Huntington Beach Central Library

Reviewing another library it reminded me of my favorite library in OC. In college (CSULB) I used to live in HB and used to write a lot of papers and spend hours here. I would find a table over looking the beautiful park and type away! Just an absolutely beautiful setting.

One of my fav libraries quite peaceful with a nice waterfall feature inside friendly staff

Truly a gem of a library. Water fountain inside/​outside, clean, lots of space, impressive interior design, solar panels providing cover in the lot, and a nice park outside. This is my little getaway to read and relax. I hope you enjoy too!

I love love love this library, the grounds, the books, and every inch of it! One of my favorite parts of living in Huntington Beach is that I live within walking distance of this library-​I even prefer it to the beach! I don’t think I could ever be bored of it– it’s just so stunning!

Wow. I have to admit, this is likely the nicest library I’ve been to hands down. The other top reviews really don’t lie.
Checked this place out today — lived in HB for years, even worked a few blocks from this place and never found the time to stop by.
This is a really nice library. The layout sort of reminds me of Powell’s Books in Portland/​OR (okay, maybe more like a mini version) — in that there are multiple floors of books. The books are on each floor and centered in the building, with each floor also containing ample seating/​tables/​lounge chairs throughout. The «outer rim» of each floor also contains desks and lounge chairs — but what really stands out are the floor-​to-​ceiling glass windows that look out to the picturesque Huntington Beach Central Park. The abundance of seating here makes you feel like it’s never overcrowded/​packed here, even during seemingly «peak» hours (after school).
That’s not all — there is some sort of waterfall fixture that is not only pleasant to look at — but doubles as ambient noise/​white noise — sorta like those Waterfalls type music tracks you would put on before bedtime. It’s very soothing as a background noise (if you study/​read without listening to other music) and also does a good job as a buffer/​noise-​deafening guard against general noise the other patrons may create.
There is an abundance of public-​use computers throughout the facility and get this — unlike the other two local libraries I’ve visited recently, the free wifi here is pretty fast. On the speedtest I did, D/​U speeds were 16.5/14.53MBps, respectively. That’s nearly 20 times the speed of the wifi at the University Park library and a light year of a difference compared to the barely capable connection at the Fountain Valley library. And this was at 6pm during «peak time».
The staff/​volunteers here are very friendly. I had no issues at all signing up for my membership (bring DL, proof of address/​residence like vehicle registration or printed checks) — you get your card on the spot. The checkout/​checkin machines are electronic and there are a few of these kiosks — so getting your books/​materials in and out is smooth and efficient. There is a huge selection of electronic media such as DVDs and CDs — and you can check those out one week at a time. Books are 3 weeks. Fees are reasonable (if you do incur any).
There are two gift shops in the building — one upfront is more of a gift shop and the other one in front of the circulation desk seems to be more used books than actual gifts. Both are run by friendly volunteers.
I took a pleasant walk on the grounds and found that there is a café/​coffee cart set up on the first floor. How cool is that? Seriously! This place is really a one-​stop shop if you plan to stay here and study/​read all day. I haven’t tried any of the actual food offerings yet because I ate before coming here, but even if the fare is just «okay», don’t forget that you’re about a mile from Beach Blvd/​In n Out Burger. I think I read somewhere that you can also bring your own food/​snacks here as long as you clean up after yourselves (common sense/​etiquette).
Parking upfront is more than adequate — shaded — and a lot more spaces than most other libraries I’ve been to combined and there seems to be use of solar panels/​solar energy here. Hours are decent.
Hands down the nicest public library I’ve been to in awhile.

Lovely library! Good parking (:

This library is the best city library I have ever been too. It feels like a place I want to spend time, I feel comfortable here. They have a ton of material from books to magazines and movies. Its very pretty inside, they have fountains and the view from the inside to the outside is nice. Its a great place to take you homework and study or just browse for a good book and lounge.

What a great place this is, not just the park around it but the building as well. I love coming here to check on book sales and to sit down at the coffee shop while. reading or studying. Clean, bright interior with lots of activities. The water feature that runs through the center of the building is soothing and the kids cornet is a delight for the kiddos. Lots of covered parking spaces.

There’s often great neo-​soul concerts being held in their auditorium. This music venue is quaint but its uniqueness is very intriguing. This is definitely a great place to visit and be entertained if you get the opportunity.

This place looks awesome for a public library! Wish I had this in LA… closest thing we had was Culverson city library.
They have a pool in the middle of the library. Chrome books to check out. A theater on the lower level. What. Theater. Public library? Does… not…compute.
And a gift store. Whattttt?

I’ve been going to this library since I was a kid and even though I live in Westminster, I still make the drive to this library and invest in the card because it is absolutely perfect. HB Library has a HUGE selection of books (way more than FV Library near my house) and they almost always have the newest books I want to read within a couple weeks of their release. The library is continuously upgrading it’s technology. We now have self-​check out stalls so you can just check your books out yourselves and when you check your books back in, there’s also a machine that’ll tell you if you are missing any books. You can also renew at that time as well.
The free WiFi, AC, and café down stairs, along with the nice décor makes this library a great study spot. There are plenty of computers that you can use if you don’t have a laptop and if you do have a laptop, there are million and one little nooks and corners for you to set up shop and study for the day. Every desk comes with a plug so you can plug in your laptop. The whole place is really cozy, I’ve stayed here all day studying before.
My favorite part about HB Library is their used book store. I have bought COUNTLESS books here to add to my collection because they are SO cheap and they have a lot of the books I want to buy but would rather not dish out the cash. During the summer, they do great BOGO sales! A lot of the books range from a quarter (!!) to $ 2-​$ 4 at most. I’ve bought a lot of SAT study books (when I was in high school) and GRE study books for a quarter a pop which is amazing and some are totally brand new new. I got a lot of classic books here for classes and books for pleasure reading as well. I really think their used book store is a gem because of their amazing prices and awesome selection.
Their children’s section is really adorable and cute. Lots of places for you to sit with your child and read (first hand experience here… as a child haha). They have a cute little boat next to the picture book area that toddlers can play in. They also have a theater connected to this section where they often do readings of children books and arts & crafts for kids for free! There’s a sitting area with a TV showing the reading if your child is not comfortable sitting in with the other kids which is awesome!
I am a little bummed that they’ve cut hours because of budget cuts (especially the fact that it’s not open on Sundays!) but overall, this library is amazing. Most of the librarians are really wonderful and very helpful. In all honesty, I have encountered one or two workers who were a little snotty and rude but overall, their staff is wonderful. Very helpful in finding a book if you need them too, even if it JUST got returned and is still being processed. Their wonderful facility and amazing book selection is what keeps me coming back year after year and is what is going to continue to bring me back for a very long time. :)

A ‘hold’is apparent only good through 10 am on the final day. In addition, the woman in front of the hold area was not pleasant. The letter B comes to mind. Another woman offered took up the authors name so I could locate the book and two copies of the book where on the Shelf.
I am suggesting they revise this policy or the voicemail should state that book will be held until ONLY until 10 am

The most luxurious library I’ve ever been in. Waterfalls, comfortable seating, outlets, excellent «friends» bookshop. My only complaint is that it’s a bit difficult for a disabled person like myself to get around. Disabled parking is some distance away and it’s not easy to move from level to level.
Non-​Huntington Beach residents can get a library card for $ 45 — — which is a bit steep for some people on fixed incomes.

This library has A/​C, wifi, desks with personal plug-​ins to charge your laptop, ample parking, and even a mailbox.
There are many computers to use and you get 120 minutes. There is a printer for 15 cents per page.
You have to be a Huntington Beach resident to get a library card and borrow books and use the Internet computers.
There is a large DVD selection and it costs $ 1 to rent with a week return due date. There are kiosks to check out books if you prefer.
The staff is helpful.
This is a nice place to study, read and use the Internet.
There is a park behind the library where a lot of people go to walk the paths for exercise, mostly in the morning. There is a drying-​up lake with ducks. People will walk their dogs.

I have never actually checked books out here, but I love coming here to study. It is definitely one of my favorite libraries ever — seeing that I’ve been in school for 20+ years, this says a lot! There are plenty of tables, chairs, and outlets to be productive. The wifi is fast enough and pretty reliable so that you don’t get disconnected every 15 minutes. There are pretty scenary and gardens to look at while you are distracted. There is also a coffee cart, which is super convenient.
The parking lot is huge and there is no time limit or fee. BEST THING EVER.

Here’s my confession… I’ve lived in HB for 6 years and never came here. Definitely my loss. This is an amazingly peaceful spot that you should visit whether you want a book or not. Grab a book, get a snack and go sit by the fountain. Or stay inside and enjoy the peaceful waterfall. My first stop is always at the reference desk to help figure out where I am going. The staff is friendly and more than willing to help. Self-​check out is totally cool and easy to figure out.
Get thee to a library and get thy books checked out!

Absolutely love this park and library!
It has ample parking all around the park… the place is well maintained.
There is a cool little diner on the north side of the park (closed Mondays)…that serves good breakfast burritos and lunch stuff.
Best of all is the library!
Dude — there are waterfalls and streams inside this library… its like some Frank Lloyd Wright-​esque jungle and metal creation. Such a rad place to study. I could live here… seriously. Also on the bottom floor of the Library there is a little coffer /​café… don’t say daddy didn’t tell you.

I love getting lost in this place and feeling accomplish when finding my way
Huge place with a few levels to study and definitely a spot to get things done!
Note– don’t expect great wifi connection w/​large amount of people using them too.
There’s a café to grab coffee or snack! (See pictures for menu)
The check out is very quick and easy! Very effective :)
Lots of programs held here. Great for kid activities. Check out their website!

aFAIK the best in HB
Quiet and relaxing. Great programs for kids including story time and scratch computer coding classes
As well as a computer dojo for those brainy teens

Surf City’s central public library is a great library.
Lots of free parking, once you are careful to avoid the cluster of parking spaces with meters. Additionally, the city did a very cool roof construction over the parking spaces to gather solar power. How cool is that?
The lobby area is very open, clean and spacious with a very cool fountain and sculptural spiral mosaic inspired stair case. Kids love this one. It makes the building wheel chair accessible even without the elevator.
The Friends of the Library operates a small gift shop located right by the front door, to your right as you enter.
Additionally, they have an ongoing used books selling area where I have gotten some great deals on some fun reads.
The staff is friendly and helpful. And there are lots of carrels and tables where you can either sit and read, study, or work on your tablet/​laptop. One whole wall looks out on the water and park surroundings, so it’s peaceful and beautiful at the same time.
Free Wi-​Fi. It has a few minor limitations. You can upload most photos, but if your files are quite large, it won’t work for that.
Wonderful library.