked, and the book & magazine collections are very limited. I would not use this place at all unless forced to. There are much, much better libraries out there.

Doing some Job Applications in the Library for peace & Quite. It’s the best place to study and doing some job Applications.

I went to this library to work on my final the other day. When you walk in there are an abundance of computers on your right and a staircase leading to the second floor where the kids section is. Then on your left there are tables and chairs to sit and do your work. As you walk more to your left to the back wall there are bookshelves and a few tables that face out the window. i would have given the library 3 stars except the librarian came over looked in my bag and said that no food was allowed. I understand that and i wasnt eating when she walked over to me, i was taking a test. I had a bag with me with a subway sandwhich still wrapped and a bag of chips for later to eat when i left because i wasnt going home after. She scoffed as she walked away. That was really rude.

So it’s not the most modern-​looking library in the area but it’s the hometown library of my childhood and my high school days. Plus it’s conveniently located. It’s across the street from Off the Grid Mondays, next to the Farmer’s Market, and across from the Rotary playground (so stop in when your kiddos need a potty break.) Do watch out for dog poop (at least I hope it’s canine… given the number of homeless folks who like to sleep on the lawns, you can’t be too careful.) I can’t comment on their collections or their community events since I haven’t checked out a book in a decade. But their book sale was super cheap: six children’s books and a paperback for me for under $ 3.

Always good to see the local library helping out the community.
Service/​Staff: ⁵⁄₅ — The guy that walks around helping folks is nice, so is the girl behind the desk
Study/​Reading Area: ⁵⁄₅ — I couldn’t believe this was Hayward. Everyone was so civilized and quiet
Resources: ⁵⁄₅ — Found a book on all topics I wanted, including SQL!
Organization: ⁵⁄₅ — Books nicely sorted, media was alphabetized and displayed well
Computer Lab: ⁵⁄₅ — Nice, clean, new Dell computers and lots to choose from
Wi-​Fi: ⁵⁄₅ — Connected easily on my phone and it was fast
I got my card and was using the computers and doing self check-​outs for books within five minutes, pretty cool. For the computer lab, you get up to 90 minutes per day and can even pause your session. Just don’t be late on your books/​media: $ 0.25/$ 1.00/day respectively.

No, no, no.
A place of learning should not have:
— A bunch of homeless guys hanging out outside all day, erry day
— A stray homeless guy always holed up in the bathroom
— A random guy torrenting the whole freakin’ Internet, slowing the Wi-​Fi to a crawl
— An awful, funky smell
It’s good for people watching though. Enjoy the sights and sounds of people cutting their hair, standing around aimlessly, and browsing for pron on public computers for great enjoyment.
It’s your tax dollars at work, oh yeah!

The best part of this library is the ability to find books actually on the shelves that other libraries have massive waiting lists for. Sort of bizarre. Example — Patti Smith’s «Just Kids.» The hold list in Oakland? 57 holds. Berkeley? 56 holds. San Francisco? 104 holds. Hayward? 2 copies on the shelf out of a total of 4 copies the library owns. WTH? But you won’t hear me complaining. And there have been many other books like that.
I will say that hanging out here isn’t something I can do for too long. The people are… well…let’s say unpredictable at best. Outbursts, funky smells, etc. can pop up at any moment when you least expect it. That’s the nature of libraries, I suppose, but this one is pretty small so there are less places to be able stake out your own little space. And they are definitely short on space to use your own laptop… there are maybe 3 – 4 tables that are in a designated wi fi zone and that have dedicated outlets. There definitely should be more.
It is good that they have so many computers… It seems like it fills a quarter of the ground floor. And the children’s room is lovely — well-​organized and clean.

This library sucks for the average college student. ALL WE NEED is a. A quiet space B. a wall outlet for our laptops and C. The books we need to do out homework and D. a friendly\well informed librarian in case we have any questions.
THIS PLACE HAS NONE OF THESE. first of all it’s everything but quiet, the downstairs is full kids (you have probably seen all of them at the department of social services) running around and playing loud music on the computer as they try to learn dance moves off YouTube to songs like «teach me how to dougie». Disturbing.
NO WALL OUTLETS. Usually all the tables are full, and its vital I plug in my laptop or it dies in an hour or so.
And that brings me to another thing, the librarians. I politely asked one of them if they knew if there were any wall outlets that the public could use while conducting research in the library. She responding by saying «sweetheart worry more about reading, less about facebook». I nearly punched the idiot.
You’ve GOT to be joking. I should of told her I needed a wall outlet to Unilocal about how HORRID this place is.
Don’t go.
Oh did i mention the library grass is the breeding ground of homeless people. Seriously if I worked for the census and felt our numbers were off, this is where I would start.

I love this library! It’s hard for me to find the time to really spend browsing so I usually dash in and out for books and DVDs. The best thing they offer is the ability to reserve items online. I get an email when the item has been pulled and placed into the reserve area so all I do is run in, grab the things with my name and check out. Could life be any better?
Despite the current economic climate, I’m always thrilled when they get at least one copy of the latest bestseller or newest movie/​tv series.
I also love the fact that there seems to be plenty of help. Someone is usually monitoring the check out lines to ensure things go smoothly and rarely do I have to wait, even on a Saturday.
Secret gem in Hayward!