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SF Reopens More Library Branches This Week (June 21-22)

Mayor Breed announced 4 more library branches open this week and 6 more start front-door service
By - posted 6/21/2021 No Comment

Mayor London N. Breed and City Librarian Michael Lambert today announced the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) will reopen additional neighborhood branches for limited indoor and front door pick-up service starting today, June 21.

More branches are slated to open throughout the summer as staffing permits and as San Francisco continues to make progress on its recovery. Since last year, many SFPL employees have been deployed as Disaster Service Workers supporting the City’s COVID-19 response in a variety of essential roles and 10 neighborhood branches served as community learning hubs to support the City’s most vulnerable youth and families with distance learning.

On May 3, SFPL reopened the Main Library and successfully launched its “Browse and Bounce” program, which is also available at the Chinatown/Him Mark Lai Branch Library and Mission Bay Branch Library.

What is “Browse and Bounce?“

The express in-person service welcomes Library cardholders back inside for 60-minute sessions to browse library books, music, movies and more, pick up holds and check out materials, ask reference and information questions from Library staff and schedule a 60-minute computer session. Patrons can also access photocopiers, printers, fax and scanners.

San Francisco will open four new Browse and Bounce locations this week: Ortega, Richmond/Sen. Milton Marks Jr. and Visitacion Valley Branches open June 21, and the Excelsior Branch opens June 22.

See the updated list of library hours

The Browse and Bounce service operates alongside SFPL To-Go, the Library’s popular front-door holds pick-up service, which is also expanding this week with six new locations: Bernal Heights, Golden Gate Valley, Ingleside, North Beach, Sunset and Western Addition. SFPL To-Go is now available at 18 libraries and four bookmobile locations throughout the City. In July, the Library will aim to open the Bayview, Bernal Heights, Eureka Valley, Glen Park, Oceanview and Western Addition branches for Browse and Bounce, and the Presidio, Parkside and Noe Valley branches will launch SFPL To-Go. The Library is aiming to have all library locations reopened for in-person services before the fall school year begins.

Browse and Bounce Locations

  • Chinatown, 1135 Powell Street; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Main, 100 Larkin Street; Monday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm; Sunday, 12 pm–5:30 pm
  • Mission Bay Branch, 960 4th Street; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm

Starting today, June 21:

  • Ortega Branch, 3223 Ortega Street; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Richmond/Sen. Milton Marks Jr. Branch, 351 9th Avenue; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Visitacion Valley Branch, 201 Leland Avenue; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm

Starting Tuesday, June 22:

  • Excelsior Branch, 4400 Mission Street; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm

SFPL To-Go Locations

  • Anza Branch, 550 37th Avenue; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Bayview Branch, 5075 3rd Street; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Eureka Valley Branch, 1 Jose Sarria Court; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Excelsior Branch, 4400 Mission Street; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Marina Branch, 1890 Chestnut Street; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Merced Branch, 155 Winston Drive; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Mission Bookmobile, Harrison and 20th streets; Tuesday & Thursday, 2 pm–6 pm
  • OMI Bookmobile, 400 Sargent Street; Tuesday & Thursday, 2 pm–6 pm and 50 Broad Street; Wednesdays, 2 pm–6 pm
  • Ortega Branch, 3223 Ortega Street; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Park Branch, 1833 Page Street; Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Portola Branch, 380 Bacon Street; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Potrero Branch, 1616 20th Street; Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Richmond Bookmobile, Palm Avenue at Geary Boulevard; Tuesday & Thursday, 2 pm–6 pm
  • Treasure Island Bookmobile, Avenue H and 11th Street; Wednesdays, 2 pm–6 pm
  • West Portal Branch, 190 Lenox Way; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5:30 pm

Starting today, June 21:

  • Bernal Heights, 500 Cortland Avenue; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Golden Gate Valley, 1801 Green Street; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Ingleside Branch, 1298 Ocean Avenue; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • North Beach, 850 Columbus Avenue; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Sunset, 1305 18th Avenue; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm
  • Western Addition, 1550 Scott Street; Monday–Friday, 10 am–5:30 pm

Safety Measures

Capacity and services will be limited at all in-person San Francisco Public Libraries. Patrons will be required to abide by all safety requirements and library rules, including social distancing and wearing masks. As the City addresses changes in the safety requirements for City employees, the City and County of San Francisco continues to require that anyone entering City owned or leased facilities wear face coverings regardless of vaccination status. The City will revisit this requirement later this month and provide the public with additional guidance.

To ensure the safety of library users and staff, SFPL has developed a number of safety protocols and enhancements including:

  • Library users over the age of 2 are required to wear a mask or face covering
  • Social distancing reminders will be placed around the library
  • Building capacity will be limited at some locations
  • Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance and service points
  • Available public computers will be spaced out to encourage social distancing
  • Sanitizing wipes will be available to wipe down computer keyboards
  • Sneeze guards will be placed at all public service desks
  • Check-out machines will be available for quick and easy borrowing
  • More information about the library reopening is available online at sfpl.org.