San Rafael Public Library

Recommend going to another Library in the area. Having just moved to San Rafael I don’t yet have an address that can be used for a library card — my boyfriend and I both needed to print resumes and it was no problem last week for him to pay 10 cents a print without a library card. Nor was it a problem for the two guys in front of me in line this afternoon, however apparently being a woman was a problem for the librarian as I got a strict talking to about how I need a library card to use the library.
Thanks so much for making someone who was having a bad day feel even worse. The last thing you would ever expect from a library, a place you assumed would always be warm and welcoming!
Aside from my personal experience, this library seems very outdated and is not an attractive atmosphere I would choose to read in.

I love this library! Been going there since the mid-80’s. The staff is great, too. Very knowledgeable and welcoming. The entire Marin County library system is so user-​friendly, especially with online searches, requests and holds. What could be easier than searching for a book you’ve heard about, asking that it be sent from one of the other branches, and getting an e-​mail telling you when it’s ready to pick up?! If other readers want it, too, it simply goes on a hold list for you until it’s your turn. All extremely easy to manage online. I really like the electronic self-​checkout, as well. Thank you!

My client and I have only had positive experiences at the SR Library. It is always clean, & organized, everyone that works there is very helpful, good systems in place for picking up special requests, books or movies… we special order movies upstairs and the nice people there are always willing to give you their time and help in locating things. If the security guard is making it an even better place than so be it! Where’d that cute young guard go? Zero complaints!

The other day my husband and I visited this library with our 7 month old daughter for storytime. Our little daughter had fun listening to songs and doing the fingerplays (with our help of course). The librarian read some wonderful books and at the end, my daughter was very excited to touch the big teddy bear the librarian was using.

It has books, what is so wrong about that? But, sometimes it bugs when they have a lot of books in Large print. So I have just learned to accept it. I take the large print autobiographies and non-​fiction that I check out, set them up on one side of the room, walk across the room about 10 or 15 feet, than start reading.
More book in regular font please? And can I check out more DVD’s movies for free? Or at least expand on the documentary section? Maybe more foreign documentaries too?

No idea what library the other reviewers are talking about. It’s like they’ve actually not even experienced a great library.
First of all this place literally stinks because of the homeless sitting in the excessively large (for a library) reading and computer area. Not only are they there, but in every available chair in the library.
No, it’s not politically correct to talk about the homeless, but regardless, it’s simply bad energy, bad visuals and bad smell.
But, in reality, that’s almost not as bad as the staff. I have gone to every single library in the Marin County system, lots and lots of times, and I have never seen a lazier, badly dressed group.
If you bring anything back to library, CD, DVD, book, etc., don’t have any expectations that it will be checked in any time soon. What this means, and I’ve experienced this, I’ve gone to another library hours later, tried to check out a DVD and guess what? I couldn’t because the DVDs I returned weren’t checked in yet, back at the San Rafael library.
And, don’t be fooled that they’re busy. They sit and chat and look lethargic.
Not one single library in the entire system operates this way.
Every single library immediately checks in their books, and the staff is actually working – not the San Rafael library.
It’s really a disgusting experience.
I end up going there because it’s not too far from where I live and they have a lot of the older books the other libraries don’t have. I never hang out there, it’s just too gross.
It would be great if they just the staff in half; they might actually get something done and maybe not complain about not having money.

DVD’s are now free! Well, not all of them. Just the documentaries, instructional ones such as education, languages, yoga, etc.

I wish, wish, WISH that SRPL had a bigger space to house the great people that work there and great books, but that’s all up to the city. I do love the architecture that currently house the books, it’s a very interesting layout. They have a large selection of fiction novels, children’s books and a separate computer/​study section and when I bring my laptop to the Library I get free Wi-​Fi, so awesome!

I like the fact that the San Rafael Library is right next to city hall. If I’m at city hall I always drop by the library to browse. This library is very organized and computer space is always available. I never had a problem getting a computer right away or a small wait for one.
I also like the fact that the magazines and newspapers are next to the computers. The flow of the library is mapped out well. I like the grab the wall street journal or Sunday New York Times to read at the library. It saves me a good $ 3.00 each week and I like being around old books too.
Staff is very friendly and helpful.