Oakland Public Library, Asian Branch

Small, modern library in Oakland’s Chinatown. I have ever seen a library solely dedicated to Asian books. That’s really cool and makes sense for the location. The majority of the selection is in Asian languages. My only criticism is that there isn’t much study space, and I don’t remember seeing a restroom. Overall, 4/5.

It is nice that there is a collection of books, DVDs and computers and some sitting area. But there is not much windows. Not the type of nice library that is fun to sit it

Small, cosy library with a selection of books in English, Japanese, Vietnamese. There are colouring pages and crayons for kids, as well as toys which you can borrow. The staff were super friendly and nice. There’s no rest room inside the library but you can use the one in the building - get the restroom key from the front desk.

There were only two tables for adults to work at. Right above those tables was a broken speaker making a bizarre buzzing sound. To leave this issue unaddressed shows no respect for the Oakland taxpayers who use this space

Nice library in the Chinatown area! Has a good selection of Asian-inspired items to read! I do enjoy visiting when in the area to see the selection of Asian-related materials.

Nice clean spot with lots of Asian resources!

Fantastic resource in Chinatown for the Asian community with books, newspapers, assistance, music, and movies in multiple languages.

Great library. The computer section is a bit too small, and right in the middle of everything so it would be much better if it were in a different area. Giving it only 3 stars because there is a table in t back that has a few outlets you can plug into, but other than that there aren't any outlets anywhere else in the whole place which is very frustrating. The staff are friendly and helpful for the most part. However, one day I handed them my library card so I could use the restroom key. I get into the restroom and sit down. And literally 4 or 5 minutes later a staff member comes all the way out into the restroom to complain that I've had the key for too long. So now I am irritated, and feeling like I need to rush and then to top it all off - not even 2 or 3 minutes after the staff member exited a security guard for the building enters and tells me there's been some complaints and to give him the key back, which I did So that was really irritating and unnecessary. It other than that I like this library

Date: 10/8/2025 Time: 7:20 PM 66° Cool I didn't realize that this library closes at 8 PM on Wednesdays. have to do some copying work of two documents. The clerk at the information desk was very helpful, scanned the 5 pages for me. It was 15¢ per page. I'm glad the library was still open. I thanked her for helping me. She saw my Oakland Public library card on my keychain; thus, I did not need a replacement card.

I want to thank the librarian for helping me get my library card. I haven't been here since I was a child, and visiting again brought back so many wonderful memories. My mom used to bring me here every weekend to pick up Vietnamese books so I could learn to read and write in my language and stay connected to my culture. I love seeing that the collection has expanded and that they continue to bring in new Vietnamese books.

They have a vast collection of international books, making it the best library in the Bay Area.

It is nice that there is a collection of books, DVDs and computers and some sitting area. But there is not much windows. Not the type of nice library that is fun to sit it

The librarians here are so helpful! This branch is smaller than main, but it's still very clean and cozy. They have a good selection on the shelves, and I like the community feel they have here.

This is a great place to library to be located in Chinatown. Parking can be tough but it's not any different from a library located in downtown. It's a great resource for elders and residents in the area. There's computers for use for those with a library card. Need to print and you don't have a card? No problem! You can send the doc to the QR located at the counter, waltz over to the printer, enter your code, pay and wait for your doc to finish printing.

The Oakland Library Asian Branch is located in Oakland's Chinatown a short walk from the 12th St BART station & a short walk from Nature's Vegetarian restaurant. The Oakland Library Asian Branch specializes in Asian language books & media including Asian newspapers, Asian books, & Asian DVDS along w/ Asian CDs. I would say the majority of the books here are in Asian language yet there was a small section of English language books. The most interesting English language books was the cooking section as they had heaps of Asian cooking books in English in an eclectic array of regional cuisines from all over Asia. They even had Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen. Overall an interesting branch of the Oakland Public Library system & if you live nearby know that you can request items from other branches to pick up here.

What a gem of a library for the Asian community! Located right in Chinatown only a few blocks away from Downtown Oakland is a library where you can find books in a variety of languages, including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, on top of English. Anyone with an Oakland Public Library card can check out books here. It's comforting to see the elderly come here to read the newspapers, and to see a large manga section, perhaps one of the large selections of all the Oakland libraries. It's also wonderful to be able to brush up on my Chinese. Goodness knows I need the practice. Since this IS Chinatown, food is always nearby with plenty of restaurants, and there's a boba place right on the outside of the plaza.

This branch is the worst. Hard to find parking so it's always a pain to go. And the staff take 20 minutes to find your stuff even when you text well in advance and there's no line--they're just doing heck knows what in the back. They may eventually ask for a library card or ID, but it still takes a while after that. Get it together.

Real nice clean quiet well organized public library for Asian Americans. I'm very impressed. I found so many Korean books that I wanted check out and read.. Chinese people in Oakland are very fortunate, I think. Right by the ocean near the Jack London Square, they have their own town! How cool is that!!

They don't have a lot of outlets, so I do not recommend bringing your laptop. They do have computers for you to use if you have an Oakland Library card. I used to use these computers religiously until I saw a lady digging for boogers. I got so grossed out that I haven't used them since. This library is LOUD. Oftentimes I see kids running around, yelling, jumping on tables etc. This is not an ideal place to study.

cute, comfy library! I come here for the food in oakland chinatown and sometimes stop by :)

The space for the asian branch of the oakland library is a concession to community space by the developer of pacific renaissance plaza. i've been here a few times to browse and check out some books. the resources are strained however. this branch stocks books, periodicals, dvd's, movies. etc. in 8 asian languages. depth of resources isn't possible. maybe $$$ are short so library resources isn't that diverse either. the library is located on the 2nd level nearby peony restaurant, aka packed dim sum place. . sightings: -many ethnic newspapers one can read -all computer being used, waiting list -hardly an empty seat. -if one is from the community, one can walk here, no need to park downstairs. -patrons mostly very young or very old. -a little noisy.

This gem of a library is for the young and old. They have many books in English however their uniqueness comes from having vast amount of chinese book, chinese dvds, chinese magazine and chinese newspaper. It is a piece of heaven for those who have limited income to purchase non-English litature and can indulge from their offering. There are alot of elders who spend time and/or killing time reading newspapers. My mom enjoys the many rare and hard to find dvd's of her generation. The staff are always very helpful and all of them speaks English. Kong have always been very helpful on the phone and in person. Jason will always check your book out with a friendly smile. I highly recommend for those to come in if there native language is Chinese. They also have a section for the children books as well. To me this is Chinatown's best kept secret!

Ever wonder about the Asian-American experience? Want the recipe for your favorite Asian dish? Need to learn an Asian custom or language? Come here. This branch is chock-a-block with books. For those who have BECOME electronicically dependant, a book is something tangible. It consists of real paper pages bound together along one side with words, sentences, illustrations, and sometimes VERIFIABLE FACTS, composed by someone CREDIBLE, and ENDORSED BY COLLEAGUES, and presented in an appropriate book cover. This is nothing like the Internet. And unlike so many Websites, books written hundreds of years ago are still here with us, being reprinted so you can read them. The reason there are so many scams on the Internet, and the WWW, is because there is so much room for misconduct. Get a book! Perfect spot for single parents with their kids. Plus, you walk right by a favorite high quality ice cream shop as you leave the area with your books

As KTSF kills off all Japanese programming, and so does Voice of the Orient (1440 AM), I was expecting the worst. Instead, I found the best. This branch continues to grow their section of Japanese books, and though I recognise few names as they're mostly new artists, they've greatly expanded their Japanese music collection as well (they do have a collection of Tokunaga Hideaki's Vocalist catalogue, and apparently Anzen Chitai put out an album recently, which they have. These are both '80s artists) Anyway, Sachiko is no longer there, which is a shame, but the rest of the staff is excellent. My card was out of date, as I moved away four and a half years ago, and returned this month, and they were quick to help me update it. I actually moved away to transition to male. Not all staff is the same people, but those who remember me have been nothing but accepting, and they were able to make my file so that while my legal name is on it somewhere, the first thing they'll see is my preferred name. I've found a lot of acceptance that I left fearing I wouldn't. Asian Branch OPL is one of the places that makes me know I made the right decision to come home. (Even if I don't know most of their artists in the CD collection:) ) Now, for the stuff everyone will experience: They're not as stingy about noise here. This is a very family oriented place, and there are a lot of small children and programmes for them. There are grandparents coming in and reading to them. There's also a room with community meetings in the back. They won't flip their kids if you come in with your headphones really loud and talk loudly because you're hearing impaired. There are several plush armchairs (red, naturally) There is a chair and tables in the sunken area that houses the latest periodicals in multiple languages (that, they've cut down on the Japanese, but they still have All Yomimono, which makes me happy) The table in the back next to the meeting room has a outlet tap for chargers, including two USB ports. They are moving some Southeast Asian languages to the Main library. The bathrooms are a pain to get yo, and you need to leave your library card, ID/Driver's licence or 50$ until you bring the key back, but it's one of few bathrooms in the area, and the bathrooms are well-maintained. Just be aware that's the back pathway for the whole centre, and people come by with boxes of produce and the like on large carts. The computers are fast and up-to-date, and they also let children play games on them, so if you can't focus with adorable kids on the terminal on one side switching off on playing one game, and a grandmother and grandson bonding over an English game on the other side, bring a laptop and go to the back. All the same, the volume is more "relaxed family after dinner" than "kindergarten." The other most frequent type of patron are seniors there to read the paper. No one's running around shouting, and the kids are generally well-behaved. Overall, cosy, relaxing place. Staff is great, and lots of heartwarming stuff for the people-watchers. Really glad they keep serving the Japanese community, too, especially as everyone else (looking at KTSF, especially) ditches us. Also, the less fussy about speaking volume is really great for the hearing impaired as well as those bringing their grandchildren. Super thankful this place is still here and serving us.

Wow. If Oakland ever closes this branch, it would just go to show that patron numbers would not have been considered in the decision. I used to live very close to this branch and used it most frequently for printing. I was flabbergasted by how many people can fit into one building. It puts university libraries during final week to shame. Frequently, I would go over a few minutes before the library opened. Despite that, I was never the first person on line. That's right, there was a LINE to enter the library. The staff seemed pleasant and helpful no matter how foul my mood. If you have family members who might be feeling homesick or alienated for a home in Asia, this might be a good place to start in finding resources to make the Bay Area feel more familiar. PS. If you're looking for quiet, pack earplugs.

After visiting this library 10 minutes ago, I'm writing this from a crowded Quickly Cafe a few blocks away. Why? Because if I wanted to study in a crowded and noisy place I'd rather do it where I can get some drinks and snacks too. I can't comment on the resources available here, but the staff did appear to be nice and attentive. For studying and reading however I just don't see how anyone can do it here. Half of this place is dedicated to Children's books and 75% of the desks are "kid-sized". Parents and their children are constantly walking/running around with outside voices, and the staff seemed to engage in loud conversations as well. No wifi, no bathroom in the library (public available, though the key was broken today), and no power outlets for laptop users. Parking is $1.25/hr in the garage. Won't go back.

The Oakland Library Asian Branch feels more like a day care/senior center than an actual library. There are always many children in the kid's area running around. This is the only library that I've ever been to that doesn't encourage silence. I've also noticed the children playing games on the computers as opposed to using them for reference. Then, there are many senior citizens sitting at the tables reading/socializing amongst themselves. Don't come here if you're trying to get some peace and quiet or studying time. Do come here if you're just looking for Asian literature. The majority they have are Chinese books. They also have a good circulation system for material reservations. My advice is to just pick up books here. It's a very small library and with all the children and seniors occupying OLAB, there isn't much space anyway. The staff is super duper friendly though...they always chat it up with regular library goers. You definitely get that close knit Chinese community vibe in here. The location is inside the Renaissance Plaza in Oakland Chinatown. It's usually tough to find metered street parking but there is an underground parking garage at the plaza.

In case you need help finding it - its in that big white building with a fountain in the middle on the second floor. There is a underground parking garage which is cheap and libraries tend to make me forget time so its better than metered. They have so much here - in english, in different languages - but my first expereince here really made me cry. You see I am Kapangpangan - from an area in the Philippines with its own language. I was in that section - they had a few books in my language!!! It was a bit diffcult growing up full Kapangpangan because I learned Tagalog from movies and TV only. My whole family converses in Kapangpangan, Well there was is class that I took in Asian American Studies at San Francisco State that had a poem in my language and I brought it home - and my dad told me it was a song. My grandmother used to sing it and he couldn't remember the melody. I was sad - a memory partially lost forever. I never got to hear her sing - and the closest thing was my Uncle James who I am told got her musical talent, would play self-taught guitar and make up songs about us in Kapangpangan at family parties. But there was a book here of regional songs - and there was my gold - the song! And there were more, with sheet music! Later that year I had dim sum for my birthday with my parents and showed them the book. They were pleased. As for the four-star ratng - Well the lady in the Filipino Section of the SF Main Library is super helpful and a community activist. The CCSF library is great too.

I would rate here a "0" not to mention people who come here, kids, seniors ... Talking loud, laugh loud ... Kids running around ...... But most important is, the staff here ....... They were on the phone screening over the other side .... Two staffs were talking about a event they will have soon , they don't even bother go in an office or conferences room for that, stand in the middle of the library and keep talking and talking .... I really want to know if they understand the meaning of "QUIET" (a sign the post everywhere in the library, no one had ever care about it)!!!! I hope the Oakland public library staffing can really do their job here !

This is the ideal place to go to if you want Asian books but it IS loud and small. You can't find a quiet spot in the place. Even if the table says "Quiet table" in 5 different Asian languages you'll find a couple elderly people loudly talking about their life story. If you try to squeeze into a kid table, the librarian will squint and stare at you asking you to move so the kiddies can sit. Must admit that the kids section is pretty nice. The crazies are also attracted to this place. The crazies are always attracted to public libraries, I wonder why that is. The ones that talk to themselves, stare at you, have sudden jerky movements...yeahhh they come here.

I've been going here since it first opened and it's still a great place to go for books. I love the section on Asian authors; my favorites being Haruki Murakami, Yoshimoto Banana, and Jhumpa Lahiri. Other times, I like to brush up on my Japanese and peruse the Japanese children's books. I'm working my way up to read Harry Potter in Japanese - hopefully someday. Kids hang out at the Manga section and the seniors come by just to read the paper and meet old friends; these things don't change. The sections get rearranged here and there, but there's always something for me when I go. Just recently, I discovered they have a section for video games, even as new as PS3. That's got to be cool for a teen in the summer!

It's always pleasant to stop in and see what's up in the community.

I thought this was a nice escape in the middle of the much dirtier but still fun Oakland China Town. There was a ton of Asian of literature to delve into, my friend and I particularly favored the magazines covering everything from the latest in KPOP to the Chinese version of Vogue. (the girls were stunning in that magazine) The library, although small, is nice and clean and has its fair share of patrons to give a sense of community. There were also sections with a message board and pamphlets if you wanted them too, I thought that was nice.

I am so glad that Oakland can be so accommodating to everyone's needs. There is a large selection of Chinese books at this Library, which I am in full support of. Oakland is for everybody. I see so many kids at this library, some supervised, some unsupervised. It seems though that all the kids work together like a large family, and I've never seen a fight here.

Loud. Packed--I can't believe it's not a fire hazard most days. They do have an interesting selection, and I want to rate it higher because it's certainly a great community resource and is underfunded and all that, but when you get right down to it, it's not a terribly pleasant place to be. Sorry, OL:AB.

Wow, only 2.5 stars and some reviews here are so negative... Hmm, granted, if you are monolingual and any language outside of English is mystical journey into the unknown just like backpacking through Himalayas, then ya, navigating this library wouldn't be easy, since it boasts a collection of books of EIGHT different Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Tagalog, and Laotian). But if you know one, or even two, of the above-mentioned languages, then this small library can be a god-send. Once upon a time when constantly using English gave me a headache, this library used to be my oasis. Noisy, yes; messy, yes; filthy, sometimes. You'll meet FOBs and hear loud Cantonese, see old men taking off their shoes or dozing off on the chair, happily snoring away - yes. But I don't care. It was a tiny oasis for me. Where else in the East Bay can you find such a MASSIVE LOADS of Chinese books of all imaginable genres? 100% free as long as you present that library card? They have a huge collection of Chinese novels, prose, essays, poetry, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines, even manga. Well-stocked though definitely dated - majority is pre-1990s publications. Mostly 60s to 80s, in fact. So don't expect to find new & emerging authors and their new books here... Also, you'll encounter more of a "popular" slant than a serious, scholarly literature. So expect to browse through tons of romance, mystery, warrior (wu xia), sci-fi, historical novels, pop psychology & self-help, feng-shui & astrology, all sorts of how-to books, cookbooks, travel guides, etc. etc.... But it's like a flea market; doesn't mean you can't find treasures. And remember books aren't computers; sometimes the older they are, the nicer they are. New authors can be crappy - all packaging and no substance. So, when in doubt, just go for old wise men (or women). This branch is never short of old but genuine classics, albeit with yellowed and tattered pages, worn or torn by touch and time. Back then, every week, this Chinese section alone lured me away from the comfort of my home and made me wade through crowds and traffic of Chinatown to arrive here, just to borrow a few Chinese language books. I loved the indulgence: reading in bed at night, tucked deep under a pile of covers, no rules, no schedule, getting lost in another world... what JOY! Although now I no longer make pilgrimage here to pay homage to printed words in Chinese, reading poor reviews of this branch on yelp still makes my heart ache...!! Yes the space can be crowded and smelly and all that, but it serves the Asian community of Oakland (and East Bay) well (its all-time crowdedness is a testament to that). So I'm going thank it for its service and give it 4 stars! It has to stay alive... And well. Hopefully get in shape someday, and rise up to 5-star glory.

I go to this library at least once a week! They have a very strong selection of Asian books, Asian American books, and also cookbooks. The young adult selection is not bad either. Try to avoid coming in the after-school hours as it is very noisy and crazy. I'm glad the community has this space.

Massively strained resources + spacing combine to create a gross feeling.

I've only been here for the bathroom, and it was a strange experience. I asked the librarian where the restroom was and I had to give her my driver's license as collateral. Then she gave me this huge security-locked box with a keycard in it. I took the box with the keycard to a door down a hallway where a middle-aged Asian woman took it and scanned the keycard reader, unlocking the door in front of us. Then she scurried into the door and I went in afterwards. There was another hallway which finally led to the bathroom. I'm just glad I got to empty my tank, finally, and I got my driver's license back so not bad.

I love this library because every time I go to Chinatown I must go there. The only library that provides such a huge selection of Chinese books. It's very crowded which makes it seem very popular. If you're trying to study DON'T GO ON A SATURDAY!

I've never seen this place empty. It's usually filled with seniors reading newspapers and kids during the evenings. They have a good selection of manga and, for the more cultured, a wide variety of texts in Asian languages.