Pearl Avenue Branch Library

Decent local library which has improved somewhat since all libraries open 7 days, so people from the wrong side of the tracks don’t frequent it as they once did. It is convenient to get to if you live nearby, and the wi-​fi is usually reasonably fast. However – about the staff… I haven’t seen the employees with more seniority here as much, and on some days there are ONLY the younger workers with less expertise. They’re nice enough, but they don’t, for the most part, give a crap if kids are running, people have loud, obnoxious conversations on the phone, or people are letting their kids shriek at the top of their lungs. Very distracting to those who are trying to concentrate. This is a LIBRARY, after all – not a playground. They can’t even be bothered to ask people to lower their voice when they are asking a question. Sometimes employees don’t appear to be doing much at all. It seems more like they’re hanging out than working. As a result, this library can get VERY loud. The computer room is a bit inadequate, with computers too close together, swivel chairs that are hard to maneuver and no shade son the windows.

Small but quaint library with super friendly, helpful staff. Only drawbacks are the limitations on the selections of books & media.

Library is somewhat nicer than it’s neighboring crappy libraries (Cambrain, Vineland). However the parking lot seems very tiny.
The librarians here are nicer and seem more angelic compared to demonic Cambrain and Vinelan branch Library.
This library also is a plus because they are open on Saturday, while the other libraries around are lazy and are closed on weekends and make excuses to take days off for nearly every event or holiday marked on the calender.

Cute area with computers for the kids and some areas for adults/​study groups. Snack machines also. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Self checkout was a breeze.

I like this library inside. But on the outside how the fuck can anyone park when its full?! Cant freaking get into a parking space. They should make it a bigger lot.

Great neighborhood library. Perfect for elementary school aged children. Wonderful location to pick up weekly reading books. Staff is super friendly and helpful. Everyone seems to have a really cheerful attitude which is so nice considering I always need help to find what I need.

Nice local neighborhood spot! I typically go here when i’m lazy to take lightrail to MLK or if the weather is bad.
It’s in a nice clean neighborhood and most of time, its just elementary and middle school students. It is a smaller library however. I mainly use it for studying purposes.
A plus is the study rooms are on the opposite end of the children’s sections, so it’s nice and quiet. It can get crowded on the weekends! This branch runs on a wed-​saturday schedule.
My only gripe is the insanely small parking lot. Not only are spaces super tiny, there is very little room to drive around in. So that soccer mom in the minivan or SUV is potentially a dangerous driver if she’s careless! If you are scared of door dings, I highly suggest you find alternate means to get here.
But overall, I like it for studying. Very well lit, clean and well kept and it’s in a decent neighborhood. Situasian approved!

Way small! Go early if you want to find a spot to sit, possibly the silent room.

I frequent this library because it is closest to my house. It is small, & will usually not have popular books in stock, but they offer a request program online through your account where your book will be transported to this location for pickup when it is ready! I love this service! It is offered throughout all of the SJ library branches, go SJPL!
My only issue with this place is the weird hours & the parking. They are closed Mon & Tues which is not as intuitive as closed Sunday, so I have driven over here more than once only to remember it is not open! Since it is a small branch, there is usually an open parking space available, but this lot is so oddly shaped with such tight spaces & obstacles that I dread coming here & I have seen quite a few close calls…

This library has a nice location, you can always find parking. It is not large like Martin Luther King library, but suffices for middle school kids and adults. Being small checking in or returning backs is easy, as it should be.
It’s best to check that your books are actually in stock online prior to arriving. Staff is generally friendly. Since most of the libraries have been remodeled, they look pleasing and inviting to the eye.
You can borrow books, DVDs, and use their computers. The nice thing about San Jose Library system is you can always have a book requested to your local library for pickup, so you never have to drive over, unless you need a book urgently.

I’ve been here a few times to get books and it has been very easy. I think it is a smaller library and sometimes it is hard for me to browse and fins something I want to read, but that is probably more about me/​my taste than the library itself. Weekends are crowded and parking can be a bit tough but otherwise it is an easy in/​out experience.

Turns out, I own more books about Vegas than all the libraries I’ve visited in the area including the largest, MLK. This seems to be confirmed by the online catalog. And this is just guidebook stuff. I also own the most gambling books than I have seen in all the libraries and bookstores I’ve been to in the area for the past few months as well. But this didn’t stop me from going to the Pearl library, nor is it a knock on the libraries. I was in that hive with the home field advantage. I’d really love to sell most of my books for at least half of what I bought them for. Damn you, Amazon.
I rediscovered this library before I discovered MLK. It’s the closest to where I live and it became my default after the Borders in Oakridge mall closed. Apples and oranges, but I couldn’t justify riding my bike out here in the rains/​dark cloudy weather. I never understood that comparison. They’re both fruit and both make good juice, both sweet. I digress.
I went to this library ages ago in it’s earlier version, when the entrance was towards the firehouse next door. This was a place where I could bring my pile of note papers to go thru and compile. I tried finding a restaurant or bar where I could have a drink and do this, but always got interrupted by the server (come on, I’m a camper, sat in a far corner, I cashed out and over tipped already). Or I got interrupted by someone who wanted to talk, which I was all for when I don’t have my notes. «So, you got a lotta papers there, huh?»
My thinking place used to be the De Anza library, but that was when I had a motorcycle and it didn’t take me 2 hours by public transit to get to. I had my favorite table there, the only one of it’s kind there. If I may geek out, those of you that remember the Enterprise D, engineering had a station in the middle they called the pool table (behind the scenes). The table there is like that. I tried finding an equivalent in the Pearl library, but I had to settle for another area I won’t give up here. Drown me in grains and I talk.
The big plot twist is I don’t have, nor can I currently get a library card. I even tried looking for the one I had from over a decade ago and couldn’t find it. Probably outdated. I don’t have my California Drivers’ license to get a card. I decided I couldn’t/ didn’t want to put the money into it until I found work– HAHAHAHA, WOO! Aahhhh. I will have to switch it before it expires. Even though I don’t have a vehicle, I want to maintain my motorcycle and auto license so I don’t have to retake the tests some day when I may have the opportunity to drive again. Plus, the DMV was backlogged with tens of thousands of automated mail renewals. Way to outsource the new security feature I.D.‘s to another state, geniuses. so I can’t check out books, nor go on their faster internet.
Some think I go on forever in these reviews, but it is an important piece of a larger puzzle I’m working on. These reviews help me remember other times that I’m expanding on in other writings. People may go back to these «extraneous» reviews someday as prologue. And if this site goes the way of Friendster, I backed it up elsewhere. I throw a lot out here and I do work on narrowing down my writings to what is relevant. To be fair (to me), my reviews are about as long as Ebert’s and my favorite, the Filthy Critic.
I write like seeing Christopher Walken in any movie. He’s one of the few actors that lights up a movie just by walking into a scene. You get a journey with him, he doesn’t just cut to the chase because how lazy do those get in movies when there isn’t enough story to drive the plot.
I have read quite a few books on writing and organization at this library, as well as the few Vegas books that even I don’t have. I read travel books and I realize that there are stages in travel that apply here, where I’m rediscovering a town I left– twice– to pursue my dreams.
There was time I did waste and some psychology books here helped me think about why and how to prevent what I call Time Vampires from happening again. The trap of a writer is we’re either too busy to write, or have too much time to «when nothing is happening.» I work every week on making it my advantage.
My main (non-​profit) job is bettering myself every week, but thoughts creep in from too many other responsibilities. But are they? I just have to whittle them down at least to the top 3. Some days I see progress, some days I see too many steps in a project I already put off. The Pearl library is a big help in giving me a place to streamline my focus, condense my brainstorming notes and prevent repetitiveness in the future.
I haven’t hidden any money here though, like I did at the Flamingo library…

I came to this small brand on a non busy weekday to study and I was able to find a table outside the actual reserve study room. I was surprised to find how quiet it actually was on that day, not too many people or kids making loud noises. Once I got online, I was really surprised at how much faster the internet connection was here over the Almaden or Vineland branch. There was a lot of library employees here for such a small location. I must have seen like 6 – 8 total. Anyway, I don’t make it out here often but I was already near Capitol Auto Mall so I dropped by here conveniently.

Cutest little library with a surprisingly large variety of resources!
I was very impressed by this library, as I haven’t been to one in over 7yrs since graduating! But it looks like things have certainly changed for the better.
You can borrow books (of course!) but you can also use the computers (which get pretty busy I believe) and other learning resources. My mother-​in-​law enjoyed taking private 121 computer classes to better understand the internet all for free.
The staff here are really nice & friendly. Wish they had more resources to offer additional classes to attract others in the neighborhood. I think there’s even a knitting and crochet group! Cute :)
P.S — We bought quite a few books that looked almost new for 25−50c each! A great place to donate your books and get a tax deduction cert.

Dropped by this library this evening for the first time in years. This isn’t my local library, but it had a book I was looking for and wasn’t far out of my way. I’d been to this library a few times as a kid, before the remodel, so I was curious to see the changes.
First, I had to renew my library card. I was helped by a friendly employee, and the whole process was only a matter of minutes. After that, I dove into the shelves to find the book I wanted. I found the book I was looking for, plus a book by one of my favorite authors that I didn’t originally intend to pick up. I looked for a few other titles, but their selection seemed really limited.
Okay, this is a small library. But so what? When you can order books from any other library in the city’s system, I don’t think the size of a particular library’s collection is something to complain about. All in all, the Pearl Avenue Library’s still kinda tiny, but it’s still a great little library!

I have visited this library twice and I like the children’s section. My one year old enjoys the kids selections. I have no complains about the parking lot because I walk there.

Great library, very friendly staff.
Would get 5 star if the parking didn’t suck so much. Very hard to park.

Awwww… I love my little library :)
I’ve been using their quiet study room lately & it’s wonderful! Really helps me not get too distracted.

Great total remodel but why when it’s only a couple of miles from the Cambrian library? It is the 12^th out of the 20 libraries to be remodeled as a result of the Bond Measure so perhaps It is mandatory that this one and all get done eventually.
This one has an internet café (great), a living room with a fireplace, technology center, a sound-​proof teen room, a big community room and lots of little rooms for quiet reading or study.
San Jose should be proud of dedicating 212 million dollars for their libraries, nothing is more important than a book. You can’t put a price on an education.

Have I become a library nerd? This new branch just opened on August 9, 2008. It’s a little on the small side, so I would rather visit the Cambrian branch three miles down the road. Otherwise, pretty standard stuff in terms of layout and book selection.