About
Your Library
The San Rafael Public Library is comprised of three branches – Downtown, Pickleweed, and Northgate – and we belong to the MARINet consortium. This means that you can use your San Rafael Public Library card at any public or academic library in Marin County, and you can return materials to any location. We offer a diverse collection of physical and digital materials including books, movies, shows, music, free passes to parks and museums, and more. We also host programs and events for all ages.Â
As part of the City of San Rafael’s Library and Recreation Department, the San Rafael Public Library is funded through the Measure D Parcel Tax and the City’s General Fund. Our mission is to enrich our community through discovery, learning, and play. As of July 2021, the San Rafael Public Library is proud to be totally fine-free; you can enjoy library materials without fear of accruing late fees.
Additional Information
Locations
Downtown Library
Located just adjacent to City Hall, the Downtown Library serves as the central hub of the San Rafael Public Library system. As the main flagship branch, it offers an extensive collection of books, digital resources, museum and park passes, plus vibrant programming for all ages. After undergoing a significant renovation in September 2024, the branch is scheduled to reopen in Summer 2025 to better serve the community.
1100 E St, San Rafael, CA 94901
Pickleweed Library
Nestled within the Albert J. Boro Community Center in the Canal neighborhood, Pickleweed Library supports a largely Spanish‑speaking community with approximately 6,000 volumes. It features a friendly bilingual staff, a computer lab, and hosts engaging community events and programs. The branch also provides full access to digital services like e‑books, audiobooks, and live homework help.
50 Canal St, San Rafael, CA 94901
Northgate Library
Situated inside the Northgate Pop‑Up at the Terra Linda shopping area (5800 Northgate Drive), this branch welcomes patrons from across North San Rafael. It offers a curated selection of materials alongside digital collections via MARINet, and keeps regular mid‑week to weekend hours for easy access.
5800 Northgate Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903
Tax Measures
Special Library Services Parcel Tax (Measure D)
In June 2016, San Rafael voters renewed the City's Special Library Services parcel tax (Measure D), an initiative to provide a critical, consistent, locally-controlled funding source for the San Rafael Public Library. This measure supports a range of library programs and services, including:
- Programming for youth, teens, and families
- Highly qualified and responsive library staff
- Physical and digital collections that meet community needs
- Community access to technology, wifi, and online resources
- Library hours seven days a week.
To learn more about this project, click here.
Albert Park Library & Community Center Parcel Tax (Measure P)
In November 2024, San Rafael voters passed Measure P, an initiative to fund a new main library and community center at Albert Park. Measure P represents a significant investment in our cultural and civic institutions and will be one of the largest capital projects that San Rafael has undertaken in recent years. The new library and community center will be a vibrant community resource for San Rafael, providing a hub for civic, cultural, and social enrichment and connection.
To learn more about this project, click here.
Senior Exemptions
If you are 65 years of age or older by July 1 of the tax year, and own and occupy a single-family residence in San Rafael, you can file a tax exemption application for the Measure D Library Parcel Tax (must be filed on or before June 1). Print out a Measure D Senior Exemption Application form.
The Measure P parcel tax commenced on July 1, 2025 and includes an exemption for persons over the age of 65 years who own a beneficial interest in a parcel and who use the parcel as their principal place of residence. Those who have already qualified for a Measure D exemption will automatically qualify for a Measure P exemption. Print out a Measure P exemption form.
Renovation Projects
Albert Park Library and Community Center
Given the age, size, and condition of the Downtown Library, there has been significant interest in expanding and upgrading the Downtown Library. The City has worked with various groups to perform needs assessments and studies to understand the options for developing a modern library that meets the needs of the San Rafael community. More information on those efforts can be found here.
To address this longstanding need, San Rafael voters passed Measure P, an initiative to fund a new main library and community center at Albert Park. Visit this webpage to learn more about Measure P.
Pickleweed Library Renovation Project
In 2022, the City of San Rafael secured a $1,000,000 Building Forward Grant from the State Library Foundation to renovate the Pickleweed Library. Find out more about the project here.
2024/25 Downtown Library Renovation Project
In September 2024, the E Street Downtown Library closed for much-needed safety and infrastructure updates and is estimated to reopen in Summer 2025. Learn more about the project here.
Support Your Library
Support Your Library
Friends of the Library
Friends of the San Rafael Public Library, a volunteer-led nonprofit 501(c)(3), supports the Downtown, Pickleweed, and Northgate branches by raising funds for programs for all ages—such as the Summer Reading Program, Zentangle, and art lectures—as well as for books and equipment that benefit library patrons.
The Library Foundation
The San Rafael Public Library Foundation was founded with a mission to build a library for the 21st century, to furnish and maintain it, and to secure its future for generations to come.
Library Board of Trustees
Library Board of Trustees
The Library Board of Trustees provides input on policies and regulations regarding the library’s budget, programs, outreach and facilities. They provide support for the Library Director, support the Library Foundation in its quest for a new library, serve as advocates for the library to the City Council, and help increase the visibility of the library in the community.
Library Policies
Library Policies
Guidelines for Library Use (Normas para el Uso de la Biblioteca)
Child Safety Policy (PolĂtica de Seguridad InfantĂl)
Checkout Limits and Fees (Limites de Préstamos, Cargos y Multas)
Lost and Damaged Items Policy
Privacy Policy (Poliza de Privacidad)
Computer and Internet Access Policy
City of San Rafael Website Privacy and Posting Guidelines
San Rafael Public Library Web Commenting and Posting Policy
Community Information Posting Policy
Group Visit Guidelines (GuĂa para Visitas Grupales)
Collection Development Policy
Gift & Donation Policy
The Library also affirms the principles upheld in the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics and Library Bill of Rights.
Library & Local History
Library & Local History
Library History Timeline
Online Local History Collection
Land Acknowledgment
Land Acknowledgment
The San Rafael Public Library acknowledges that we are located on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people of present-day Marin and southern Sonoma counties. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and all of its ancestors: past, present, and emerging.Â
Downtown Library
Located just adjacent to City Hall, the Downtown Library serves as the central hub of the San Rafael Public Library system. As the main flagship branch, it offers an extensive collection of books, digital resources, museum and park passes, plus vibrant programming for all ages. After undergoing a significant renovation in September 2024, the branch is scheduled to reopen in Summer 2025 to better serve the community.
1100 E St, San Rafael, CA 94901
Pickleweed Library
Nestled within the Albert J. Boro Community Center in the Canal neighborhood, Pickleweed Library supports a largely Spanish‑speaking community with approximately 6,000 volumes. It features a friendly bilingual staff, a computer lab, and hosts engaging community events and programs. The branch also provides full access to digital services like e‑books, audiobooks, and live homework help.
50 Canal St, San Rafael, CA 94901
Northgate Library
Situated inside the Northgate Pop‑Up at the Terra Linda shopping area (5800 Northgate Drive), this branch welcomes patrons from across North San Rafael. It offers a curated selection of materials alongside digital collections via MARINet, and keeps regular mid‑week to weekend hours for easy access.
5800 Northgate Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903
Special Library Services Parcel Tax (Measure D)
In June 2016, San Rafael voters renewed the City's Special Library Services parcel tax (Measure D), an initiative to provide a critical, consistent, locally-controlled funding source for the San Rafael Public Library. This measure supports a range of library programs and services, including:
- Programming for youth, teens, and families
- Highly qualified and responsive library staff
- Physical and digital collections that meet community needs
- Community access to technology, wifi, and online resources
- Library hours seven days a week.
To learn more about this project, click here.
Albert Park Library & Community Center Parcel Tax (Measure P)
In November 2024, San Rafael voters passed Measure P, an initiative to fund a new main library and community center at Albert Park. Measure P represents a significant investment in our cultural and civic institutions and will be one of the largest capital projects that San Rafael has undertaken in recent years. The new library and community center will be a vibrant community resource for San Rafael, providing a hub for civic, cultural, and social enrichment and connection.
To learn more about this project, click here.
Senior Exemptions
If you are 65 years of age or older by July 1 of the tax year, and own and occupy a single-family residence in San Rafael, you can file a tax exemption application for the Measure D Library Parcel Tax (must be filed on or before June 1). Print out a Measure D Senior Exemption Application form.
The Measure P parcel tax commenced on July 1, 2025 and includes an exemption for persons over the age of 65 years who own a beneficial interest in a parcel and who use the parcel as their principal place of residence. Those who have already qualified for a Measure D exemption will automatically qualify for a Measure P exemption. Print out a Measure P exemption form.
Albert Park Library and Community Center
Given the age, size, and condition of the Downtown Library, there has been significant interest in expanding and upgrading the Downtown Library. The City has worked with various groups to perform needs assessments and studies to understand the options for developing a modern library that meets the needs of the San Rafael community. More information on those efforts can be found here.
To address this longstanding need, San Rafael voters passed Measure P, an initiative to fund a new main library and community center at Albert Park. Visit this webpage to learn more about Measure P.
Pickleweed Library Renovation Project
In 2022, the City of San Rafael secured a $1,000,000 Building Forward Grant from the State Library Foundation to renovate the Pickleweed Library. Find out more about the project here.
2024/25 Downtown Library Renovation Project
In September 2024, the E Street Downtown Library closed for much-needed safety and infrastructure updates and is estimated to reopen in Summer 2025. Learn more about the project here.
Support Your Library
Friends of the Library
Friends of the San Rafael Public Library, a volunteer-led nonprofit 501(c)(3), supports the Downtown, Pickleweed, and Northgate branches by raising funds for programs for all ages—such as the Summer Reading Program, Zentangle, and art lectures—as well as for books and equipment that benefit library patrons.
The Library Foundation
The San Rafael Public Library Foundation was founded with a mission to build a library for the 21st century, to furnish and maintain it, and to secure its future for generations to come.
Library Board of Trustees
The Library Board of Trustees provides input on policies and regulations regarding the library’s budget, programs, outreach and facilities. They provide support for the Library Director, support the Library Foundation in its quest for a new library, serve as advocates for the library to the City Council, and help increase the visibility of the library in the community.
Library Policies
Guidelines for Library Use (Normas para el Uso de la Biblioteca)
Child Safety Policy (PolĂtica de Seguridad InfantĂl)
Checkout Limits and Fees (Limites de Préstamos, Cargos y Multas)
Lost and Damaged Items Policy
Privacy Policy (Poliza de Privacidad)
Computer and Internet Access Policy
City of San Rafael Website Privacy and Posting Guidelines
San Rafael Public Library Web Commenting and Posting Policy
Community Information Posting Policy
Group Visit Guidelines (GuĂa para Visitas Grupales)
Collection Development Policy
Gift & Donation Policy
The Library also affirms the principles upheld in the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics and Library Bill of Rights.
Library & Local History
Library History Timeline
Online Local History Collection
Land Acknowledgment
The San Rafael Public Library acknowledges that we are located on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people of present-day Marin and southern Sonoma counties. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and all of its ancestors: past, present, and emerging.Â