Miraleste Branch Library

It can be a quiet little library with an amazing view. BUT, after middle school gets out (3:05pm), this place is a madhouse. So, make sure you understand when you are coming.
It is smaller and lacks the resources of a bigger library, but the staff is outstanding. I really enjoy coming here.

This place has a potential to be a great library. I came here to study since I heard it was a quiet place. It was everything but that. It may be because I happened to come during stay time, but there were kids running around screaming with no one stopping them. Once it was over I was relieved but it didn’t stop there. People would not stop talking (and not quietly) including the librarian. I may give it another chance but I feel like a wasted half of my day of studying on avoiding the noises.

I just absolutely adore this library branch. It’s such a great quaint, clean, beautiful library. Decent parking lot, enough public computers and wonderful helpful staff. It’s views are enough to love this place as well. I’ve found myself coming here weekly. Great recommendation for a bookworm.

Peaceful and quiet (before the middle school students raid the place). Love coming here in the morning. Beautiful scenery and lots of tables to study. The outside patio has a few benches and tables.

Nice, small neighborhood library with activities for kids.
Yes, the view is superb and the staff very helpful.

Gorgeous view looking east over the LA and Long Beach harbor — just like the opening scene in Bladerunner. You get a great view of the area oil refineries — sometimes you get to see the flames. Great place to watch the full moon rise over the harbor — or the sun rise over the harbor if you get up early.
Small library, helpful librarians. They appreciate your book donations — helps them mitigate their low book purchasing budgets.

I like this library a lot. Some of my friends prefer the other PV libraries, and I hear they are nice, but I have never been to any of them. I think the Miraleste branch is a nice low-​key destination for a mom and a couple of toddlers and it is a very easy and short drive from San Pedro — only about 10 minutes from home whereas the other libraries in the PV district would be a half hour or more (and what a waste of gas.) This is a small library with a nice view of the harbor. They have a nice kids section and story hours Monday and Wednesday mornings. The librarians do a really nice job picking out three or four stories with a common thread, and weave in some singing and dancing for the kids to participate in and overall the library staff is very welcoming to the little ones. For «grownups» I am not sure that the book selection is very big compared to other libraries (not that I have time to look) — however, if you are looking for something in particular, and it is not available here, you can get it transferred from the other PV library branches for no fee and have it within a few days. I think you can even get items on loan from outside of the PV library system. Once you have a library card you can log on to their network from home and request items to be held for you at the desk, and get a phone call or e-​mail when they are ready. The library staff is also quite helpful if you are looking for something or just have a question in general. Books and CDs are free to borrow and there is a $ 1 charge for DVDs. Parking is not plentiful — sometimes those story hours get crowded and you might have to wait for someone to leave to get a spot in the small lot, but usually there is enough turnover that the wait is not too long. I understand that there are plans/​hopes to raise funds and do a major improvement of this library.