San Diego Public Library

There are only a few criterion for a 5-​star library:
1) It’s quiet
2) You have a place to sit and study
3) It’s quiet
Unfortunately, this place feels less like a library and more like a daycare. Kids are always here and so the ambient noise level is at a constant annoying dB. There are about 5 – 6 large tables in an open space. Today, all of those tables were reserved until closing time with empty seats all around. You are then relegated to sit in these cubbies they set up on smaller tables where you can hardly fit a laptop due to the low shelf on the divider. No clue what this is all about but I think it’s an effort by the library to re-​define itself as a playground.
Some positives are that it’s a clean and nice library because it remains that way from non-​usage. When you come and expect a conventional library experience, please prepare yourself with earphones and an undying patience.
On a serious note, if you need a quiet space to study and are on your way to the Ranchos Penasquitos Pubic Library, try a university library instead.

This is my library since it opened for the very first time. Because of it I have come here for the past 25+ years and has inspired me to be immersed in books or simply updating my resume as it should for any human being with an imagination or a drive for education. Now that I’m older I now bring my kids here and they love it as much as a kid in a toy store. So yea… it gets 5 stars dammit! :-)

Nice quiet location and good place to read/​study.
The problem is that they are steadily reducing the availability of newspapers, magazines and books. First, they stopped subscription to Barron’s, then to Wall Street Journal. No Readers Digest magazine which I have seen in every other lib that I have been to. So many magazine subscriptions are stopped — what are they thinking? Where is all that tax payer dollar going? In addition, there is no way you can request for resumption of a particular subscription. «Wait until next fiscal year» is the standard response. Worst library I have been to in the entire country (& I have been to many).

Love this library. Lots of programs for kids. There’s also a used book store called the book nook that has a large selection of books for sale. Be a friend of the library and pay even less.

Nice library to drop by on the weekends. If you need a place of quiet to study, this is the place. Also you could wear your headphones and settle down in a cubicle or in lounge area. I feel it is nice to get away from the laptop screen and read words across the page.
Just make sure to return your books on time or else you would have to pay some fees. On the bright side the system usually sends you a email notifying you that the due date is coming up.
I have not accessed internet services yet to renew books but do not find it too troubling to drop by the book drop located outside or going in to renew. Did not have much problems accessing anything.
Signing up you would need something to prove your address and you could enroll on a computer before checking in with one of the librarians. Pretty simple to get a library card and its nice as you could hang one on your keys and keep the card in your wallet.

People, please learn to control your children!!! Why are there children running around and screaming in library! Tell them to shut up, and if they don’t, please don’t stick around. There are people in there studying and trying to focus. If you can’t control your rowdy kids, then please don’t bring them to the library!

This library seems to be a smaller one, but it offers enough and is a cozy set up. It is certainly beautiful with the glass atrium. My son loves the kiddie computers which offer fun games. Their DVDs seem to be less scratched up than other library DVDs which was a nice surprise.
City libraries are offering a nice summer reading program for kids. 2014 summer Prizes are 2 padres tickets and BYGOFree zoo tix for reading 10 books. Sign up online.

One of the main reasons I’m giving this place a low rating is because of some of the completely rude staff that work here. Particularly this one older woman with short gray hair. She has a horrible and disgusting attitude every time I’ve talked to her about something.
The last time I had the ONLY study room reserved and I didn’t notice that I was 5 minutes late because I was studying at the tables. I went to her and asked for the room and she said she gave it to someone else and proceeded to lecture me about being on time.
That’s fine if you have a policy about giving it to someone else if the person is 5 minutes late but you should explain it in a friendly and gracious manner, NOT lecture people in a rude way. She is the stereotypical bitter old librarian who hates her job and wishes she could have done something else with her life. Someone pleaseee fire her.
Otherwise the library is just OK. Its usually pretty loud, kids and adults talking as much as they want. So if you want to go somewhere for a quiet area to study… this is not it.

The answer is YES to all of the following: Beautiful inside & out? Great selection of virtually everything? Special activities room? Clean restrooms? Nice & helpful staff?
BUT-​there is one thing that is absolutely horrible-​the internet access and computers. First of all, during this latest stressful move (are there any that aren’t?) I needed to use this library for some computer work. 3 separate times. And I wondered why there were always work stations available. Now I know. Their version of IE, the screen said version 7, is completely out of date and will soon be obsolete and non-​functional. In addition it is incompatible with many current print programs. I could only get about half of my Google Drive documents to print, and from que to print took, well, forever.
Part of the problem, besides an obsolete IE, is the print interface. You’re required to click a print button, enter your library card ID# and then walk across the floor to the print area. THEN scan your card again, enter money or a prepaid card, … the list of tedious and antiquated procedures to get something to print just goes on and on like a tired, rambling college professor. Reminds me of a design from the MS-​DOS days. OH-​and the pay machine doesn’t make change. Designed that way, I’m sure.
I can’t believe that the City of San Diego can spend so much money on beautiful landscaping, outside stone work, great parking and so many other outstanding features AND have such a suck computer experience. BTW, I spoke with two other patrons at adjoining work stations who said they had no home computer and had to come to the public library-​and yes, the computers here really suck. They also said it’s not any better at any of the other branches.
Mayor and Council Members Collectively-​take some of that money and get some half-​decent hardware and software for the library system. If you bought some Macs, 99% of the problems would disappear.

Well laid out library. Great children’s area.

I love the PQ library. We used to live in Rancho PQ and went here every 3 weeks for years, I miss this library since we moved a little while ago. It is very convenient having a small area for the kids to play in (stocked with toys, no less!) while I browsed for kids’ books. Definitely made keeping track of them while I browsed books easier. It is way harder to keep two toddlers entertained and quiet when you are trying to pick books out for them when there is nothing to keep them entertained. We also enjoyed story times and other events in the community room. Librarians here are also very friendly and generally ample parking. :)

This is my hometown library. I used to go to this library when it was a trailer across the street so it has come very far in the last 25 years! The staff, some of which have been there since I was a girl, are still efficient and helpful. The truth of the matter is that people should read more books in general and if you have kids or nieces/​nephews, this is the place to take them so that the young ones start their lives off right. Anyway, some of the furniture and computer equipment need a facelift. Please and thanks!

I was a regular here in high school… back when it was new. I always tell my daughter (who is now 16) that I remember the library being a couple of trailers situated where the dog park across the street now exists. This place is still a favorite of mine and I’m glad that I’m able to share it will all of my children.
Great selection of books! And a great place to study!

PQ library… a moment of silence.
Awesome librarians? Kind hearted and always ready to help?
Yes!
Great selection of books, videos and audio books?
Yes!
I have been haunting this library for over 17 years and I enjoy the constantly updated selection of books and the always wonderful book nook. This is a great neighborhood library and they have saved me buckets of money managing my reading addiction by loaning me my favorite reads.