The central Chinatown location of this branch of Oakland libraries
means lots and lots of visitors, including probably five generations of
folks, from the elders reading newspapers to kids running amok. On any
given day — well, except Sundays, when all neighborhood branches
of the library system are closed — you’ll see a group of people
gather outside the door, waiting for it to open. The library staff is
super nice and helpful, whether you’re looking for Mandarin stories on
tape or some hard-to-find Vietnamese book. Its offerings include
materials — books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, CDs, tapes
— in at least eight Asian languages. Of course, you can request
anything from the other branches, too. The library is a crowded but
unique spot that shows the diversity of Chinatown, and conveniently
located on the first floor of the Pacific Renaissance Plaza. With the
recently added benches around the plaza’s fountain, it’s become even
more of a cultural hub, with the nearby restaurants and shops and a
cultural center upstairs.
TRENDING:
.Best Crowded Library
Asian Branch Library, Oakland Public Library