The Oakland Library's Main Branch to Close for Six Months for Repairs

The main branch of the Oakland Public Library will soon be closed for approximately six months in order to address needed repairs, the library announced Wednesday.

The closure of the branch, on 14th Street in downtown Oakland, will start on May 27 and last through November 2024. Other branches of the library will remain open during the main branch’s closure, including the nearby Asian Branch on 9th Street.

Planned improvements to the library building, built in 1950, include a new roof, a new heating and cooling system, repairs to skylights, improvements to lighting and flooring, and “critical electrical system upgrades.”

“There is never a good time to close,” said the library’s director Jamie Turbak in a statement. “However, these infrastructure upgrades underscore the critical need to invest in the future of the Main Library and are long overdue.”

A $4.2 million portion of the cost for the repairs will be funded in part by the California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program. As part of the terms of the grant, the City of Oakland matched those funds through Measures KK and U, which were approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

Aside from the main branch, the Oakland Public Library operates 16 other branches, as well as the Oakland Tool Lending Library and the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.

In addition to access to books, computers, physical media and other services, the library branch hosts community events such as computer help sessions, job search assistance, mental health outreach, crafting activities and more.

The library has set up a frequently asked questions page regarding the closure.