Fremont Main Library — Attraction in Fremont

I recently moved from NJ to Northern California to take up a new position. First of all, I cannot believe this library belongs in the Bay area. It is extremely hard for me to understand how any library operating in/near Silicon Valley can operate with internet speeds of 0.93 Mbps (see image below). The timings are inconsistent from day to day and to not allow for any sort of planing for its patrons (Sunday:1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Monday:1 p.m. - 9 p.m., Tuesday:1 p.m. - 9 p.m., Wednesday: 12 Noon - 6 p.m., Thursday:11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday:10 a.m. - 5p.m.). The weirdest of timings for kids as well - story time for kids is at 1:30PM (isn't that nap time for most kids?). It almost feels like the library timings are designed so that as few people as possible make it to the library...which is the exact opposite of what a library should be doing!! When I reached there during opening time, kids were rushing it to get in to some of the very few (I counted just 5) study rooms. Two of the study rooms were occupied by homeless people. While I am totally in agreement that all citizens must receive equal service, why can the library not provide more study rooms is beyond me. I saw tons of kids who were longing to get a seat but could not find any place to sit. I am sorry, but this is a sorry excuse of a library. The chairs in the library seem to be Goodwill rejections, the sofa covers are slimy and there is no silent area in this library. How the city planners cannot get themselves to fund a good library while being so close to knowledge capitals of the world is..well, appalling. One only needs to go to a place like Livermore to see what an amazing library they have and the facilities they provide. Come on Fremont, you can do better. Put your tax dollars to better use than that stodgy blingy art fixture that you have close to the...

Excellent helpful librarian staff (other than not maintaining QUIET as a library should)!. Computers generally available. Hours limited due to budget. At least different schedules allow access to people who have different schedules (I disagree with comments that hours should be the same every day). Too many still readable books are discarded; crazy waste of money! Is someone getting a payoff (money or meals or gifts or trips to buy replacements?). Homeless smell & germs are a major problem. They live inside during open hours, & sleep in front outside at night. Why don't police move/remove them at night? Maybe during the day have rooms there with cots for them to encourage them not to be in study rooms & throughout library? Maybe a free shower room for them to for removing some of the odor? It would help BOTH the homeless AND regular library patrons. (You can't remove the homeless because laws entitle them to also be there). I believe Alameda County can & should increase funding for more library hours. I suggest minimum ST/SN/W 9A-5P, M/TH 12-8P, TU/F 1-9P (of course 9A-9P every weekday would be great). btw, I see many comments with the word "timings"; the proper word in English is scheduling. There was also a comment about when small children have nap time; there is no single normal nap time in America plus there are other local libraries with large collections of...

I visited this library with my two kids to borrow couples of books, I tried to check out with one of Kiosks, however it didn't let me process, so I had to line up in front of the help desk at the main entrance.

And when it was my turn, I went to see the staff at the help desk, however the man who just finished his questions in front of me, came back and started asking some quick question to the staff, so I decided to wait right behind of him since I didn't want to be rude by urging him to finish and also it didn't seem like taking too much time, And then I heard somebody yelled at me from my back by saying "ONE LINE!, I SAID ONE LINE!!". It was a lady sitting at the reception desk and she was literally yelling at me in front of more than dozens of people standing and waiting in their lines.

I tried to figure out what just happened however I couldn't believe someone yelled at me in a public place just like that, but I tried to explain to her that I had been lined up, however I didn't get a chance to explain to her, since she didn't want to listen to me, and again there was one more yelling "ONE LINE" in a very loud and now a rather hostile tone.

Working on Sunday might not be pleasant experience, however being yelled at public library in front of people, especially with your two kids might not be the pleasant...