North Beach Branch
🏢 San Francisco Public Library — San Francisco, California
North Beach Branch
An award-winning, daylight-filled green branch opened in 2014, designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects to replace a cramped 1950s building.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Tuesday | 10 AM – 8 PM |
| Wednesday | 1 PM – 8 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Friday | 1 PM – 6 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Sunday | 1 PM – 5 PM |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 850 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 355-5626
Website: sfpl.org
📖 About North Beach Branch
The current North Beach Branch opened on May 10, 2014 in a new building at 850 Columbus Avenue, designed by the firm of Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects and funded through voter-approved Proposition D in November 2007. It replaced an earlier branch at 2000 Mason Street, adjacent to Joe DiMaggio Playground, dating to 1958. The new library achieved LEED Gold certification thanks to sustainable design features including clerestory and operable windows, rooftop photovoltaic solar panels, natural ventilation via a gravity vent, and a cool roof, and its design earned an AIA San Francisco Merit Award in 2016. Reflecting its diverse neighborhood, the branch houses a large Chinese language collection, a small Italian interest collection, and materials on the local Beat writers, and it features sound sculptures by artist Bill Fontana titled Spiraling Echoes and Sonic Dreamscapes.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- New LEED Gold building opened May 10, 2014
- Designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects; AIA SF Merit Award (2016)
- Green features: solar panels, gravity-vent natural ventilation, cool roof
- Chinese and Italian collections plus Beat-writer materials and Bill Fontana sound sculptures
📱 Free with a San Francisco Public Library Card
Any California resident can get an SFPL card free and unlock:
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the North Beach Branch environmentally sustainable?
The building earned LEED Gold certification through features including clerestory and operable windows for daylight and airflow, rooftop photovoltaic solar panels, natural ventilation via a gravity vent, and a cool roof, and its design won an AIA San Francisco Merit Award in 2016.
What happened to the old North Beach library building?
The current branch replaced an earlier library at 2000 Mason Street, next to Joe DiMaggio Playground, which dated to 1958. The new building at 850 Columbus Avenue, funded by voter-approved Proposition D in 2007, opened on May 10, 2014.
Does the North Beach Branch reflect the neighborhood's Italian and Chinese heritage?
Yes. Set on the edge of North Beach and Chinatown, the branch houses a large Chinese language collection alongside a small Italian interest collection and materials on the neighborhood's Beat writers, and it displays sound sculptures by artist Bill Fontana called Spiraling Echoes and Sonic Dreamscapes.