San Francisco Public Library; Potrero Branch

The Potrero Hill Library holds a special place in my heart—I used to live nearby, and it was always a great community resource. This small, quaint library is well-maintained and welcoming, offering a cozy space for reading, studying, or just escaping the hustle of the city for a little while. What truly makes this branch unique are the stunning views. Perched atop Potrero Hill, it offers sweeping panoramas of San Francisco that make any visit feel like a peaceful retreat. While the collection is modest, the charm and warmth of the space, along with its dedicated staff, more than make up for it. For locals, it’s a cornerstone of the neighborhood, and for visitors, it’s a hidden gem worth checking out. A quiet haven with an unbeatable view—Potrero Hill Library is a true community treasure!

Nice library. Not a ton of room but they make great use of it providing tables to work or nice chairs to read and lounge in.

Clean bathrooms, lots of seating, and great views of SF!

It has the best view of San Francisco!!!! Its a small library but it makes up in other ways. The bathroom are big and clean. If you can get a spot near the window in the second floor its the best place to sit and read your favorite book. My son loves their board games. Its a little busy right after school ends. Daniel Webster elementary is right around the corner. Great little library to visit.

Small but found some interesting displays in here!

This is the best library in San Francisco. Its clean, quiet and the staff is amazing. They are very helpful .The second floor has an amazing view of downtown and art inside the library is so beautiful. I highly recommend it.

This is a great library and really deserves 4.5 stars. The only thing that detracts from it's amazingness is how small it is. The children's book selection is pretty small, so you have to special order most things you want

A wonderful library in a convenient location, with a beautiful view and excellent amenities for its size

I can order a book or DVD that is in the system and have it delivered to my branch in a few days.

What an incredible space with amazing librarians! I stopped in to get my SF library card, and the librarian greeted me at the door and walked me through the process. Within 5 minutes I had my library card in hand and was ready to check out my first book! So excited to be able to access their robust collection of physical and digital books!! Plus, the view of the city from Portrero Hill is unbeatable. Can't wait to cozy up and read!

I love this library branch, or branch library, because it does so much with what it's got. What's it got? A great view, a great location, a cute little building, and very helpful librarians. What's it not got? Much space, which is why its design is so good. Now I'm sure plenty of people will nitpick about how much room the children's and teen sections take up, but libraries serve many constituencies, and kids and teens are two of the most important. The view of downtown from the second floor is spectacular, and they've helpfully lined up five chairs on the other side of a shelf so that library users can sit and read or just take in the view without bothering or being bothered by others--other than the people sitting in the other chairs. I've only been a few times, but I've never spent more than twenty minutes or so here. I need to. I want to get a good chunk of reading done here, because it feels so homey. Plus there's a market across the street if you're hungry or thirsty. Did I mention that it's on an almost completely flat stretch of 20th Street? And parking seems plentiful on 20th, or at least it has been on weekday afternoons. Strangely, I live exactly one block to the south but many miles to the west of this branch. It feels so much farther north, but it's not. I couldn't find a book in the stacks, and one of the librarians found it in on the New Books shelf. I was looking for that book and a couple others specifically, but I ended up taking home three others that I found while perusing the pleasant place as I perambulated.

Recently went to the Potrero Branch Library. If you want to see an amazing collection of books simply go check out the stacks at the Main Library. If you want to go to a small quiet friendly branch w/ amazing views of the skyline of downtown San Francisco simply come here to the Potrero Branch Library. Walk up the stairs to the second floor & grab a book before heading to a room of chairs for study w/ an amazing view of Downtown. Might have the best views of any branch in the San Francisco Public Library yet still have to visit eight more branches before I have visited every branch in the City.

My favorite library in the Mission Bay side of town. It's small but cozy with an amazing view of both the city and a few 20th street bodegas, rendering a coffeeshop feel if you work/read at one of the group tables or a balcony feel if you sit on the seats by the window. I love natural lighting for reading and this place is perfect for spending a quiet afternoon on the weekends. Ok maybe it's not always quiet since the space is so open and not everyone can whisper, but it is usually not too bad. I have seen signs for fun events/ activities (i.e. free food) but they seem to happen during work hours on the weekdays so it's probably catered to them school kids. Makes sense as there's an elementary school right down the block and 2 high schools a few minutes away. I imagine the place being a lot different during the weekdays but I never have time to go. Besides that, I like how they planned the space. It never feels overcrowded as most nice places in SF are, and everything I need in a library is there. There are 2 self checkout stations and a for-hold bookshelf right by the entrance. Bathrooms are huge! Children section is floor level while adult/teen section and a few computers are crammed on the 2nd floor. Like I said, this library seems to be less catered to adults than say the main library. Nonetheless, I never have trouble finding a few good books to check out; the selection of books is varied/large enough to keep me coming back for more!

Ouch. I forgot to read the hours of operation. It opens at 1pm on Friday. Oh noooos. Guess I'll have to write a yelp review while I wait. That'll teach em! So peep this: San Francisco libraries give their members free access to Lynda.com training videos! Almost everything you ever wanted to learn is found in these instructional videos. It's usually $25/mo or more to subscribe. California libraries are also the place to swoop up music, be it digitally over the net or on physical CD. Use the website to have your cds delivered to this branch if this is closest to your home. Also, you can use the library app from the App Store of your choice if you would like to use your smart phone when you check out books at the library. It doesn't necessarily make things easier but you do feel like your superior to the troglodytes standing at the counter. Now, onto the Potrero library: this is a cute library with a magnificent view. What better destination to use as an occasional remote office? It's not swanky but we can look at the city while we work. WiFi is great here and it's just a few yards from grocery stores. Buhleedat!

I stumbled upon this cute library, while strolling with my bf back to our apartment. This adorable library is tiny but efficient. It's free to sign up for a library card and I love that they have different designs! I chose one that was designed by an 8th grader and it is absolutely beautiful! The book selection seems small, but actually covers pieces that are both old and new! I wish they had a larger cooking section, but for a tiny neighborhood library, I really can't complain. Check out is super easy. Scan you library card, enter your pin, and scan you books. They send you emails. Late fees are not horrible, but it's never good to be late. I checked out "uke for dummies", how to make homemade pasta, some Franz Kafka collection of stories, and a book on Greek mythology. I'm so excited!

I've been to this library so many times, and had food, but today they kicked me out for just having a pack of gum and not even eating it. Very frustrated and the librarians are terrible. But the books are good.

Anybody can sign up for a library card as long as they show a picture id (drivers/ca id, school id, passport) and address verification: (must include name and California residential address), like a personal check or mail postmarked within the last 30 days. It is a painless process. 2 minutes to fill out an application and another couple minutes for your application to be processed. And the library has 5 different new library card designs for you to choose from to spice up your wallet. Hey, if you're not the paper and pencil type... apply online at www.sfpl.org! Now for the Potrero Branch review. Why not five stars you say. Well, Potrero is in need of remodeling, which will begin very soon this Spring 2008! The building is dated. The branch needs disablility access. An elevator will be added during the renovation. The bathroom is ghetto. They still have the seperate hot and cold water faucets. The toliet has as much flush intensity as a pinto has horsepower. Potrero Library is one of the few branches that does not have wi-fi access yet. The heating system has a mind of its own. The staff room would make Anne Frank's pad look luxurious. Otherwise, the Potrero Branch Library is located in fairly quiet neighborhood with an awesome view towards downtown San Francisco. You can bring your kids to storytime every Thursday morning. The branch has two adult and two children 30 minute computers. And one fifteen minute computer. Parking is plentiful around the area. Potrero has a small collection of cds, videos and dvds. Also the branch has a moderate size collection of adult, children and teen material. If your can't find a particular material, you can always ask the librarian to ship an item from another location to the branch. An excellent staff is ready to help you with your research and other library needs. ** The branch bookmobile will provide service to the area when the Potrero Branch closes for renovation.

Coming from a country where public services are not at its best, I've to admit that I'm easy to impress. But the public programs for children and toddlers at the SFPL are outstanding! and the Potrero Hill Branch just rocks. My daughter has been attending the weekly music and games program since she was 8 months old (she's now 2.4 years old) and she loves it ! Every Thursday we wake her up saying "its library day" and that makes her day. She has learned lots of songs, which now she sings along, has made tons of friends there and loves to dance to the tunes. The lady that runs the program is now like part of our family. Of course there's always room for improvement, but we thank our gods (and the taxes we pay) for this type of programs.

What a great library in Potrero. Amazing views, newly done (so everything is clean and tidy!), free wifi. A bit noisy, but its just people getting used to it. Easy parking nearby. Come on a sunny day to soak in the views and the sun and read your faviorite magazine or just browse the internet.

Friendly staff and amazing views! Books in many languages from babies through adults. Check out your tax dollars at work- it's free and continually getting new book titles and daily, weekly and monthly newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

Two stories. Super cool and modern and quiet. Free street parking. A hidden gem. Only thing I request is more tables. There are only 2 tables sitting 4 people each in the back area. First floor is catered to kids. Love the skyline view of San Francisco. Odd hours...check online before coming.

The views of the city are absolutely amazing! Leah (librarian) is a complete gem. Always so helpful with any book suggestions or reserving anything I inquire about. I just wish other patrons would have the common courtesy to keep their voices down, as it tends to get a bit noisy.

This library encapsulates why I love living in San Francisco: I can come here and work on my laptop all day, but I don't feel like I've missed out on anything because the second floor has an amazing view of the city skyline. From morning till sunset, the view energizes me as I'm working. Everything here is squeaky clean, including the bathroom, which has a sleek, flat porcelain sink. I really love that sink! I just applied for a library card here, and I can't wait to start checking out their great selection of books, movies, and books on CD.

I'm so torn about this review. The library is half a block from my condo, the view from the top floor is spectacular, the librarians are helpful, the collection is quite impressive for such a small branch, and it really is a beautiful, reasonably comfortable space. "Why the long face, then?", you ask. Well, it's the people who use the library. They seem to have forgotten that a library is supposed to be, dare I say, the last refuge for a person seeking quiet? It seems that downstairs, there is a perpetual gaggle of rambunctious kids, with even more rambunctious parents, who do not know the meaning of a whisper--nay, even a low-talk. It's a public place, I know, but when I am UPSTAIRS, and all I can hear is "(Screeeeam, screeeam, screeeeam)" punctuated by "Zachary, do you want the Diiiino Tales video or Harry Pooootter?" shouted across the aisles, I become a bit ornery. Librarians, where is the "Shhhhhhhhhhh!"?? Also, the last time I was there, I had to vacate the table where I was working on my laptop because of the extreme pungency being exuded by the man of questionable housing status sitting next to me. He smelled kind of like a rotten cabbage wrapped in ass. Overall, though, a nice facility. Next time I will bring some menthol to rub under my nose like Quincy and my noise-canceling headphones.

The library is finally back open! It was totally gutted and built back up, and looks beautiful. It looks very modern from the outside now with sleek steal, but the inside is incredibly cozy. And the view is amazing. The entire side of the building, facing the city, is made of glass, giving you plenty of light and an AMAZING view. Although this is a small library, it's a great place to cozy up and find and read a book. They also have desks upstairs that allow you to set up laptops and camp out. I'm so glad this library is open again.

Great neighborhood library offering infant lapsit, evening storytime, and community events like the annual artist exhibition. The upstairs rooms has hosted book signings, author appearances, and neighborhood events. They've got a great magazine selection including Juxtapoz, and also have a selection of cds and dvds.

I go here once a week. You can reserve books online, and the library will send you an email once the books are in! I even borrowed Mad Men DVDs. This library has the best views of the city and plenty of parking too!

Pros: WiFi Free Parking in neighborhood. Tables to sit w/ outlets & sweet view of the city! Open until 9pm on some days. Cons: Relatively small if you're looking to work for group projects

Who knew the best views of the city were from the Potrero Library?! This little library is back in business and completely refreshed. Grab a book, head upstairs, and take a seat in front an amazing view of the city. I love coming here on my lunch break and relaxing for a few!

CONGRATULATIONS SFPL on library of the year! We HEART you guys! Big shout-out to my Potrero home branch.

Small space, but the second-floord window offers one of the best views of Potrero Hill. It's worth walking in simply for the view. There are alway chairs facing the window, and when I need a break from the office, I admire the view in between writing. They are great about special ordering books, and if I had more discipline, I'd stop using Amazon's One-click to keep downloading books to my iPad. You get some kids in here, but they don't get too noisy. Just throw on some noise-cancelling head phones.

I've lived here for 8 years, and I finally got a library card. Someone get me a medal! If you're thinking of getting a card too, or need to get some work done, then I definitely recommend my local Potrero Branch because: Best view in the city Modern decor Clean Free (ample) parking 2 stories

Nice library, BUT only 3 tables upstairs to use, plus an "activity/singing room" for children in the same floor, even though children's area is downstairs. If you are coming with children this library is great, otherwise too noisy!! Kids running around, parents/caregivers talking really loud, people on their phones :( I f you need to study or work don't come here! Nice view though, if that's the only thing you are looking for.

I really appreciate this library branch but I would love it more if it had private rooms for study or if the chairs facing the view of the city had small swinging desks so that I could sketch on something sturdy. Otherwise, this library has a decent color copying machine and printer and is a fairly quiet place to read or work/study. Check out some DVDs while you're there.

It might not be the most prolific library, but it's definitely got the best views. If you're looking for a quiet place to sit, use free wifi, and watch the city, this is the place. On the second floor behind the magazine rack, there are several chairs facing the floor-to-ceiling windows offering an ideal place to read, work, or generally think. Do keep in mind that the after school hours tend to be a little less quiet due to the tutoring programs run from the library.

I grew up in this library. Okay, well technically I grew up half a block away, but I sure did get a lot of millage out of this place. I would look forward to the summer's when they would hold the reading contest all year long, and then read up even more of a storm so I could win tickets to go see the A's! (yes, an A's fan in SF). Sure this never was the cleanest, most spacious library I ever visited... but it always had what I wanted, or would get it very quickly. I worked here one summer as a library intern, I was probably 11 or 12 and have absolutely no recollection of what I did other than sitting at a desk looking at those little cards. I am so excited to see them rebuilding the library because this lot has great potential to harbor a really wonderful calming library. I

This little library is a gem! There are comfort chairs facing a wall of floor to ceiling windows providing excellent light for reading and a terrific view of downtown. There is also a bottle shop and lovely cafe across the street.

Any CA resident can get a SF public library card. What are you waiting for? Free books, music and movies! Plus, you can use the reserve system, and the books are delivered to your local branch. They e-mail you when the books are in and right before they are due. Yes, if we can all have an assistant as talented as the library system. Also check out free e-books through the library website... The Main Branch is best, but this branch has great programs and is on my commute route.

Very nice librarian helped me to download the app Hoopla to access audio books without me asking. She also quickly signed me up for a couple books :) library is clean and welcoming

Amazing views of the SF skyline; only about 4 or so tables to actually get some studying done, though. But -- if you're lucky enough to snag one of those tables, you're golden.

The staff is very helpful and kind, they don't get nervous when you walk in with little kids. The children area is well organized and has nice light coming into the windows and places to sit. We love this library very much and can often even find good stories on cd to listen to in the car.

The perfect library. The view is out of this world of the city. It is clean. The staff are awwweome! :)

Thank you to the two ladies at the front desk who helps me today. One lady gave me pointers to taking the city exam I'm taking the other lady helped me by printing out my email confirmation that's required for entry to the test along with identification. I was not risking not being admitted to the test. I love San Francisco because despite it being small city you can literally find anything quickly and be there quickly. I had parked up the street from the test site had been there for 30 mins and realized I didn't have my print out. I high tailed it up to this library branch there is no shortage of libraries in the city! Thanks again ladies for your help.

I love love love this library! It's clean and has tons of great books on display that always seem to pique my interest. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. If there's one gripe I have about this place, it's the fact that preteens will often listen to their ipods so loud that I, too, can sing along to whatever song they're listening to. The smaller kiddies are really loud but they're super cute. It's a public library, though, so all those distractions come with the territory.

Tucked away in the rolling hills of the Potrero Hill district, this place is absolutely gorgeous and makes you forget that you're actually at a library. The view from the 2nd floor is gorgeous and on a clear day, the panoramic SF skyline is quite the sight to see! Even saw the Golden Gate Bridge today! Comfy chairs are positioned right in front of the windows, so if you're lucky enough to snatch a seat, you can savor the sight while curling up to the great selection of cookbooks and food literature.

This isn't a library, it's a day care center. Children are screaming left and right and running around the place at all times. Whoever's giving this place 4 or 5 stars isn't a library member, they're parents who are thrilled to have found a great spot for their kids.

This small library is a good stop for anyone with small kids or who might enjoy a very nice view while reading. I am from out of town and here only for the summer with my kids. Our morning trip to Potrero Hill was great. We took the bus number ten from SoMa all the way up the hill and first visited a small playground and then came to read and look at some books and play for a while in the library. My kids are 2 and 5 now and found a bunch of great picture books and nice toys in drawers. We even measured their hight: 36 and 45 inches! Upstairs is lovely place for adults to read in peace enjoying a great view of the city. If I did not have my children and lived close by, I might be a frequent guest of this library. Although we might do the same as today with my kids another day. You might want to check the opening times, before you go. The library opened on a normal wednesday surprisingly at noon so we had to wait outside for a while. But it was worth it.

There is a great view of the city from the magazine reading area. Parking is easy, and you can pick up milk at the Good Life while you are there. The selection onsite is iffy but you can place a hold on anything SFPL owns and they will bring it to the branch, email you that it has arrived, and hold it until you pick it up. My favorite City program, hands down.

San Francisco has many libraries. This is the best. Plus one extra star because it is close to my apartment. SHHH...don't tell anyone about the amazing second story views.

Now that the remodel is done, I'm going to rub a lamp and ask the Genie to make me into a mouse and let me hang out at this library full time. The view is ridiculous. The librarians are all cute and cuddly, especially the head librarian. Oh, and helpful. This place is the bomb.

The new building is gorgeous, staff is helpful, and view is amazing. I love this place!

Amazing view. I love this place. A HUGE addition to the neighborhood, and the SFPL system as a whole.

F*cking beautiful. Just beautiful. The view, the people, the service, the collection. And to top it off, they had some type of art submission, and the place is full of locals' photos, acrylic, metal, sketches, hanging on the walls, and even an 8 yr old's chinese calligraphy that will melt your heart. Very touching.

I like libraries in general, so my rating here is based on the comparison between different libraries in this city and elsewhere. The Potrero Hill branch is kinda small, with a small collection of books. There aren't many spots where you could sit down and do your work. But climb the flight of stairs and look out of the window - it's gives you a breathtaking view of the city. You can see the skyscrapers, blue waters of the bay, and even the peaks of the Golden Gate bridge!

Best view ever of the city! found this place in a book "Most Peaceful Places in San Francisco" It really is.

Hours suck. Closed Mon.? Some days not open until 12 or even 1? Really? Really sad. The SF library system need to find ways to make the city's libraries accessible during at least normal business hours and on weekends. Cut back and fundraise more, but do something different than you doing. Work backwards from the vision that all branches are open 7 days a week, from 8-8, or similar open days/hours. Please.

The Potrero Branch is amazing. Floor-to-ceiling views of downtown to the Bay Bridge, and it's open until 8 many nights during the week. (Got to love that it actually works for the neighborhood. The Good Life Grocery also closes at 8, and both operate as incentives to me to leave work early enough to get to both.) As for the views, I thought last night, boy, they should serve drinks! Bourbon and Books could be their night branding. Or Books and Booze (less sophisticated, I'll grant you that). There's no better seat on Potrero Hill. There's wifi too. Come to think of it, a cafe concept would work too. Okay, okay, it's a library. It's really a wonderful space, and last night I borrowed a movie and a book. This should help the new budget that I'm trying on. As I'm sure that you know, you can sign up for books online, and they will deliver them to your branch. I'm going to try not to just devolve to buying books, again because of my new austerity measures. Not to mention the fact that while I aspire to a private library, my home shelves are full, and the book piles behind my reading chair are not an elegant solution to my space needs.