All branches of the Marin County Free Library will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2013, in observance of Memorial Day.
- ADA Workstation
- WIFI
Location Address:
3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 427
San Rafael CA 94903
Mailing Address:
3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 427
San Rafael CA 94903
Phone: 415-473-6057
Reference: 415-473-6058
Children's Services: 415-473-4048
Information Recording: 415-473-6056
Branch Manager: Eva Patterson
Hours:
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 - 6 | 10 - 9 | 10 - 6 | 10 - 9 | 10 - 6 | 10 - 5 | Closed |
About Civic Center Library
> View Civic Center Library remodel plans
- Welcome to the Civic Center Library, located on the 4th floor of the Marin County Civic Center Administration Building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Home to the Anne T. Kent California Room collection of local history resources.
- Spanish language materials for children, teens and adults. Russian language materials for adults.
- Test proctoring of open book exams is available at this branch. Get more details.
- Special resources available at this branch:
Consumer Guides
Digital Reader and Flatbed Scanner
Online Genealogical Research
Recycling
Frank Lloyd Wright - History of the Civic Center Library
Computers & Wi-Fi
- 14 public computers for adults & teens
- 2 public computers for children
- 6 catalog/research stations
- 1 ADA workstation
- Computer reservations are recommended. Reservations can be made online or at the branch.
- Wi-fi access is available throughout the branch.
- Laptop users can print at the library by using our new printing system. To connect to our printing system, download the print client from our website. Check with library staff for more information.
Printers & Copiers
- B&W & color printers
- 2 copy machines (B&W only)
- 2 microfilm reader printers
- 2 digital microfilm reader printers
- 1 flatbed scanner
- No fax machine
Accessibility
- Handicapped parking spaces
- Accessible restrooms
- Accessible self-check machine and book return
- ADA workstation
Meeting Room/ Study Space
- Civic Center Library does not have public meeting rooms.
- We do have public study tables that can be used by tutors & students. Tutor policy.
- Test proctoring of open book exams is available at this branch. Get more details.
Donating Books & Materials
- We accept small quantities of donations at the branch (due to limited storage space).
- Larger donations can be taken to the bookstore run by the Friends – Book Place.
- Books should be in good condition. We also accept DVDs, videos, CDs and magazines.
- We do not accept textbooks. (The Friends do not accept textbooks or magazines).
- Donated items are usually sold at the branch or at the Friends bookstore.
Special Resources
Consumer Guides
Continuing in the footsteps of Weiss Ratings' publication of well-respected ratings information, TheStreet.com offers a box set of consumer guides in the following eight subjects:
- automobile insurance
- Medicare prescription drug coverage
- elder care choices
- Medicare supplement insurance
- homeowner's insurance
- term life insurance
- long-term care insurance
- variable annuities
Each guide offers consumer information; accurate, objective data and recommendations; and worksheets and planners to assist in making prudent financial decisions.
These guides are available for in-library use at the Civic Center Branch. For more information, please call the Reference Desk at 415-473-6058.
Digital Reader/Printer and Flatbed Scanner
The Civic Center Branch has a digital reader/printer with a flatbed scanner. Images from microfilm or microfiche read with the digital reader/printer may be saved as jpg or pdf files to a flash drive. Images from source materials such as paper documents, books, photos, and slides scanned on the flatbed scanner may also be saved to a flash drive. Public internet stations are available for emailing files of scanned items.
If you would like instruction on use of this equipment, please call the Reference Desk at 473-6058 for an appointment.
Online Genealogical Research
The Civic Center Library offers Ancestry.com Library Edition for genealogical research. Ancestry.com is a powerful database that "includes records from the United States census; military records; court, land and probate records; vital and church records; directories; passenger lists, and more. Similar information is also available for the United Kingdom, Canada and some European countries."
Recycling
You can recycle your old cell phones, empty inkjet and laser printer cartridges, digital cameras, video games in their case, iPods, DVDs in their original case, laptop computers and household batteries at the Civic Center Library.
These items do not need to be in working condition, but if you still have the power cords and accessories please include them in your donation. You can drop your electronic items off any time the Library is open. The donation box is near the Check Out Desk.
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Civic Center Library has a permanent collection of books, DVDs and videos about Frank Lloyd Wright and his architectural projects.
With the closure of the Marin County Civic Center gift shop, the Library now has some Frank Lloyd Wright merchandise for sale. Items include books on Wright and the construction of the Civic Center, cloth book bags, and other small souvenirs. Sales of these items will benefit the Friends of the Marin County Free Library. Payment must be by cash or check.
From the Branch Manager:
The Civic Center Library is located in the Marin County Civic Center Administration Building, a National Historic Landmark designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Library is on the fourth floor and is strategically placed above the Board of Supervisors Chambers so that, according to Wright, knowledge would flow downward into government.
In addition to the various materials we have for your reading and information needs, we have an extensive holding of local newspapers in microform dating back to 1861. We have the Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest online databases to help patrons with genealogy research. We are also home to the Anne T. Kent California History Room, an archive with an emphasis on the history and culture of Marin County.
Come for a visit. You can’t miss us. We’re under the 80-foot dome!
Branch News
Welcome to the next installment of the Marin City Webstar library profile tour. This stop, is located in a true historical monument of Marin, the Civic Center. The Civic Center branch is located "under the blue dome" in the...
Do you like trivia? The Civic Center Library does. We are hosting our 4th and final Trivia Café event on Saturday June 16th at 2 pm.Howard Rachelson, Marin’s own Trivia Master, will lead the event that will include thought provoking (...
Upcoming Events
Storytimes
- Mother Goose on the Loose for infants & toddlers up to age 3.
Thursday mornings 10:30 - 11 a.m.
A half-hour of nursery rhymes, songs & movement. - Preschool Storytime for ages 3 and up.
Wednesday afternoons 3:30 - 4 p.m.
Storytimes are subject to change. Please check our calendar to confirm.
Book Clubs
Computer Classes
- One-to-One Internet
- One-to-One Email Basics
- One-to-One Microsoft Word
- One-to-one Microsoft Excel Basics
Tutoring sessions are by appointment. Please sign up in advance by calling 415-473-6102.
- eBook Training
Learn how to download free eBooks from the library. Bring your own device for one-on-one assistance every Thursday morning from 10 to 11 am. To make an appointment for a free half-hour session, please call 473-6058.
