Excelsior Branch Library

3 stars are meant only because this place is library in the middle of the always busy Mission District.
Very small and not the best selection in an capacity. If the effort of getting quality books here was the same as the getting a library at this location then I think this place would be alright. But, because that is not apparent this place is less than appealing. I just expect more from libraries. By far, this is the worst library that I have been to.
Oh yeah, be careful in the bathrooms because CREEPERS will sneak up on YOU! Not cool at all.

Noisy and dirty… feel like in a supermarket when I’m studying here. And the restroom is small and not so clean.

Came in to return books for my daughter’s. As I sat on couch my daughter pointed out a Roach on the carpeting!!. Yes, I didn’t stay long. Carpets need to be steam cleaned!!.

This is a library worthy of San Francisco, that is to say fantastic, diverse, and with a fringe element. They don’t have as much real-​estate as other branches, but it’s clean. modern and new. The coolest thing is the diversity in their language offerings. They have respectable offerings of current media in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalong. That is really great as this neighborhood is definitely diverse In addition, they have a great magazine selection and they recommend new books each month, which can give you ideas. They also have a pretty great staff. Where else can you get a freud joke upon check-​out?!

This library is a decent one. They’re always having events, and people are drawn to the location often because of the super friendly staff. The seating inside is somewhat limited, but they do have a decent collection of books, magazines and movies available for check out. I don’t have many expectations for it due to its location, but I just feel like it offers the best that it can for its limited space.

Surprisingly nice inside and Super friendly staff!
It’s a nice place to get away to study. The only thing is that once school gets out, it fills up with kids, and many of them are not disciplined. I witnessed a full on yelling match between mother and child; that went on in spurts for over 2 hours. (I almost took a way a star since no one kicked them out; but then again; it’s not the librarians’ job to discipline the kids.)

It is definitely convenient to have two libraries, Excelsior and Glen Park branches, near my neighborhood! Excelsior is the one I prefer since it is right along the way to so many other convenient stops (Walgreens, Goodwill, post office) I go to frequently.
This advice goes for any library branch in SF, but I find a lot of people don’t take advantage of this service — you can have books delivered from any other branch in SF to the one you prefer to visit by pressing ‘Request’ on the catalog entry on SFPL’s website and selecting the branch you want it sent to. You’ll get an e-​mail when it arrives. You can also hit Search Link+ in the catalog results and it will pull up other libraries outside of SF, including some universities or other nearby city libraries, that may have what you’re looking for. These too can be sent to your branch! It’s that easy.
At Excelsior, the hold shelf is close to the terminal where you check out books. It is very quick and easy to grab the books with my name on them, check them out, and go, if that’s all I’m there for. For Link+ books, you have to go to the counter to retrieve them. There is rarely anyone in line and, even if so, it doesn’t seem to take long to get what you need. The staff range from neutral to positive in their attitudes, nothing to complain about there. I must also note that the computers seem to always be full, although I have a laptop myself so this isn’t something I have been too concerned with. But, if you need them, it is something to think about — I would suggest arriving early.
A good feature of Excelsior’s own holdings is a reasonable graphic novel and manga section for teens and adults (Glen Park is good for this as well); the one for children seemed a little lacking: a lot of Chi’s Sweet Home, Pokemon, and Hikaru no Go. They have a large selection of Chinese-​language materials and many general guides that may be useful for starting a new hobby: basic language-​learning books and dictionaries, «For Dummies» books, a decent selection of arts /​crafts books too. If you want more specific titles that are not about general subjects, you’ve got to use the interlibrary loan or Link+ features in the catalog online (either access it at home or at the branch) if you don’t want to go to another branch like the Main!
My usual habits at this library are, unless I’m just picking up and heading out, to relax by one of the windows and read either a book I have already checked out or browse the shelves for something new. The library appears to, unlike many other establishments in SF, actually have and use air-​conditioning when it is hotter out than usual and it feels very refreshing.
Again, Excelsior’s general collection is fairly solid and it is up to you to request more specific materials if you have a research or personal exploration mission when you’re coming in. If you don’t have time to wait what is almost always a few days (rarely, but sometimes, it can be a week or two), the BART is not far away — take it to Civic Center and go to the Main Branch. For general browsing purposes, convenient location for pick-​up and visiting on the way to prominent spots in this area, and a typically relaxed atmosphere, however, Excelsior does the trick.

I like this library for the same reasons other reviewers do, but there is one thing I don’t like. This library has the loudest librarian I have ever heard. You can hear her talking to the patrons across the library. She turns someting that could be a discrete mention to a few people into a big announcement for everybody. She seems kind of patronizing. I think she should have been a first grade teacher, instead. I think she is experiencing career regret when she realized how QUIET a librarian is supposed to be, because whenever she talks loudly, she stares backs when I look at her, probably looking for an excuse to say something else loudly, make more noise.

Used to come here all time during my childhood years either for fun or for school project before they remove this place few years back. But finally came back to this library after 10 years when i went here with my mom last year and i did open a new library card. The remodel looks decent and somewhat organized. but i believe it was more roomier and had more variety of books for all ages and ethnicity before the remodel. Seems like there’s more kids and teen books than the adult books.
Theres wifi here and its free which is a good thing if you come here to study, do your homework, or browse to the internet for fun on your smartphone, laptop, and tablet. They do have computers if you want to the internet but it always get fill up quick since they don’t have much computer with internet and always have to wait for people to finish.
Of course theres books, magazines, movies, and CDs you can check out and its free to borrow or use it during at the library.
Its better if you come in the morning especially on weekdays since there are way lesser people. Even if you come in the morning, sometimes this place is not always quiet… thats if a parents bring their young toddlers, someone phone goes off, or someone always laughing or talking loud. But its better than the afternoon since its more crowded and more busier and loud especially kids who come to this library after school.
Parking here are so so since theres more parking meter. It takes a while to find non parking meter if you want to park close or else you may have to park far.
Staffs here are usually friendly

I grew up to this library. From when it was open to when they renovated it. Great selection of books and friendly librarians. WIFI and computers are offered for the community. I come here often to check out new magazines and novels. Sucks that in this neighborhood some people like to graffiti over the bricks of this library. Nonetheless, great library.

Nicely renovated library on the corner of Mission and Cotter Streets. Free Wi-​Fi, good place to study for a midterm, final or finish homework assignments on your own or with friends and classmates. When you want to find and borrow books to read, this is the facility to visit.

I’ve been coming here since I first signed up for a library card…(ages ago.)
the staff are always so friendly and helpful. I have a habit of finding what I want online before coming in to search for the books. There’s also the service which delivers the available copies from other branches to Excelsior for pick-​up. Super convenient and saves me transportation money.
The self-​check out station is a genius idea! It’s really user-​friendly because it’s available in other languages like Chinese and Spanish. If you’re a frequent library-​goer and are pretty much familiar with the facility, you can skip the long lines (sometimes) by using self-​check out.
The library can get noisy, but I was also a rambanctious kid. I’m usually in-​and-​out of there in 10 – 15 minutes because I reserve books ahead of time. But I also spend an extra 5 minutes browsing through the New Books (fiction) section, which has a great selection of chick-​lit novels!

SHHHH!!! This is a library!!! (bang ruler on the table, yelling at people’s ears. The librarians should have reminded me of that old ‘All That’ skit, but this library was really kinda nice and cool.)
Seeing that I’m half Asian, it makes sense that I would review a library. Walking in the narrow pathway, you see the security bars. They are really tight on security. Library had a big selection of Chinese books. There is also a huge Espanols written books area. The teen books are in the far end of the library, there isn’t much selection to look at. Graphic novels are limited, not cool.
Tables are pretty ass big, so you can log on your lap top and look at porn, I meant, study history. Lol.
Good amount of computers, but they are full of young people checking out stupid messages on facebook or playing some stupid game.
Across the library is the children’s selection. Not separate like other libraries, so if there are some noisy loud children, do feel free to kick them if you are trying to study. Just joking, don’t kick them… hard. NO! Don’t kick spoil brats!
New books are in the front besides entrance way and check out. They have printers to make fake IDs, I meant make copies of home work.
Magazines and newspaper in the back near teens. No playboy. Oh man! Hee hee
The Men’s bathroom is near refences near entrance. The women are in the same direction, across.
Check out staff are nice and friendly, they really go out of their way to help you. Peninsula library cards don’t work here and when you sign up for a library card, you have a selection out of four designs for your card. Look like little kids make them. My choice is JunRu, 9^th grader.
Overall: need more selection, kinda noisy due to kids.
Now leave me alone, I need to study.
(look at porn on laptop). Lol

Supportive staff, They go out of their way to help.
They all work very hard. Polite, considerate and prompt.
If I have to get a book re-​issued on phone, talk about my due date… or any related matter. They are very prompt in addressing these small– day to day needs. I love libraries and this one is in my neighborhood. So it’s perfect. It mostly crowded with people from diverse backgrounds. I can spend hours. Book collection is good. Would be great to have more movies! There are some strange people who frequent this library. But that not the fault of the library. They can perhaps monitor them and their activities. Like what kind of windows they are surfing on the internet. Thanks

I come here with friend and I hate it. I am here with my friend look for magazine. I turn around I see big guy with tattoos look at me. I go walk to read magazine and when I finish I see that guy again. I find out he work there. The guy do nothing but follow me and friend. I tell me friend and we go. Jail scare me.

sometimes things just come full circle. as a student i’ve rented countless books for school worthy projects and reports. nowadays i’m simply on the lookout for a good read. i’ve browsed many free book swaps at bars and book shops, only to be subjected to what few selection are hand. i’ve given up buying books since after reading consumption i end up giving them away.
so here i am as an adult renting books for my leisure reads. this cost nothing, just as long as i return my rentals on time.
coming back here i’ve discovered different events. they offer many group activities like knitting classes, film noir screenings, and several other things to get one out there to mingle and expand the mind. i’ve found a greater respect for libraries since i’m no longer here for my studies, but for my own entertainment, and to quench the inner book worm in me.

The library is my lifeline, as a reader with a heavy habit. When my childhood library back in Hellmouth began renovations, I donated heavily. The bonus with my new hometown library, here in the big city? It’s a lot like a small town library.
Features:
* Incredible light
* Fast Wi-​fi and lots of outlets
* Respectable number of public terminals
* Comfy chairs in the magazine area (no magazine required)
* A surprisingly good selection in the «new books» shelves
* Weekly/​monthly events for kids and adults
* Bathrooms fairly clean; comparatively spotless
The Excelsior Branch is a one-​room schoolhouse of a library. It’s about 25 percent each of adult books, children’s books, reading area, and infrastructure. Let me clarify: this is a children’s library that has a section for grown-​ups, or a reading lounge that happens to have a non-​fiction shelf, or a reference desk that has a lot of kids in it, and soforth.
It is not a quiet library! When school is not in session, the kids are well, lively. But like the vibe here. It’s a living room for a really varied cross-​section of people. If you do crave quiet, come on a weeknight. They’re open until 9 MTWR, and they’re fairly subdued then.

I heart you guys!
Seriously, you have a great selection of classic literature/​poetry. I have yet to explore what you have to offer in terms of Children’s books and lit crit, but that is what will keep me occupied for the next year or so. And you are two blocks from my house!
Having said that — I really shouldn’t be getting any late fees.

Me and a group of my friends got caught here in 1996 trying to rip out a magazine picture of Aaliyah from one of their magazines. I thought I was going to DIE when Barbara (the old librarian) found us and demanded to know what we were doing. Haha. That was a pretty memorable experience for me. But anyway — an assload of my middle school days found me sitting here doing homework and pretending to be studying even though I was really eyeballing all their books and wondering which one to read first.
I gotta give the library five stars for the nostalgia I experience everytime I even look at the damn place. But minus two for the renovation.
I thought that renovation was supposed to make it BETTER. But now it’s disorganized and messy, cluttered, chaotic. It was actually a lot more better the way it was before they decided to change it.
Damn you renovation team, you have ruined my childhood.

Wait! Here’s an idea… Instead of using Barnes & Noble as your own personal library, why not use your local public library as… um…your library? There one can find magazines, newspapers and books and you can loiter all you want. Use their computers to check your MySpace! Yes! There’s more! You can even check out DVDs and CDs for FREE! Don’t fret… If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can request items online and have them transfered to your branch and put on hold for you to pick up at your convenience!
Minus one star for the occasional douchebag looking at porn on the library computer. The library should block those sites, especially since there are always kids nearby.