Central Library

With all this time on my hands, I’ve been visiting a couple of libraries quite frequently. The resources available here are simply amazing. I’m sure many a problem has been resolved here. The staff are very friendly Anna quick to assist you in a quick and efficient fashion.

The architecture is super cool and you get a lot of time for parking in the garage, 3 hours. This is probably the biggest library in all of San Antonio but it's very clean and well maintained. The staff is super sweet and friendly. They even have different events/things going on for the holidays which is pretty neat

Great experience. Actually the new photo ID library card has been a big help to me. I love what they are doing. I was there about 7 years ago and it was loud and obnoxious. Now it is a great place to learn and a quiet place to read and/or study. In short, I love it and highly recommend checking it out. Thank you and may God bless you all that work there and over see the goings on there.

The architecture of the building was superb. You get 3hrs of parking from the garage free with validating with the kiosk inside the library. Best view is 2nd floor sculpture near escalator. My kids loved it. We even got a new library card. Love you can return books to any nearby branch. Loved the architecture so much I took some photos of my kids as models. Will return.

I like the library once we’re inside! But the parking garage is atrocious. I drive a minivan and it was so compact that I thought I’d hit a wall! Lastly, it says free parking for under three hours. I stayed for 1 hour and had to pay when I was leaving. Not great. They have a nice selection of books though. My kids seemed to really enjoy it. Some of the hallways are narrow and dark, so be careful of that! It should be better lit with a big mirror so people can see around the hall.

4/18/25~ I came to make library copies. I was able to make copies, get a badge Library for free, and alot more. Thank you to all the helpful workers there. Absolutely love the artwork, sculptures, scenery, calmness, and relaxation.

The Central Library in downtown San Antonio is an absolute gem! The building itself is stunning—bright, modern, and beautifully designed. The staff are always welcoming, knowledgeable, and eager to help with anything from finding books to navigating digital resources. The collection is impressive, and the study areas are clean, quiet, and comfortable. I also love the art displays and community events that make the space feel lively and connected to the city. It’s a true cultural hub for San Antonio and one of the best libraries I’ve ever visited!

This library is huge and beautiful. The children's area is large and well organized to make books easy for kids to find. There is also a teen space that is very teen-friendly. All employees that I interacted with were kind and helpful. We were able to park in the attached parking garage and get our parking validated, which was really nice since parking downtown can get really expensive.

This library is beautifully set up. With wonderful art work and a great amount of setting for people to sit and enjoy. Getting a new card since we just moved here was very simple. The Librarian was very helpful and informative. Once you have a card there are 29 local libraries you can use. They have DVD's, Vinyls, VIDEO TAPES! Magazines, newspapers- everything you could want and more. The area is very clean. Multiple bathrooms. Parking is very easy- covered parking $5 an entire day or you can get it Validated within 3 hours for FREE parking. Highly recommend a visit here if you're into a calm relaxing area!

Clean, nice art work/gallery on the 1st floor. Clean restrooms on just about each floor, and the staff is helpful.

My first time here and definitely will not be my last!! Especially since I got a library card! Yay! Clearly I was geeking out and I did not want to leave after the Yelp event we attended here! This library itself is a historic gem! So much natural light, beautiful artwork, a very large selection and a secret "Cellar" downstairs! Highly, highly recommend! One of my new favorite hideaways! Staff is so kind and helpful. Thank you!

Me and the kiddos had a blast visiting the Central Library this weekend. We participated in the Creppy Creatures art session and made some Halloween art out of clay. We walked around and looked at books and art all over. Visited the teen room and my youngest got his first library card. Everyone was so friendly and helpful when we didn't know where to go. They already want to go back.

First time in a long time to the Central Library. It was a field trip for the kids. They had a blast. I truly enjoy taking them to a place where they can have fun, relax and enjoy quiet so ace while exploring their imagination and creativity. The staff were great. All friendly from, Ms. Kaylee at the front desk to the team at the children's department. For newcomers they have a scavenger hunt. The Central Library is clean, spacious, and wonderful. Parking is free for three hours with validation, but one can spend hours here. Happy space, happy place.

I'm glad I finally went to this library downtown. It's huge and on Thursdays-Sundays they have the Book Cellar open downstairs which sells books for as low as .50 or $1. They also have an extensive selection of books/magazines, etc in Spanish. The staff here couldn't have been friendlier and helped me find everything I was looking for plus shared a bunch of information about events. They are repainting the courtyard outside and will host more events there like outdoor movies for free.

I was there for a cumbia and bachata class. The class was excellent detailing the different types of cumbia and bachata styles in Latin American countries and how to combine them in social dances. The class started with basic patterns then partner dancing with pattern movements. Library staff were fantastic, facilitating the instructors and participating as well.

The library recently underwent a three million dollar renovation so I was interested in seeing the changes. The main differences are renovated bathrooms, more technology including computers in the children's section, and of course a new coat of that outdoor bright paint. There are self check out stations now, so much faster to check out or renew a book. If you are not a library member I highly recommend joining because it's FREE and they have online books, magazines and all kinds of downloads. The book festival runs once a year in April and offers a chance to meet authors and attend book signings. If visiting the library they have a private garage by the entrance and if you take the ticket inside there is a machine that will validate it for three hours. If you have kids check online because they offer all kinds of activities.

I took my family with me and it was the first time for all four of us. first impression? The place was huge. second, it's very clean. we did notice a few homeless people here and there. surprisingly, if you mind your own business, they don't bother at all. Not sure why it bothers so many people. That's just my experience though. The library was clean and well kept. It was also the middle of the week, late afternoon so it was nice and empty, a personal favorite. we headed straight for the children's book section. i have a 2 year old and an 8 year old and this area kept them busy for well over an hour. the librarians were extremely friendly and made a good effort with the children. Not just my children, but the others there too. They seemed genuinely pleased to have us and it was such a welcoming feeling.

I love this library! Organized and efficient with plenty of places to sit. Feels secure because there are constantly security guards patrolling. Check out the vault too! It's awesome down there

Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life, it is their only capital. Thomas Jefferson

It's 2021. SAPL needs to figure out a better way to do logins on the mysapl site. Considering library cards are randomly generated and I really only got one for digital content, there should be a way to replace the standard library card with an email address or some other sort of token that's more memorable for both logging in and checking out content. Public libraries are supposed to be about removing barriers and allowing equal opportunity/access to resources and this just seems counter to that mission imo.

I was in training classes at this library over the last couple of days and am completely impressed. The art is gorgeous....love the Botero horse sculpture near the front door. All library staff were really friendly and helpful (including the security guards). The shelves seemed well stocked and the meeting rooms were impressive. I know others have complained about the homeless issue. Get over it, that's modern urban public libraries.

After moving to San Antonio, I immediately noticed this bright red, modern building with weird purple balls and yellow squares attached to it down town. Modern art museum? Had to be. I was shocked when I learned that it was actually the San Antonio library. I don't know if y'all know it, but the majority of book-loving people have nothing (I mean, zero, zilch, nada) as cool as this book-filled, modern mix of library and museum. I made my way down there just a few weeks ago because I was helping a family member do some family research about an ancestor. On the 6th floor, they have a family history center complete with classes on how to do research and bright and bushy-tailed staff members who know all about scary things like microfiche and archival paper. Having never been to the library, I was a bit distracted by the soaring ceilings, amazing art and general coolness of this place. The security guards and parking garage really do make the library seem like a museum, but one that is free and loans you happy things, like brand spankin' new books and movies. I have to give props to the city of San Antonio for putting some major resources into this place. Yeah, when I went they were doing construction, which was obvious while I rode the cardboard covered elevators, but with a library this cool, who cares if you have to wade through a bit of construction mess? In my opinion, it just shows that they are putting in effort to keep this place top-notch. People from little towns where libraries smell like coffee and mold know this library is a true gem. Give thanks for what you've got, people!

I really had my hopes up when visiting this building. It was opened in 95 and designed by well known Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta and I usually appreciate his spaces, scale, and proportions. Fortunately, the parking was free. If not, then I would really struggle to find something positive about this visit. Every area of this building, interior and exterior, was covered in scaffolding and construction paper. Every surface that wasn't currently being worked on was dirty and a slight smell to it. The entrance is not at all people friendly and seems like a commercial cul-de-sac more than a library entrance. The building has no context to the surrounding area in color or shape and seems a little like tooth ache... It's painful because you're constantly aware of it. Since I was an out of towner, I can't speak to the ease of checking out books, or the selection, but they seemed adequate. The computer terminals were full of men either playing farmville or surfing google for porn. I think the best thing the building had going was the outdoor courtyards at various levels that were intended to be used as reading rooms. Unfortunately, every single one of them was closed to the public and now only cater to pigeon nests.

The San Antonio Library offers 6 floors of nerd filled bliss! I was pretty intimidated by its size and all the books they carry but ultimately I was in my element, I love books! We needed more than the hour I paid for street parking so we had to make our trip fast. Getting a library card is easy, fill out the application and show them your drivers license(must live in San Antonio) and they hand you your ever glowing card. There's plenty of work space on all floors with their large tables, you can trace your family history on the 6th floor, search for internships/employment opportunities on the 5th floor, and check out the latest CD's/DVD's on the 1st floor. There's art everywhere, admire it! The library offers a free hour of parking in their garage, a much safer option. Street parking is $1.80 per hour...SHEESH!

Hmmmm.... I see room for lots of improvement here. This building is massive and houses quite a bit but I was seriously disappointed in the children's section. The entire 3rd floor is devoted to kids but for the most part, it's just books. Don't get me wrong, that is why we are here but it would be great to have little nooks and reading areas for them. More color, more story book themed decor, etc. Bring reading to life! There were a couple computers and an area for toddlers but that was the extent of it. I was really disappointed. Our local library is more welcoming than this one. I DO like that they have books in the front which are new releases and can't have holds. It was nice to pick up a few new releases (must return within 7 days). There is a parking garage where you can have an hour validated inside.

Warning do not walk in here when you are short on time! This place is huge. For a book lover it is literally heaven. Although the at least five story building full of books is super exciting it can also be overwhelming. Luckily the librarians are super knowledgeable and friendly. If you don't have a specific book in mind then you can get suggestions in the section to your right immediately when you walk in. These are newer and popular books. If it says "new book" on it then you can take it out for three weeks and can renew it as long as no one else has placed a hold on it. Unfortunately, if it is a high demand book then chances are someone will place a hold on it before you get a chance to renew but if not then you can. If it says "express collection" then you can still take it out for three weeks but you cannot hold or renew it. There is a parking garage here and you can park for free for up to three hours but then it costs 5 dollars. It is also super close to the riverwalk so you can combine a trip here with your evening stroll.

This place was a huge deal back when it opened and I think it still holds up well. Local artist display their pieces throughout the library and there are usually exhibits as well. Although this location is a little older than some other libraries, they continue to keep it up to date with technology, books, media and things for children. One of the things I really like are all the areas to study. Most are by the windows, so you don't feel like your day is wasting away. The layout is great too, so you can change locations daily and feel like you're in a whole new building. The only thing i don't really care for is the fact you have to pay for parking. Yes the first hour is free, but who goes to a library for only 1 hour? Some might not like the amount of homeless people that hangout in the library, but i don't find them to be an annoyance. They're there, but remain quiet and to themselves.

I hadn't been here in years until this weekend. The place was packed with homeless people. I don't begrudge them being there but it is intimidating. Every single computer was in use by individuals who appeared to be homeless and the collective smell was awful. The facility is great and so are the staff but I will never return. My neighborhood branch is so much nicer.

I went on a Saturday afternoon to do some studying. I left twenty minutes later after being unable to find a table. The entire building was packed with homeless people. Nothing against the homeless folk of San Antonio, just a warning, if you're needing to study go somewhere else.

Warning! Parking meter trap! Parking no longer automatically validated. Need to bring your ticket to the 1st floor info desk near the public computer area. Reference: http://ask.mysapl.org/faq/141382 Myself and nearly everyone exiting had to pay the $5 flat fee. Please post signs cause there are none! Also update the Central Library website/parking, and if possible send an email to all Central Library cardholders about the new policy since April. This should not still be happening!

I was there today with some time before going home and so much homework so with determination to knock out some assignments I was there for only 1 hour due to the cold. However, this being only my 2nd time I was there, it did not disappoint with its priceless art pieces, it's beautiful furniture, and beautifully landscape gardens.

Generally I'd say that the library is an accurate indicator of the sad state of the U.S. economy. There are so many vagabonds who use the library as a base camp on a typical day. If you use a restroom, be prepared to see someone half naked washing themselves at or in the sink. If you use a computer, I would advise you to clean off the keyboard with a sterilizing spray before you put your fingers on it. Yes, there are serious issues with this place and you have to ask "Why is this allowed?" Is this our democracy in action? Some areas on the periphery of the library are hidden behind the open stacks. At these tables you might find street people working on a nice pile of snack foods. Are they filling out a job application? Probably not. I was told to go see the Dale Chihuly art piece in the library central atrium. I did, and you know what? I would say it is not one of his better works. I say this as someone qualified to have an informed opinion (art degree from a major university). That thing looks like a mishmash of those long balloons that the clown at a children's party turns into giraffes and wiener dogs. "It's Fiesta!" someone told me. (People in San Antonio always say that to justify something gaudy and slapdash.) I cannot imagine that a great library would have something this tacky as a centerpiece -- Seattle and San Francisco come to mind for having really superior art. I have been told that "Art" in San Antonio has a weird fascination with kitsch and things that look like they have been thrown together by amateurs. If there is something at this library that everyone should appreciate, it should be the entry space called "The Blue Room" by Stephen Antonakos. Be grateful that there is a beautiful space in the building. On a torrid summer day you will quickly feel relief from the heat. But back to the library. The building is a landmark nonetheless. It would be great if it were more in a high density urban setting. Right now it is a lonely outpost without a significant supportive context. The arts center across the street is sadly ignored by any real connective gesture. Front door to front door? Someone was asleep when this issue should have been addressed. Five (5) stars for the people who work at the Library. They are generally very polite, cheerful and helpful. I'm sure they do not get paid what they are worth.

The place is terrible. They won't give you good computers and half of the working computers don't work correctly. The staff is extremely non understanding of everything to the point of harassment. They monitor every motion you do on the computers and try and stop you from charging your phone for no reason. I try to be as polite as possible. The nicer I am, the meaner they get. The more information I act like I know, the more angry the people become. I recommend any other library branch. A man came in there so angry he destroyed the handicap working station and they acted like they didn't know why, but I witnessed them harassing the man on a daily basis.

San Antonio's Central Library is a big red arty building in the northern downtown area. There you'll find a wonderful assortment of books, pleasant staff, and you'll probably find yourself going upstairs just to look out over the city. That's right: six stories of book heaven. Granted, some of the place seems a bit run-down, but overall they keep everything clean and well-maintained and I've yet to find any damaged books. The biggest problem I've had is finding the parking garage, which after a few times you won't have any problem at all. Find Soledad St. and head north towards highway 35 until you see the big red weird-looking building. Soledad will be one-way, north, at that point and the parking garage is just south, the entrance being right next to the library. Grab your ticket and pay a few dollars on the way out. Library cards aren't a problem, just make sure you've got your ID and maybe a utility bill to prove you live in San Antonio (but apparently our San Antonio driver's licenses were enough). And here's something you'll really like: when you return your books? You can use /any/ branch library in town! As far as the selection is concerned by main peeve is the same for any library I've been to: there's never enough. They don't stock a lot of the books I have at home, books I've seen advertised, and so-on. Well, it's a city library, not the Library Of Congress, but it's a big library with a huge selection.

Shhhh!!! Don't tell anyone too loudly about how great this place is. It's the coolest library I've ever been in. It's got such an innovative design with cool geometric shapes and bright, vibrant colors that make cool areas to hang out and study in. It's the same architect that did MARCO in Monterey, Mexico. The upper floors contains the Texas genealogical area to search through antique manuscripts and electronic databases for family information. The art around the library is always fresh, and rotated out regularly. The piece in the center is a permanent piece by Dale Chihuly, the same guy who did the ceiling of the Ballagio in Vegas. There are always computers available to do a search through the catalog. If you need to do some Yelping on their computers, they have this available too. You can even print there! The Book Cellar in the basement is a hidden gem, with semi-annual sales with dirt cheap sales on books!

One of the nerdiest things about me when I travel is I have to visit the city's main public library. I always find that these are hidden gems with beautiful pieces of art and a unique design for architecture. The San Antonio Central Library was no different. Absolutely gorgeous glass sculpture and clean architectural lines. The only downside is that the outside was being remodeled and wasnt too great to take pictures. Parking structure on Soledad Street is not free.

I'm a straight up certified nerd, so it's no surprise that one of my favorite spots in town is our Central Library. This particular branch is so San Anto that it's worth a trip to every local. The enchilada colored building is giant, with floors accented by art everywhere. Some of it honors local artists and landmarks, but there's also internationally acclaimed pieces like the stories-high Chihuly blown glass sculpture made of hundreds of individual pieces of colorful glass. One of the librarians once told me they have to take it apart and individual clean each piece of glass and put it back together in the right place. There's always great community events going on. If you have teens, they have a great teen section with after school programs for music, art, and science. There's big, beautiful Macs, and students in high school can use them and print for free. Students can also access free live tutoring and homework help from the website with a library card number. There's also lots of adult events including community performances, visiting lecturers, film screenings, and political and educational panels. I usually have both a physical book and an audiobook going at all times, and the library allows you to download lots of audio and ebooks for free from anywhere with your library card number. True story: my library card is so beat up that it's falling apart and they keep trying to replace it, but I have my number memorized because of all the downloading I do and I don't want it to change, so I won't let them. See? That is legit nerd status: memorizing your library card number. And feeling attached to it. Their website is also great for requesting books from other branches, or requesting new books. Once your book arrives, they'll email you and you can pick it up. They'll also email to let you know when your book is due, so really I have no excuse for my late fees. I like to think of them as community donations. The lobby is beautifully set up and I often stumble across books I hadn't heard of while browsing the displays. The librarians here do a really amazing job maintaining the beauty of the building while showcasing the collections. This is one of my favorite places in the entire city.

I have volunteered @ Central Library for 2 years from June 2012 to July 2014 & all the staff there is great & I love it.

What more can I say but six floors of books and I am in heaven. This place is huge with lots of places to kick back with a book and peruse to your hearts content. My favorite place to do this is on the second floor where there are chairs surrounding this big purple collection of well i don't know what they are but I like to lie across them and peruse my picks before checking them out. The media department is good and is growing everyday. You can find just about anything you want there or get it pulled from another branch and pick it up there. I also love spending time in the genealogy department taking in the local history of San Antonio and of Texas in general. You don't have to worry about being overrun by screaming kids because they get a whole floor to themselves (3rd floor) well stocked with books, movies and their own internet access station which is closely monitored. For the young adult, there is the youth wired section towards the back of the 1st floor complete with computers to access the internet, write reports and do research on. There are also a crazy number of books geared towards that 13 - 18 age group. There are also several programs that youth wired offers through out the year to keep teens occupied. My personal favorite place though is roaming the stacks on the sixth floor, which is where the history books are. Its relatively quiet and it's not uncommon to stumble upon someone just sitting with a stack of books around them reading in the middle of the aisle, on of those people being me.

I love this library besides the homeless being there and causing a uproar causing disturbance

Wow this library is amazing, you can literally get lost here. I brought my children to the kids section during spring break which is a whole floor dedicated to children and teens. The library is nice and the book selection is vast.

Plenty of books, three hours of free parking. Videos galore and some great exhibits in the art gallery, too. The staff is friendly and there is plenty to do and see. Oh, and free wifi.

parents beware: if you plan to renew your child's library card...#1 your kids need to be with you ( although you are responsible for all late fees and lost books) #2 some state law says that because of privacy laws you have not idea what books your kid check out... that's crazy... and for all who work there and support this crazy law

Tried out the San Antonio Central Library with a friend today - it's the big orange boxy building downtown. I hadn't been to a public library to study in a while, so it was a pleasant throw-back to the old days. Plus, I can never get enough of "library smell" - love it. Food/Beverages: Food and beverages are allowed in the library (yay!), although they ask that the drinks be re-closable / spill-resistant and food to small, packaged items. Ambiance: There are six floors to the San Antonio Central library that have plenty of large, broad tables as well as lots of little corners in which to hide. The building is huge, and there is a general since of "open space"-ness to the place. There are a couple pieces of fun pieces of art there, including a beautiful Fiesta Tower by Dale Chihuly. I only ventured to the 2nd and 3rd floors, which were plenty quiet for me; however, I heard the 6th floor is the best for quiet study. My friend and I actually holed up in the children's floor next to the big windows. For nerds like me, it took a lot of control not to go hunting for old childhood favorites, ha. I felt that there was good lighting in most places, although plugs can sometimes be a challenge to find at the side tables. There is free wifi, which is fast enough to run Skype, Pandora, and an online question bank. It can also get rather chilly, so make sure to bring a jacket. Service: Staff are nice enough - I didn't really interact with them too much. Pricing: Free to enter; however, if you don't want to find street parking, there is paid garage parking. That's the biggest downside to my experience there - we paid $5 for 3.5 hours even with an hour comp'ed validation. Next time, I'll probably look for street parking. Hours: Mon-Thurs, the library is open from 9AM-9PM, which isn't bad for public libraries. Weekends it is open until 5PM with various opening times.

So many options when it comes to this library! Do I want fiction, nonfiction, art, graphic novels, or to work on the computer? The business center is really helpful to people who need to work on job related things. You get to print out 5 FREE resume, cover letters, or job applications a day!

What has happened to my beloved library? This stunning Vilchis designed harborer of endless rows of information and imagination is in a serious state of disrepair. I don't recall any library projects in the works but the tables of blueprints and headless hardhats on a closed off section of the fourth floor proved to the contrary. All of the ongoing construction aside, the carpeting throughout the building including the elevators reeked of B.O. and wet dog. The public Internet tables on the first floor were manned by individuals I would not even let in the front door much less use my facilities. This was once a jewel in our cultural crown and we have let it deteriorate into an eyesore within. When I hear of the impending demise of the written word and the published work as we know it, I never envision this but I guess this is a harbinger of things to come.

Good library, but it is also a favorite hang out for local homeless folks.

I wanted to look at the building at night as I was nearby. Quite a nice building, but I didn't like that the private security guard was stalking me.

Great library with nice public art and validated parking. There's always a nice selection of new releases for DVD and books, and librarians are usually happy to help with requests at other branches.

Central library used to be everything to me ever since i was 16 17 18 years old idk what made the library changed but i remeber they use too help ppl in need and take fines off and the the dvd i had a lady told me i wasnt gonna get charged i kno i got help once but the still chargeing me for the dvd is messed up when they said they woulnt charge me and now that they charge me i havent went to the library ever since 2 years ago and the first time wasnt my fault i was busy thats why i called in to see if its ok maybe if u guys go back to the way u guys used to have it i bet u would get more ppl give at least 2 3 4 help outs i mean 5$ payment plan aint gonna help nouthing when theres ppl who sre hurting for money or just cant pay the fine cause there useing it for more important things ill rate 5 stars intill u guys change

Can anyone recommend a location other than the 600 Soledad St. location?They've been assigning unprofessional & petty workers to the second floor lately. I was escorted from the library last week over a dispute a librarian named ''DD'' instigated & then lied about, claiming innocence. I was banned from this branch for a week today for being ''disruptive'': 2 other patrons & myself were kept waiting 15 minutes at the service desk -2 librarians eventually showed up giggling & chattering as if they weren't on the clock. Not so much as a ''sorry you were kept waiting''. Annoyed,I asked if they were coming back from lunch break. ''Nope'' was the answer I got in response. No eye contact, but I did get a bit of obnoxious sighing from one of them & her telling her partner ''put him in room 2'' as if I were chattel. That's what comes from being ''disruptive'' I suppose. Long story short,I asked Ms.obnoxious sigher for her name so I could file a complaint as I did with ''DD''. I was told no,which isn't the sort of thing I'd expect from a mature human being. I was previously told by an employee that there's no recourse for library patrons that this happens to, unless filling out a token complaint form is considered ''recourse''. Which is why I post here. Some of the workers are professional & I've had no incidents with - Cynthia & Sally come to mind - but the others come across as overgrown hall monitors who need to power trip in order to maintain their self importance.

referred to by San Antonin's as the "enchilada" this magnificently designed building we call out central library is HUGE. designed by local Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, this building is a work of art. this library has 6 floors, one of which includes an awesome media department. the negatives to the downtown branch would have to be the parking fees, if your over and hour you will be charged. its hard not to find a book to enjoy here, or a cd or movie to check out. this place is enormous. anyway, any local branch can order your book from central if your not wanting to fight the downtown area traffic/ streets, but do check it our at least once.

im here right now using their wi-fi which is a great reason to visit here among other reasons to study.....but it just seems that when i find a area thats quiet here comes some bums with sodas and their noisy bags eating and talking with no respect for where their at or others..... security needs to step it up and patrol the floors more frequently.....and to tell these people to take their picnic elsewhere!

There is no doubt that this is a nice library. However, I dropped off 2 stars because it is incredibly inconvenient to access for your average studier. And second, I prefer the old school library design like the kind you find in the big cities like Chicago, New York, the congress reading room, etc... After seeing those libraries, this one truly falls short. I'm hoping San Antonio establishes a beautiful old architectural design and a more convenient library for the public to actually want to use.

I'm satisfied with the overall services and support that Mission Public Library offers. The one thing that I am absolutely sad about is the poor information about POLICIES specially return policies. Library, Students, Moms, Readers in General should be aware of the AWFUL policies you have implemented in all the San antonio Public Libraries.. People are being sent out to COLLECTIONS AFTER NOT RETURNING A BOOK IN TWO MONTHS? Seriously? Two months??? I get more time in any other for profit agency. This is the Public Library! Pp tends to be late at times for various reasons and OF COURSE to the late fees but seriously you will report me to the Credit bureaus after two months of not even trying to reach me but only send me to the collection agency? Nice. Now after I had finally return my book, I have Late fees + collection agency fees that equals the damn book for TWO MONTHS LATE!... Thank you Public Library. I will Never go back.

The once state of the art library has become a haven for the homeless. Sure the south Texas sun is so hot, I don't blame them. Regardless the iconic building has become so uncomfortable I simply do not feel safe. I feel hesitant writing this review, to everyone else it would seem like I hate homeless people. The truth is that you run into a second floor filled with homeless people who reek of urine and other things, some look like they come straight from "home alone 2" when Kevin is walking in central park. Every computer is filled with the homeless as well. Not mention how sticky and very worn out surfaces on just about everything you can touch. I would never bring my kids here. My issue is not with the content, library is up to date, and constantly updating! My issue is with the people who I see there. Not to be disrespectful, but it not a library for the homeless, it is a place for the public. Sure the homeless are the public as well, but when you find the library in the condition it is in, it angers you. You don't feel safe, people stare at you, and you simply cannot enjoy it for what it is. I recommend visiting a smaller branch threw out the city.

I realy like everything there is to like about it you have a wonderful selection of magazines your coffee house is fantastic your youth section is top knotch its great and no parking fees if you take the city bus