Presidio Branch
🏢 San Francisco Public Library — San Francisco, California
Presidio Branch
A stately 1921 Carnegie library wrapped in Italian-Renaissance brick and terra cotta, set among the greenery of Pacific Heights.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 1 PM – 6 PM |
| Tuesday | 10 AM – 8 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 AM – 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: 3150 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: (415) 355-2880
Website: sfpl.org
📖 About Presidio Branch
The Presidio Branch traces its roots to 1898, when it opened as the sixth branch of the San Francisco Public Library, moving into its present home in 1921 after a new building was completed with $83,228 in Carnegie funds. Architect G. Albert Lansburgh designed the structure in an elegant Italian-Renaissance style, and the parkland surrounding it has long made it one of the city's most picturesque neighborhood libraries. Over the decades the building housed several specialized SFPL services, including the Library for the Blind and Print Handicapped and the International Languages Collection, and it even earned a literary cameo in Richard Brautigan's 1970 novel The Abortion. A comprehensive $4.1 million renovation completed in March 2011 — led by Field Paoli with historic preservation by Page & Turnbull — restored the brick and terra cotta facade, upgraded accessibility and lighting, and brought the branch to LEED Silver standards. Today it circulates general fiction, nonfiction, and reference collections alongside smaller Chinese and Russian language holdings.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- 1921 Carnegie library designed by G. Albert Lansburgh in Italian-Renaissance style
- $4.1 million historic renovation completed 2011, restoring the terra cotta facade to LEED Silver standards
- Small Chinese and Russian language collections; staff speak Cantonese, Japanese, and Vietnamese
- Featured in Richard Brautigan's 1970 novel The Abortion: An Historical Romance
📱 Free with a San Francisco Public Library Card
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Presidio Branch a Carnegie library?
Yes. The current building opened in 1921 and was financed with $83,228 in Carnegie funds, making it one of San Francisco's historic Carnegie libraries. Architect G. Albert Lansburgh designed it in an Italian-Renaissance style.
What was restored in the branch's 2011 renovation?
The $4.1 million project, completed in March 2011, restored the brick and terra cotta facade, added new restrooms and exterior stair work, improved lighting and accessibility, installed a 24-hour book return, and brought the building up to LEED Silver certification standards.
Does the Presidio Branch offer materials in languages other than English?
Yes. The branch keeps small Chinese and Russian language collections, and staff members speak Cantonese, Japanese, and Vietnamese in addition to English.