San Diego Public Library – University Community Branch Library

This place is old, needs a refurb.

Not our usual library bit we do like this one a lot! My daughter loves the children’s section! Lots of stuffed toys, craft projects, and coloring pages. Great movies to pick from and a large selection of books.

The staff is friendly but the set up is poor. It’s one of the loudest libraries I have ever been in and they don’t do anything to curb the noise. There are less homeless now that they changed their computer policies, this is a good thing. I sat in here one day and listen to a guy talk about how he wanted to kill everyone in the library. I called the cops and the fun ensued.
The selection of books is good and they will get items for you but most libraries will. I asked to be put on the schedule for a reading of my book and they didn’t put it on the calendar or on the marquee. I was a little perturbed about that since they basically sabotaged any chance of outside people coming to my reading. Oh well, better luck next time at another library, maybe one that’s quieter.
Wear headphones when school lets out.

UC’s library is a great resource & filled with wonderful energy … greatly appreciated by the community! Librarians are knowledgeable and extremely helpful.

This place is an okay library but compared to the North University Library, it’s behind (kinda like the Allied Gardens Library compared to the San Carlos Library… the latter which is getting a facelift soon). I only like coming here because it’s close to my boyfriend’s house and I can stop by and look at books before I go to his place.
There are a few computer stations (with dated technology), and I like that there are a lot of private desks/​tables for reading or using your laptop. There’s also a children’s book area and a used bookstore.
Things I don’t like? Well, they’re kinda stringent with time; I remember going there are 15 minutes until closing they shut off the wifi! Who does that? Granted, I wasn’t looking at anything important on my tablet but that’s still annoying. Even the Mission Valley library doesn’t do that.
Go here if you live near by, but the North University branch has better hours and is near the recreational center/​park.

You’ve been laidoff. Or fired. Outsourced maybe? Or quit cause you couldn’t take the shit anymore. Or maybe you’re just lazy. Unemployment checks have stopped. Barely making your rent, you cut off cable, Netflix, internet service, and must steal your neighbor’s wifi. You can’t afford to go to the movies anymore… and you blame it all on Obama… so what now?
iTunes $ 2−5/rental
Amazon Instant $ 3−5/rental
Playstation Store $ 3−5/rental
Red Box $ 1−3/rental
Library FREE/​rental
This library has hundreds of DVDs to choose from, both movies and TV shows: Friends, Star Trek, Sex In the City, Glee, Indiana Jones, Ferris Buehler’s Day Off, Adventures in Babysitting, The Goonies, Battlestar Gallactica, Denise Austin’s Workouts, Rick Steve’s Travel (cause you’re too darn broke to actually travel), and much much more! There’s even a semi-​hidden area for foreign films. And its all available to you for FREE! FREE! FREE!
Oh yeah, they also have these things called «books» here too. Not sure what those are for.

Want to learn how to knit? Meet an animal trainer? Take a yoga class with the family? Pajama storytime with the kids? Opera talks? Listen to Celtic music in the afternoon? The University Community Branch Library has you covered!
It’s a smaller community library, but it has big heart with lots of free programs for all kinds of interests. UC Library could use a remodel, but with the City of San Diego’s finances, we’re pretty lucky they haven’t subcontracted it out to be managed like the transportation department. (Really appreciate them paving the street in front of my place from 10 p.m. — 6 a.m. Thanks a HEAP San Diego. It was fantastic hearing jackhammers, rollers and all manners of earthmovers 4 nights in a row so that it could be done on the cheap)… But I digress…

Even though there’s not a huge selection of books on site, with the City of San Diego library transfer system you can log in online, and put a hold on a book at any library in the City’s system and within a few short days, voila! It gets transferred to your library of choice and appears right by the checkout counter with your name printed on the spine.
Also, if you’re too intimidated to check out a certain something because of a disapproving glare don’t sweat it! There’s a self-​checkout system so no one is the wiser. Feel free to check out that trashy romance novel, graphic novel or totally sketchy murder mystery in peace. Though, the librarians here are pretty cool, and I’m sure they wouldn’t give you boo about it anyway.

I remember coming here after school when I went to Curie Elementary and Stanley Middle School many years ago. Now back 12 – 13 years later studying for my college classes, I still love it! It’s a pretty busy branch because of the three schools nearby, but it’s not too bad. The staff here are really nice and so are the older people who come here for the computers and internet.
The have an okay selection of books, movies, and magazines. This library is actually pretty small. There aren’t many study tables to use. They also have about 11 public computers that people can hop on and use. For those who have their own laptops, the WiFi is free and pretty fast. But it’s cozy and that’s why I like it. The people here aren’t too loud and it’s a fairly quiet place to study. Reminds me of back in the day. I’m really glad this library is still open and busy.

Nice small but popular neighborhood library — with limited selection of materials, seating and electrical outlets. There is usually parking available in the lot. WiFi is hit and miss. It used to much better. Like most of the libraries, WiFi service that used to be great and accessible even outside the building is now not always usable inside.

Not too shabby. A large portion of this branch seems devoted to teenagers and younger, which means kids get to make a bit of noise that I find irritating. On the other hand, if you really need silence, there’s the quiet area, filled with old people who look like they want to shush you for breathing. But on the whole it’s big, and there are a lot of tables, and there are a lot of books, which is more than I can say for some of the branches I’ve been to.

I’m bored and I am waiting in this library while my car gets fixed. This is a cool library. The lady up front didn’t know much about the free Wi-​Fi but she did try to go on a library PC and show me how to log in… ??? lol
I am sitting in the «Quiet Area» and two high school girls were studying when all of a sudden this one whe angry old lady said…
«Hey! This is the quiet area! Go somewhere else if you’re gonna be chattin»
High school girl said: «Well this was the only table available and we’re not chatting, we are having a tutoring session (shows literature book).
Angry Old Lady: «Well this is the quiet area, go find somewhere else!»
High school girl: «Ok (sad face)
I love how senior citizens are the policy enforcers everywhere they go. Don’t mess around in the library or you’ll be dealt with, if not by the staff, then by the Senior Citizens of UTC La Jolla, CA. You’ve been warned!
The internet connection kinda sucks in here so 3 stars should be fair. There’s also plenty of books my Aunt Vicky would be reading per day. Such titles as «Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage»… Those paperback books that are like 2 million pages with a semi naked picture of woman in silk bed sheets and a heavy gold cursive font for the book title.
Ok I’m going to leave now before the angry old lady thinks I type too loud in the «Quiet Area»…

This is a pretty cool place.
It’s nostalgic for me because I used to hang out here after school when I was in high school.
It always has that old person/​band aid smell when you first walk in. You know the one — almost like decomposing old paper. Many libraries have it, especially old school ones.
This isn’t the most modern library and it is kinda small. They have some great selections of literature here. Not sure if they have wifi. If you’re looking for a super modern library, this might not be the place for you so I dock it stars. But if you’re just looking for a nice quiet place to study or beat the heat, this is a great place.
Usually I have a book of my own and I’m just heading in for the air conditioning and some peace and quiet.
It’s very convenient for where/​how it is situated — in a suburban neighborhood with lots of schools.
They’ve come under threat of closing down a few times over the years due to budget cuts but somehow they remain open because of the public outcry.
Thank goodness for that!

One of the smallest branches in the system, it does however possess an incredible collection of books and DVDs. Senior citizens frequent the branch and as such, remains one of the few branches with a rather large VHS collection as well. Access, however, is not great. You’re either coming east or west on Governor to get to it and you have it easier if you’re coming from the east. If you are coming from the west, you’re either turning around at the Genessee Ave. traffic light or turning left into the shopping center that is near the branch. The parking lot is small and is unpaved asphalt, which isn’t easy on the feet or tires of your car.

This branch is pretty busy but never so busy that you can’t come and go quick without waiting in a long line. They are on top of it. If you need a book, CD, or periodical or anything they can find it! Some smart people work here. I’ve been to many of the branches and this one is small but mighty! AND one of the clerks is cute with a great smile. I will go back just so I can see her. You will know which clerk she is because she has a twinkle in her eye… if you can get her to look at you — she seems shy. I’ve gotten every book I ever needed and then some. Great branch and very quiet.