Portola Valley Library — Restaurant in Portola Valley

Usually ok, i just use the computers once in a while. I think they need a separate computer section for kids. The boys' noise doesn't bother me, but as an adult these days being around other people's kids sometimes makes me nervous. Although the parents & staff here seem cool, and kids are allowed to be kids. Where I come from most parents are overly protective, and talking to a kid, let alone sitting next to one of their precious ones, as a "stranger", is very alarming to some of them. Although the parents here seem better adjusted . Nonetheless, I'm sitting on a computer surrounded by kids, and one asks me for help & I'm not sure if it's right to help the kid or not, or wave the staff over to help him. That's the way it is these days, & Why most libraries have a separate...

Look: I enjoy online Amazon shopping as much as anyone. It’s just that a public library is a special place that retains an incandescent and irreproducible value for a community like Portola Valley. You enter. You browse. You hold beautifully made books in your hands. You sit outside in the radiant sunshine with your children and read to them. You take yoga, knitting, and meditation classes. You meet authors. In real life, not virtual reality. You can refill your reusable water bottle. For free. You can print and scan documents. Fit free. Get help with tax forms. Register to vote. Check out CDs and DVDs and laptops and WiFi hotspots. All with something as simple as a library card. No need for a Prime membership or free shipping to enjoy...

Lovely place to do some work, read, and browse whatever is new in the literary world. The building is gorgeous, the furniture comfortable, the wifi works great. It has some of the best light, nice views, and open space for peaceful rumination--I've never seen the place full. It's almost always quiet and I find I rarely need earphones. Offers a good environment to regroup when something you're working...