- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Sacramento Central Library
Rating Details »
15 reviews for Sacramento Central Library
I go to the library so often, I have my entire family's library card numbers memorized. By far, Central is my favorite of the Sacramento area libraries.
Pros:
- Great selection in books, CDs, DVDs.
- Nice quiet atmosphere
- Wi-fi access
- It's pretty!
- location is convenient
Cons:
- Sometimes there can be a few crazies who disturb the quiet.
- Bums outside can be a little...hostile. Or overly friendly.
Check out the new web site! You can use an ID rather than your 29 digit card number now, thank god. Extend your checkouts and pay your late fees online.
The best part is the new book search - they finally got a decent search application, and they are tagging and reviewing the books - tag clusters omg! - the system is light-years ahead of where it was.
Check out Link+ if you can't find a book - it's killer.
People thought this was:
- Useful (5)
- Cool (2)
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
2/12/2009
I'm reading my way through the late 1800's in California - and I have seriously tapped out… Read more »
4th floor...wifi access and ability to charge up my battery on my laptop as there are plenty of plug in stations...cell phones are requested to be off...water fountain...restrooms...i parked my car at the downtown plaza east garage ( 597 l street) for 3 hours free with validation and macy's was happy to give me one without purchase...parking in streets is paid only of which i saw 30 minute zones and 1 hour zones and 2 hour zones and meter maids many...quiet here on the 4th floor...cell phone does receive messages and i just received two, too....windows on all 4 sides with views...plenty of space to walk around to stretch...elevator...stairs...TODAY IS MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY...
One of the main reasons I go to a library is for the free wifi. The wifi here is pretty slow, and I had to spend some time finding out which service worked (there is one for each of three floors).
Parking is a problem, except for Sunday.
I did like view to the North - a grand old building with trees. Very picturesque on a stormy day.
Update: I could barely post more yelp reviews. Put this on the marginal wifi list.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I'm a library fiend. That means I can also be quite critical, but the Sac Central Library is the best I've ever seen. I'm there weekly.
I'm particularly fond of their on-line presence, which lets me reserve books in advance over the Internet, then pick them up. It also makes it much, much easier to browse.
They also get big points for putting the comics/graphic novels rack in the Central Express area. I've found some really interesting things there, and it's far more accessible than if it were tucked away in the young adult/teen section, as so many libraries do it. Hey, some of us middle-aged types are into comics, too--this makes it accessible.
Another big plus is the DVD collection. I'm not much on timeliness, so seeing the latest release isn't that big a deal, but having access to art and foreign films that may have had only a lightening-quick theater release is a real treat.
Right now, they've got the Smithsonian's traveling exhibit, Freedom's Sisters, about the women of the civil rights movement. In general, Central Library's displays are interesting; this one is fantastic. Don't miss it.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (3)
The first time I stepped inside central library, I got a little confused. The non-fiction sections are split up between the 2nd and 4th floors with the fiction section on the third. But once I got used to it - and it didn't take long - I found out just how much I love this library.
I'm cheap. I refuse to spend a pile of cash on books and movies. I've managed to find some newer, good DVDs and some great reads. If they don't have it on the shelf at central, just set yourself up online and request anything you can think of. They will email you as soon as it is available for pick up, and voila! Pop in sometime in the following 10 days and it'll be waiting.
Central is a treasure!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Sacramento Central has a great selection of books. that's really the most important aspect of a library, having a librarian who picks the goods. lots of foreign authors and if you're a CSUS student, you'll find much of your required (non-textbook) reading here. an auto check-out system means you can be discreet about what you check-out.
lots of homeless out front, common in any major American city.
decent selection of new movies and music which is a great service for the disadvantaged (college students) who can't afford to buy or rent that stuff.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
As of this writing the benches in front of the library have been removed. They misdirected the worst of the homeless from the library itself while denying space for bike racks (too many bike racks would encourage kids without parents to use the library for their own purposes). To get the best of both worlds, I suggest that the bench-removal be made permanent, and rigorous legal standards of personal hygiene and behavior continue to be enforced inside.
If you are a voracious reader, you can easily bankrupt yourself at the local Barnes and Noble. Or you can just take advantage of the Sac Library system, which is pretty great. All you have to do is find the books you want, find them in the online library catalog, and have them deliver the book to your closest branch. They will send you an email when it comes in, so you can just stop by the "hold" shelf and scoop it up. You don't even have to wait in line; they have self-serve terminals.
They have a decent selection of DVDs which you can keep for 3 weeks; right now I am working my way through Six Feet Under.
The only problem is that parking can be a pain for this particular branch. Sunday is a good time because then the meters are free. Or the library will validate parking (discounted but not free) for the garage on J st.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Cool (2)
Before I start my review, I must make a confession. I have a bad habit of going to Barnes and Noble to buy books. Now, these are never books I'd really want to keep and a lot of them are kinda trashy, so when I finish reading them, I return them. Shhhh!!
Now, however, I don't have to do this thing that kinda makes me feel guilty. I go to the library! Previously, the library was not a good place for me to go. They never had anything that seemed interesting, and if they did have something interesting, it would be the third or fourth in a series and the preceeding books would be missing. That, and I'd always forget to return the damn things, and suddenly be slapped with a ridiculous amount in late fees.
That was before the Sacramento Central Library, all of 4 blocks from my work! My friend also told me that you can do this cool thing where you go on-line and reserve the book you want. They find it at another library and then ship it to the library you request. It's truly awesome.
True, you have to tiptoe carefully past all the sleeping bums, and there's a weird woman there who mutters at you if you pass her or look at her, but the inside of the library is nice and airy. It's also really big and filled with nice, helpful librarians.
So, now I no longer have to worry so much about keeping the books I buy in perfect, returnable condition.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (3)
The 1917-Carnegie Library building is one of my favorite lunch-hour rendez vous points. In addition to the usual neighborhood library services, the multi-story library and office tower features the beautiful Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, a special collection of regional treasures in The Sacramento Room, and hundreds of thousands of books, periodicals, audio CDs and DVDs. It's not the New York City Public Library, but it's multi-story and has stack after stack -- without the musty old book smell.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
i like this place because its so big..
i work downtown and its not too bad a walk to pick up a book on the shelves or on hold downstairs-- i definietly suggest looking it up online and ordering it from another library to be delivered there for pickup.
Remember its closed every Monday
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Overall, Central is a great library.
Awesome kids section. I enjoy browsing the books I used to read as a youngster, and ones I would read now because they look cool.
I enjoy the sections for cooking, knitting and other crafts, entertainment, travel, journalism, and photography. I'm happy to report these areas are all well-stocked. Unless it's coming up to a holiday or final exams.
What I also like about this library is the "new releases" area. There are always a lot of new books being made available and they all look so interesting. Good thing the library is free.
Are you like me? Too cheap to go to the video store? Don't want to rack up more credit card debt on itunes? Central Branch does not have the greatest DVD selection and all the "good" flicks are checked out. (That's where interlibrary loan comes in). But the CD selection is usually good.
What I do not like about this library is how you have to show the security guard your materials as you're leaving. If you have more than a few things, you want to put them in your book bag or backpack, right? But then you have to take them all out again so the security guard can cross-check them to your receipt. How annoying. And I also do not like how the wi-fi works best in places where it just so happens to be the "quiet zone." Also, there seem to be a lot of people sitting on the benches outside and pretty frequently they are talking to themselves.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
i couldn't find a lot of the books i was looking for and when looking for separate books that were part of a series, think anais nin and like, i'd usually only turn up one or two parts of it. also, it was a bit noisy for my preference. there were a lot of teens on the computers talking back and forth to eachother. all the reading rooms were occupied, a few by people who weren't even reading.
the staff was friendly, but not so much that it redeems this place for me.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
whenever i had a chance, i loved to come down to this library to just browse. it's centrally located downtown, so whenever you're done you're free to walk elsewhere like the plaza, etc... it's too bad that since those days, downtown has really died down (not to say it was ever a happening place, but 7 years ago you'd actually see shoppers at downtown plaza, as opposed to just homeless people high on drugs). anyway, if i were in the area, i'd def still stop by. the best library in town!!
