One of the best libraries Ive ever been too, whether to read or to work

Me and my girls would go to the childrens library section almost every day. We loved their little classes where we would read books and sing songs.

Bad place. Limited selection.Good place for BUMS to shower and bm.

The building may look rather old and historical from the outside, but its so clean and modern on the inside! I forgot how much I love spending time at public libraries until I came here. All the rooms are labeled and easy to find, and the secured wi-fi connection is smooth as silk. They also have a computer lab area for printing and copying (although Im not sure if its free for everyone). Even if youre not much of a book worm, this is still a great place for quiet time with your laptop and a coffee.

Pretty nice public library. In deed, as pointed out by other reviewers, there are some homeless people hanging around inside and out, and 80% of the noise in the library does come from the staff. If the library does not keep two staff in each area, it might be quieter.Parking is expensive. It’s 3.50 per hour. It’s only a block from BART though.It’s generally good one as a city library, but the other BPL I know, Boston Public Library, is at least 3 times better.

Terrific and Helpful Staff.

Beautiful place at the heart of Berkeley, a great collection, plenty of seating, nice reading rooms, and many educational and family events regularly scheduled.

Best price i hope it will be open soon

Great place to bring your friends and family members and get your videos or books and or music

The Central Branch has a vast selection of books with consistently friendly librarians and a convenient new books/lucky day section. Library cards are free for any California resident. Currently you can place holds online, then pick them up in person.

Great location and the place was always clean. Great selection and were categorized. Staffs were helpful and nice too.

Main usually has material branches do not, giving me a thorough treatment of my subject matter. Never had difficulty obtaining library card, as long as i.d. is Handy and issued on the spot. You can jacked if checked out items are not pristine upon return, beware. Im on the hook for the price of a new paperback the was questionable when checked out. $18.00 forced donation. Aside from some occasional stinky areas and a pompas city employee attitude, most staff are polite and very helpful. A few bad apples we will not permit to spoil the entire barrel!

Great public library. Books books books! Computers, printers, Audio books, movies, magazines. Art and Music Room, Kids Floor, Teen Section, Reference Area and more. Also lots of programs for kids, teens, and adults.I lived 5 blocks away as a kid and basically grew up here. Been remodeled, expanded, and updated since then.Support your Public Libraries

A large library with friendly staff. Like many local libraries it has been pressed into doing double duty as a day shelter, and the staff do an excellent job of coping with the added load and keeping the place clean and welcoming. An exemplary if somewhat crowded library.

Berkeley Public Library is the best place to work when you need a desk, reliable wifi and library.

Pretty large library- often very crowded. It can be hard to find a private study space. However, computers are generally available side by side someone else. I have encountered the computers and keyboards mouse etc to be fairly worn and sometimes oily from so much use.

One of my favorite places to go, because lets face it Im a bibliophile! However, its not the only reason, when you need a nice place to sit, thats quiet and you dont want to pay $4.00 for a latte at Starbucks its a great place to go! There are so many resources here from books and computers, to various digital media all at no cost! As someone who values education in all realms and being the daughter of a librarian I know the value of knowledge. But remember to check your items back in on time, you dont want to be like me and end up with layers of late fees, and yes it may not seem like much but it adds up!

Outstanding public library with a great staff. Very nice facility and terrific childrens area and collection. Impressive.

A great library in a really cool old building. Its a good idea to reserve a computer ahead of time because they tend to be busy.

Friendly staff, nice books and toys at the kids floorAlso can listen to CD quality classical music on the top floor (they dont have hi-fi equipment, nor hi-fi quality recordings).

We love all the librarys in the Berkeley !

Why are the librarians consistently the loudest people in the library? Love the facility though.

Great library. I was very pleasantly surprised to see the variety of popular scientific journals they have a subscription to!

I love that you can check out laptops to use in the library and I love the assortment of videos that you can check out and watch at home for a week. There is free lectures and classes.

Aside from the psychotic, violent homeless people who take refuge in the library and verbally assault, threaten or otherwise try and pick up chair to bludgeon people to death, the services and resources of Berkeleys library is nothing short of endless. As a millenial its hard to see the point of the Library at times when literally anything could be digitally distributed and access from the comfort of your own home but to be honest once youve exhausted all sources online about something its pretty fantastic to be able to find more material at the library and also the ability to use link plus(LINK +) expands your library into a state library where you can find almost anything. The additional online services like Kanopy and Hoopla add the the resources at the library even if their checkout system limits are pretty silly. Ive also been able to find retro music in my library which has its own listening section with tons of records and CDs. Overall the library at Berkeley is one of the best if not the best.

Excellent library. Tons of kids there all the time. It is also very busy in general.

Very rude employees and not helpful at all. The librarians in Oakland are much better.

Very nice facility and terrific childrens area and collection.

Great facility I had the great privilege of cleaning Windows on...Learn!!!

The branches are good with the exception of the new University Ave branch that is located in the vicinity of san pablo ave. The director of that library seems to be managing an affluent private library that requires patrons to be meticulousy perfect and highly intellectual.Excuse my unedited grammar

Awesome library. Wish they were open more hours though.

Great speaking engagements from authors. Check out the calendar of events.

This place is dope. there is an elevator with large buttons. there is a computer area where you can get 2 hours. there is a childrens floor of books. there is an art floor of art books and music. there are some books i got here on aristotle. there were some really boring boring books too on green living. there are too many crazy fiction books for people with no imagination. my review is a lot better the other peoples on here. isnt it. i cant believe other people. they are like boring books. oh well

Small but great library. Nice building, always seems to be full of activity.

Its a library, plain and simple.

Really big place to find a nice book to read in

Good selection of books and media; plenty of space to study

A very nice library to go to and get work done

Great location, helpful staff, good resources

Head here to study when the other libraries are full. They have a nice staff with a wide selection of books and other resources.

Although you are very sure (99%) that you have dropped the borrowed books in the book deposit, and Library employee tells you that they dont receive it, You think I would have learned from your first and second experience. Apparently, Im naive. I have no idea if this is a system-wide problem, but I suspect as much, since it happen couple times. My first one was when they found it on the self because they never checked it IN and my second experience was when i was told that it might take more than 10 days to see it on the system.However, the last library mistake was an acceptable, because they totally ignore my story as they are the 100% professional State Workers who doesnt make any error. I can understand some initial skepticism. People lie. However, with all the inaccuracy that is happening in their system, Im obviously not the only person that this is happened to.

Wonderful librarians. Nice kids section.

Couldnt plug up my smartphone or iPad not enough space.

A pleasant library with good wifi...

Great for the library size. They carry a lot of books, movies, teen section

Loud environment especially with children. unresponsive staff bad interior design. Tiny selection of books. slack hours. 6pm seriously?

Doesnt keep the hours posted. Delayed my trip back to town for no reason at all. Unacceptable.

I stopped at the library yesterday at 5:57 and the security guard had the Closed sign On already .Although the library closes at 6 PM .Very rude and very unprofessional is just like I’m going to his house he stoped me at the door and he will not even talk to me .PS.you should put a close sign whenever the security guard feels like it and not whenever the library close .I am a taxpayer and I should not be denied service before closing hours to the library .

Excellent.space light research and writing

Amazing selection and lots of space

Excellent private group rooms. Will study again!

Clean, friendly, efficient and respectful to all

Preferred place to study.

Helpful staff!

Great library

Great service !!!!

Buffs?

It’s great, although it’s not easy to find the book you want