San Francisco Public Library — Main Library
🏢 San Francisco Public Library · Civic Center, San Francisco
San Francisco Public Library — Main Library
Opened in 1996 at San Francisco's Civic Center and designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the SFPL Main Library holds nearly four million items across six floors — including a nationally recognized LGBTQIA+ research center, the official city archives, and the nation's first library-based social work program.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 12pm–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–6pm |
| Sunday | 12pm–6pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 557-4400
Website: sfpl.org
Plus Code: 849VQHHM+MM (San Francisco, CA)
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📖 About San Francisco Public Library — Main Library
The current Main Library opened on April 18, 1996 at Marshall Square in San Francisco's Civic Center National Historic Landmark district, designed by architectural firms Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Cathy Simon. It replaced the original 1917 Beaux-Arts main library designed by George W. Kelham — a building severely damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and subsequently converted into the Asian Art Museum, which opened there in 2003. The new six-story building holds nearly 3,946,841 items and circulates close to 11 million items annually, making it the largest public library in Northern California. Across its floors are more than a dozen specialized centers: the Daniel E. Koshland San Francisco History Center (official city and county archives), the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA+ Center (one of the largest publicly accessible LGBTQIA+ research collections in the world), the Talking Books and Braille Center, the Patent and Trademark Resource Center, the Small Business Center, and the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center. In 2009 the library hired Leah Esguerra as the nation's first library-based social worker, pairing her with a dedicated outreach team — a model since adopted by libraries across the country. SFPL eliminated all overdue fines in 2019 and was named Library Journal's Library of the Year in 2018.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Opened April 18, 1996; designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Cathy Simon, replacing the 1917 Beaux-Arts building now converted to the Asian Art Museum
- Holds nearly 3,946,841 items with annual circulation approaching 11 million — the largest public library in Northern California
- James C. Hormel LGBTQIA+ Center (3rd floor): one of the largest publicly accessible LGBTQIA+ research collections in the United States
- Daniel E. Koshland San Francisco History Center (6th floor): official archives of the City and County of San Francisco — historical photos, maps, manuscripts, and building records
- Hired the nation's first library-based social worker in 2009; eliminated overdue fines in 2019; named Library Journal's Library of the Year in 2018
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
SFPL cardholders stream, borrow and research free through San Francisco's digital collection:
📚 Services
- Free Wi-Fi and public computers with reservation system
- Printing, copying, scanning, and faxing
- Reservable study rooms and meeting rooms
- Café on the first floor
- Talking Books and Braille Center for patrons with print disabilities (2nd floor)
- Deaf Services Center (1st floor)
- Patent and Trademark Resource Center — free USPTO database access and trained librarian assistance (4th floor)
- Small Business Center and Jobs & Careers Center (4th floor)
- SF History Center research services — building history, genealogy, city archives (6th floor)
- Book Arts & Special Collections (6th floor)
- Jail and Reentry Services (JARS) — library access for incarcerated and reentry populations
- On-site social services staff and homeless outreach team
- Discover & Go — free and discounted passes to Bay Area museums
- Interlibrary loan via Link+ network
- Ask a Librarian (in-person, phone, chat, email)
🎸 Programs
- Children's Center: storytimes, early literacy, and school-age programs (2nd floor)
- Teen programs and dedicated space via The Bridge (5th floor)
- Adult literacy programs
- Author talks, gallery exhibitions, and community cultural events
- Job search workshops and résumé assistance (Jobs & Careers Center, 4th floor)
- Small business workshops (Small Business Center, 4th floor)
- SFPL system-wide summer and winter reading programs
- Transitional Age Youth programs
📍 Nearby San Francisco Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in San Francisco · Browse all California libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA+ Center, and who was James Hormel?
The James C. Hormel LGBTQIA+ Center on the 3rd floor of the Main Library is one of the largest publicly accessible LGBTQIA+ research collections in the United States, housing books, periodicals, archival materials, and multimedia documenting LGBTQIA+ history and culture. It is named for James C. Hormel (1933–2021), a San Francisco philanthropist and the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador — appointed by President Clinton to Luxembourg in 1999 — whose major donation helped establish the center when the library opened in 1996.
What happened to the original 1917 San Francisco Main Library building?
The original Main Library — a Beaux-Arts building designed by George W. Kelham and completed in 1917 at Larkin and McAllister Streets — was significantly damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Rather than demolish it, the city rehabilitated the historic structure and converted it into the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, which opened there in 2003. The current Main Library opened across the plaza at 100 Larkin Street on April 18, 1996.
Can I research San Francisco building history or genealogy at the Main Library?
Yes. The Daniel E. Koshland San Francisco History Center on the 6th floor is the official archives of the City and County of San Francisco. Holdings include historical photographs, Sanborn fire insurance maps, city directories, building permit records, manuscript collections, and digitized historical newspapers. Staff assist with building history, genealogy, and city history inquiries. Contact sfhistory@sfpl.org or call (415) 557-4567.
Does the Main Library have a Patent and Trademark Resource Center, and who can use it?
Yes. The SFPL Main Library is a designated Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC), officially partnered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Located on the 4th floor, it provides free access to USPTO patent and trademark databases, historical patent documents, and librarians trained to help inventors, entrepreneurs, and researchers conduct patent and trademark searches. No appointment is needed; it is open to anyone with a valid SFPL library card or photo ID.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
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