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. 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.

Mission Statement

Engage, empower, and enrich our community through innovation, imagination, and inspiration.

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.

City of San Rafael

The San Rafael Public Library is a part of the Library & Recreation department of the City of San Rafael.

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

Support Your Library

Find out more about the Friends of the Library and the Library Foundation.

2024 Downtown Library Renovation Project

In September 2024, the Downtown Library closed for much-needed safety and infrastructure updates and is estimated to reopen in Spring/Summer 2025. Learn more about the project here.

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.

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. Visit this webpage to learn more about Measure P.

The City has conducted recent studies that highlighted deficiencies in size and infrastructure of the current library facilities. While the Carnegie is a beloved facility, options for developing the site to support modern library services that meet the needs of our community are limited. More information on the library facilities and prior planning efforts can be found here.

Measure D – Senior Parcel Tax Exemptions

If you are 65 years of age or older by July 1 of the tax year, and own and occupy your residence in San Rafael, you can file an tax exemption application for the Measure D Library Parcel Tax (must be filed on or before June 1). Print out a Senior Exemption Application form.

The Measure P parcel tax will commence 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. The City will provide a process for filing for an exemption from Measure P in Spring 2025.