Golden Gate Valley Branch Library

Best library in SF! The librarians go above and beyond to help you find what you need. Its in a great location and they have a ton of adult and kid activities. The kids area is great and they have games/​puzzles. Parking can be a challenge though worth the friendly atmosphere.

This has got to be the worst investment made by the city. Why would they spend so much money on the architecture and design of a library with almost no interior space at all. This library looks shockingly stunning until you walk in and wonder how something so grand can be so tiny on the inside. If you go there to study, be warned study spaces are limited.

A nice library with a few (3 I think) large tables that accommodate 6 people each. The drawback is that it is relatively small and no separation between the kids area, hence it can get loud if a little one (s) come in.

This library is nice. This library is located in a nice neighborhood. This library is nice inside. I would come back it this library whenever I am in the area. This location rocks.

Beautiful building, small but efficient. I went to work on a research paper on a Saturday and it was pretty full. The only downside it that most of the library is one giant room, meaning that there can be a lot of noise from people coming in or out and talking to the librarians. But if you don’t need absolute silence to focus on your studying, it’s nothing major.

This is a very small, but well-​kept library. It is so clean but there are not as many seats as one would expect in such a monumental-​looking library. The room is very well lit and has lots of natural light. There are very few weirdos that roam in. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Perhaps a slightly inflated rating, but this is my neighborhood library, and I love the building’s stately architecture, the row of majestic trees outside (yes, majestic), and the the panoramic view of the entire library when you step inside (yes, it’s small). It’s got the magazines, it’s got the newspapers, and it’s got the kiddie section. And, you can request books online and have them delivered here within days (if you’re not the 180^th person on the 180^th hold, that is).
I’m sorry that it will be closed for ‘renovations’ that will last over a year. I’ll miss the sweet space…

This resembles a community reading room more than a library, but has quite a few books to offer. The kids section is surprisingly large compared to some of the other collections, and I was able to find some great resource books for science teaching. A large, sunny, quiet room. Really pretty location. A nice place to have in the neighborhood.

If you’re interested in SF History this place is worth seeing. It was funded by Andrew Carnegie as part of his philanthropic efforts to build community libraries, and the story of how pro-​labor San Francisco finally agreed to take his money is an interesting one.
We were there on a special occasion, for the 91 year anniversary. All staff were really nice and obviously very proud of this library. They liked talking with an older person in our group who used to go there back in the 30s and 40s when he was a teenager.

FROM:
Modeled on a Roman basilica, it was designed by Ernest Coxhead, built in 1917 and opened the following year. It has a terra cotta glazed stone finish on the exterior with great natural interior light due to its large arched windows.
Closed Sunday and Monday. Open Tuesday 10:00 to 6:00, Wednesday noon to 8:00, Thursday 1:00 to 7:00 and Friday and Saturday from 1:00 to 6:00. Phone (415)292−2195. The web site for the library, which includes the branches, is
. This particular branch has a neighborhood history file that includes memoirs.
MY REVIEW:
I’ve passed by this beautiful, peaceful, and mysterious building a numerous amount of times but only have gone inside a few times. However, everytime I’ve visited I was amazed at the quality of silence this facility maintains. They had more books than I had guessed and since this place isn’t as busy as one might say the city’s main public library there is always staff at the center consel to help out with anything. They do have computers and tables to sit at as well.

Gorgeous building among the rows of houses on the corner of Octavia and Green. This library isn’t large and doesn’t house a huge collection, but it is easy to put something on hold and go pick it up. It is actually a pretty quick process, unless it is a super popular book.
Inside it is one large room, so if there is a little big of noise, you can hear it in the entire place. It has a new collection section and plenty of other shelves to browse. They have family and children’s programs and it is just a cozy little neighborhood place.