It's a gorgeous space. Check it out.
By James Salazar | Examiner staff writer
Sep 3, 2025
The San Francisco Public Library has boosted foot traffic at the Main Library with events such as the Night of Ideas, which employees said last year generated the branch’s largest single-day turnout with 7,100 visitors.
Visits to central libraries are rising, and continued investments in programs and resources can turn such public spaces into cultural hubs that draw residents into their surrounding areas, according to a new report from the Urban Libraries Council.
The City’s Main Library was one of five flagships across the country analyzed by the “innovation and action tank” representing more than 170 urban public libraries in the United States and Canada. It reported that data showed library patrons are spending more time at their local branches, as well as hanging out in their neighborhoods.
Brooks Rainwater, the president and CEO of the ULC, said in a statement that the report shows how central libraries are “dynamic engines helping drive our cities into the future.” He said continued investments in programs and services would “keep bringing patrons — and needed economic activity — into the heart of our communities.”
Using cell-phone data from the Placer.ai company, the ULC found that the Main Library had more than 836,000 visits in 2024, up 13% from 2023’s roughly 739,000 visits. Patrons averaged 165 minutes per stay, the longest among the libraries reviewed.
Library employees attributed the increasing number of visitors to the branch’s expansive collection of digital and physical materials, as well as free access to panel discussions, live performances, and film screenings, among other activities.
Welcoming over 2,300 daily visitors and roughly 70,000 each month, City Librarian Michael Lambert said the Main Library “serves as an important hub for cultural, educational and recreational offerings.” In addition to its collection of materials, the Main Library hosts numerous events and exhibitions throughout the year geared toward bringing residents together at Civic Center.
Nearby Fulton Plaza hosts free live music performances every Tuesday and Thursday, while parts of the Main Library house free exhibitions on subjects like skateboarding culture in The City. The branch also has events centered around cultural celebrations like Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and Lunar New Year. Those “are just a sampling of the incredible free programming one can experience throughout the year," Lambert said.
https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/the-city/sf-public-library-main-branch-is-civic-centers-culture-hub/
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