Carlsbad City Library

This is mostly about the childrens library and the storytime on Saturdays. It was quite well organized, I took my daughter for a storybook time there and there was a wonderful area for kids. My daughter got a little fussy during the story time so I had to leave before they were done. It's probably best for kids at least two years old who can engage better with the reading and singing and dancing, but all the same, very nice library.

After millions of dollars of renovations (carpets, computers, study rooms), Cole and Dove libraries are beautiful libraries. However at this point Cole library and parking lot is often ground zero for the unhoused and homeless, as half of the first floor is regularly inhabited by the unhoused in the magazines section, computers, stray tables and chairs. I often see parents with kids singularly dart to the kids section, grab their books and flee. Dove library has fared better but is not immune While I empathize with what struggles all types of people face including the unhoused, I see the Cole library too often looking disheveled and depressed with various people's duffel bags, camping backpacks, and even garbage bags containing clothes. Not to mention some people's checked out energies or blank or hyper aware stares, as the library for them is a daytime homeless shelter better than the Oceanside library. It brings the otherwise uplifting energy down and doesn't make me want to read or concentrate for too long. A few times I've seen people eat cereal in the magazine section while checking the latest updates on their phones with the librarians blissfully ignoring the happenings. Or other times the librarians so exhausted at not seeing a solution to the unhoused overflow into the libraries that they seem overly frazzled. Some years ago, libraries, in desperation, tried to court more young patrons by lowering their standards and allowing people to eat and drink there as well - a community center they said. But these days its merely older homeless folk who rather than eating their sandwich, burrito, cup of noodles, chips or their 2 litter jug of dr. pepper outside or in their car will simply just do it within the convenience of the library. This has the opposite affect of making the library more attractive to people but reinforces the image that the non-children parts of library are primarily for homeless people as a daytime homeless shelter. While we wait years for states to continue to address the problem of homelessness, the library doesn't need claim it has no options and sit back but could take simple measures to uplift and restore the well being of its reading and working spaces by: -- Limiting the size and number bags that people bring in if not coordinating with the local homeless shelters wrt where people's bags are, -- Smoke free zones outside of the library e.g. cigarette, pot, vaping-free to discourage the smell from coming inside the library -- Restructuring the 4 hour computer time often used to watch YouTube action movies and video games (encinitas only provides 2 hours btw), but allow people to use the computer for blocks of 90 minutes up to two-three times a day with a break of perhaps an hour between sessions -- No brushing teeth or shaving in library bathrooms -- Patrons having access to face and body wipes. -- No eating food in the libraries but outside instead. Cole library having a coffee / snack cart like it used to for people to eat outside -- A portable charging wall with wheels for those that solely need to charge their myraid of devices in the west entrance of the library near city hall instead of needlessly waisting entire tables and blocking vacant computers from use Too many days, months and years have gone by after the renovations where it often continues to be an eye sore to use the libraries as beautiful as they otherwise are. The library adminstration, staff and city of carlsbad need to also remember their tax paying residents and not just the "unseen" folks in society while our empathies do go out to them. There's a quote -- "You can't get sick enough to help sick people get better. You cannot get poor enough to help poor people thrive" Let's restore integrity and a feeling of well being back into the libraries otherwise residents like myself won't want to approve money for more expensive multi-million dollar upgrades and future remodels if they feel the libraries are being used as daytime homeless shelters. Thank you for listening

This beautiful library is so well organized, so it is easy to find what you are looking for. Ends of rows are well labeled & there is a great selection of books. Lots if space to sit & read👍📖!! There is a small used bookstore & cafe for coffee & sandwiches w/ outdoor seating. My fav is the art gallery in patio area that features great local art displays 😊!!

This is a beautiful library in the La Costa neighborhood of Carlsbad. It was built around 1999 and recently renovated to expand its internet and digital and multimedia resources. They also expanded the interior and upgraded the furniture. It had meeting rooms, art gallery, auditorium, classrooms, and a great kids section. A cafe is coming soon. The staff is extremely helpful. Highly recommended!

There is always something good happening at Dove Library. I used their equipment to transfer an old video to . MP4 so the whole family can enjoy old clips and checked out a couple Last kingdom novels. When I returned the books, I discovered a DVD sale at the Friends of the library store. I picked up 6 DVDs at an amazing price. Dove library has books and a lot more.

This is mostly about the childrens library and the storytime on Saturdays. It was quite well organized, I took my daughter for a storybook time there and there was a wonderful area for kids. My daughter got a little fussy during the story time so I had to leave before they were done. It's probably best for kids at least two years old who can engage better with the reading and singing and dancing, but all the same, very nice library.

After millions of dollars of renovations (carpets, computers, study rooms), Cole and Dove libraries are beautiful libraries. However at this point Cole library and parking lot is often ground zero for the unhoused and homeless, as half of the first floor is regularly inhabited by the unhoused in the magazines section, computers, stray tables and chairs. I often see parents with kids singularly dart to the kids section, grab their books and flee. Dove library has fared better but is not immune While I empathize with what struggles all types of people face including the unhoused, I see the Cole library too often looking disheveled and depressed with various people's duffel bags, camping backpacks, and even garbage bags containing clothes. Not to mention some people's checked out energies or blank or hyper aware stares, as the library for them is a daytime homeless shelter better than the Oceanside library. It brings the otherwise uplifting energy down and doesn't make me want to read or concentrate for too long. A few times I've seen people eat cereal in the magazine section while checking the latest updates on their phones with the librarians blissfully ignoring the happenings. Or other times the librarians so exhausted at not seeing a solution to the unhoused overflow into the libraries that they seem overly frazzled. Some years ago, libraries, in desperation, tried to court more young patrons by lowering their standards and allowing people to eat and drink there as well - a community center they said. But these days its merely older homeless folk who rather than eating their sandwich, burrito, cup of noodles, chips or their 2 litter jug of dr. pepper outside or in their car will simply just do it within the convenience of the library. This has the opposite affect of making the library more attractive to people but reinforces the image that the non-children parts of library are primarily for homeless people as a daytime homeless shelter. While we wait years for states to continue to address the problem of homelessness, the library doesn't need claim it has no options and sit back but could take simple measures to uplift and restore the well being of its reading and working spaces by: -- Limiting the size and number bags that people bring in if not coordinating with the local homeless shelters wrt where people's bags are, -- Smoke free zones outside of the library e.g. cigarette, pot, vaping-free to discourage the smell from coming inside the library -- Restructuring the 4 hour computer time often used to watch YouTube action movies and video games (encinitas only provides 2 hours btw), but allow people to use the computer for blocks of 90 minutes up to two-three times a day with a break of perhaps an hour between sessions -- No brushing teeth or shaving in library bathrooms -- Patrons having access to face and body wipes. -- No eating food in the libraries but outside instead. Cole library having a coffee / snack cart like it used to for people to eat outside -- A portable charging wall with wheels for those that solely need to charge their myraid of devices in the west entrance of the library near city hall instead of needlessly waisting entire tables and blocking vacant computers from use Too many days, months and years have gone by after the renovations where it often continues to be an eye sore to use the libraries as beautiful as they otherwise are. The library adminstration, staff and city of carlsbad need to also remember their tax paying residents and not just the "unseen" folks in society while our empathies do go out to them. There's a quote -- "You can't get sick enough to help sick people get better. You cannot get poor enough to help poor people thrive" Let's restore integrity and a feeling of well being back into the libraries otherwise residents like myself won't want to approve money for more expensive multi-million dollar upgrades and future remodels if they feel the libraries are being used as daytime homeless shelters. Thank you for listening