Jamal Ibrahim, 2020-03-16

The main branch. Beautiful architecture, clean environment, and all the books you can stand. Even though tons of homeless use the bathrooms here to clean up and maintain, they act civil and respect the establishment. At least most of them do. Just like some everyday citizens (people with a place to live) act like complete buffoons. The place is airy, quiet, and comfortable. The chairs aren't but the environment is.

Alex Vinogradov, 2020-02-28

Lovely place, well secured, good place to meet many intelegent people. Also, this facility could be used for public speakers who would deliver an essential information about how to survive in this ever changing housing market.

Emmett Keyser, 2020-02-26

Whoever says that SF is a world class city certainly isn't doing so based on its public libraries. I've lived in SF going on 21 years now. I've always liked libraries. Unfortunately, SF has an extremely poor public library system. Far and away the worst aspect of the libraries is that 1/2 - 3/4 of its employees are rude by default. The thing is I'm usually trying to be nice from the get go. I'm not a social butterfly but I at least try to say hello and have a good day. But when staff don't even look at you or they're playing with their cell phone at the same time asking what you want, it's a bit hard not to at least start wondering who this person hates more: me or themselves. That might be a bit harsh and there really are nice staff even at the main library. And I know they have to deal with all sorts of people. But it is kind of their job. It's probably a thankless job but guess what - most jobs are thankless. There are always 2-4 police officers outside in the front of the library smoking cigarettes. I've never seen so many police officers chain smoke for so long. I'm not being facetious when I say that I'm sure it's at least a little bit stressful. But wow a lot of smoke breaks. The homeless at the library isn't that big a problem for me. Yes, sometimes there are fairly bad stenches in the library and yes, a lot of homeless come to the library to sleep and take up desk space. Occasionally, a fight or someone is in crisis and needs to be escorted out of the building. It's just not a deal breaker for me. I just got back from Austin and their main/central library is outstanding. Theirs is about 2 years old so it's not a completely apples to apples comparison. But wow is it beautiful, quite, and clean not to mention not pathologically rude. The above mentioned problems are not going away anytime soon I suspect. SF politically has never really seemed to be very well managed so from a public services standpoint I doubt the building is going to change nor will staff issues change. If I had to guess there's probably a Public Library commission with appointed members. I should probably look it up. Maybe it's a commissioner/director who's been in this position for 20 years like the recently charged Public Works Director. ;-)

Thomas Price, 2020-03-08

We are so fortunate to have this world class library. I wish it could be open 24 hours. The collection is good. The staff and the library's programs are exceptional. Love it.

ANI-GUT Sun, 2019-03-29

古典式的建築 內部卻有現代化的建築功能 本來看到地圖標示 想花一點時間一兩個小時進入 各層瀏覽 每一個區間的瀏覽與了解 問題居然來自如何進入 就和台大社科院圖書館一樣 進入必須使用借書證登入 限制外來訪客的進入 當然我不知道是不是另外一種防堵遊民 因為舊金山的遊民很多 需要使用糧食眷受益的小孩 可以來此 但是遊民也有社會福利 內部空間挑高 中庭應該是上方有玻璃罩的建築才對 採光很好 四邊都是玻璃 內部有走廊 居然有公共藝術在走廊上 依照圖書館的功能取向 只能依照網頁資料去查詢 居然有中文與西班牙網頁 Main 總圖書館 五樓電腦培訓中心 L 保護環境中心 R 兒童中心 x 同性戀者中心 x 商務，科學與技術中心 R 國際語文中心 R 圖書藝術與特藏 R 小型企業中心 R 就業和職業發展中心 政府資源中心 瀏覽/小說系列 綜合圖書人文科學中心 R 聽障服務中心 z 舊金山歷史中心 A 舊金山歷史照片集 A 華裔中心 X 菲律賓裔中心 x 藝術及音樂中心 R 融和館 S 視聽中心 o 視障服務中心 z 連智橋 S 雜誌及報紙中心 L 非洲裔中心 x 館際互借 L 音樂中心 o 多民族的中心 如華裔 都列名在國際語文中心'等 另外有兒童 同性戀中心 有圖書與活動 常有的視聽與音樂(當作是借閱與當場觀賞聆聽)' 社會福利的視障 聽障 地方志 與照片 特別專門中心 如環境 科技 商業 藝術特藏 音樂收藏品 小說系列等 連創業的小型企業的資源 程序 策畫 組織都有 人文中心 就業與職業發展 政治中心 雜誌期刊區 館際服務 電腦培訓 偏鄉設置 特別如 連智橋 社區學習與識字中心 融和館 類似在此活動學習融合資源的需求等 膛乎其後 台灣的資源似乎不足