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December 2023 by Cambrio M.
This is a nice library; BUT, the library is a popular hangout for the homeless and they stink up the library really bad, rant & rave inside the library really loud & all the padded chairs they sit on are stained dirty by them; the library is never cleaned so you have to do it yourself; homeless people hangout inside, sleep on the benches outside & when they use the bathroom it is unbearable to be inside because of the foul odors they leave behind, this library is really meant for homeless people in need of a place to stay rather than a place for educational enrichment.
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November 2023 by Megan P.
Me & my friend wanted to find a place to study / rehearse a speech & found this library near us through Yelp. It's super clean, quiet and the front staff was so nice and helpful letting us reserve a room for two hours for free with no need of a library card. Looking at the beautiful building it's a great use of our tax dollars to be funded here. Maybe it's because it's a Saturday but it was perfect & peaceful studying here. Parking is plentiful in an underground garage.
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November 2023 by Jessica G.
This library is wonderful, they have the best books to choose from. When our daughter was a baby I would take her here for story time. Loved taking her here for story time. We really enjoy coming here and it's so close. The librarian's are really helpful and friendly too. I can't wait to check out more books! Have a beautiful day :) Be kind to everyone, I promise it will make your day not just someone else's
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November 2023 by Truth Fairy Y.
This library is great! The area is amazing and fun and it is right by the Brea Mall - perfect for a quick break from work or a full day of different activities. There are individual rooms available if you are looking for a quiet space or need to do group work. I have found found them to be accessible and easy to reserve even with little to no advance notice. The librarians here are very helpful and the kids section is colorful and vibrant. I love that this library invites focus in its noise level and clean ambiance. If anything, it could benefit from more charging outlets, but overall this is a great library to get work done at or unwind with a new book.
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January 2023 by Kevin B.
Brea has a nice architect library with a unique style to it. I was for the hell of it on my day off vising a friend that lives in this area. So i stopped here first to kill some time. NIce size library. Kind of small. But they have a number of books and magazines. Couple magazines for sale that they try and get rod of because of overstock books. Staff are real nice here. Nice quiet childrens book area with a whole bunch of videos and dvd movies. Nice atmosphere. Id love to visit again.
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November 2021 by RivailsLogan
The library is clean and well managed. There is space for children and various books. The library staff are kind, too. Since the library is located inside the building, it will be difficult for first-time visitors to find the entrance.
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October 2021 by H W.
I went there to apply for a library card. The parking structure is underground which is nice. But for people not familiar with the area, the parking entrance is not easy to find. It's actually between the embassy hotel and civic center. You can take the elevator to go up to the civic center. The civic center has a gallery, a theater, a police station and the library at ground level. It's not crowded at all on a Saturday morning. The library has two staff members, Dan and a girl (I did not know her name). The girl greeted me as soon as I walked in. She showed me how to use their computer to apply for a library card. When i was done, Dan processed it for me. They were both extremely nice and courteous. The library itself looked a little bit dated and the book volume was not big. For the bathroom, it's outside the library between the gallery and police station. It's not difficult to find but it is a small walk from the library. If it's just for the staff, I would give five stars. For the library, I would give four stars.
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July 2021 by Jane D.
I went to this branch for the first time yesterday. This is not a good option for people who have mobility problems or the elderly as there's a long way to go from the parking structure to the library and if you don't use the elevator, it's uphill all the way. It looks as if the place was built in the 1980s before the Americans with Disabilities Act. Also, the library isn't clearly marked from the parking structure, so for first time visitors it's confusing. When on my way back to the parking structure, another first time patron stopped and asked if I knew how to get to the library. Also, the restrooms are in another building. The friends of the library bookstore is small, but had a nice selection of books and the volunteer was helpful. I bought some books for the neighbor's kids.
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May 2021 by Marina C.
Yesterday's visit to the library was very pleasant! Ashley was extremely helpful and you can see how she takes great pride in her job. I've been a Brea resident for over 29 years and have visited the library MANY times over the years; yesterday's visit was definitely one to take time to write about and share the great experience I had. There was a blonde haired gal at the front check in area who was also very pleasant! Great job ladies and Brea Library!
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April 2021 by Jon K.
I called in yesterday to inquire about the availability of a book, but even though it wasn't available, Lori took the time to not only look it up but give me several options in terms of reserving it, reading it as an ebook, or even borrowing it as an audibook which I didn't know was an option. She really took the time to explain all theoptions to me and was as nice as could be about all of it. I really appreciated her friendly service which is why I'm giving the Brea Library 5 stars. Thanks Lori!
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January 2021 by Leo B.
I am very appreciative of this public library. It is small, and quaint. I have been using the online reservation system, and it has been good. Everyone should discover OC Public Libraries and their vast system. Thank you for all your hard work.
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February 2020 by Niloo K.
For the past THREE hours I have had to listen to the beeping sound of a lift, falling tools, and loud building engineers fixing some damn thing in the ceiling. I understand this is their job, but the lack of courtesy for the staff to come and let their patrons know of the noise disturbance is inexcusable. This library always has something wrong with it. It's falling apart so either shut it down or stop the 50,000 events in downtown Brea and put some money into this place. I had to leave and wasted time and gas to come here and now leaving with a migraine. I'm so sick of this place. Never again!!!!!!!!!!!
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October 2019 by Catherine Nelson
So happy to see a real book store. Found a couple of travel books as a gift. They also have used books.
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July 2019 by Robert M.
If you haven't visited the Brea library lately your missing out. I entered the summer reading challenge and got a free book and a book bag. They're also giving away DVD's for those who join. Gift certificates for raffle winners as well. Plenty of underground parking and an elevator entrance. Best library in town.
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May 2019 by Valerie B.
The library industry is already hurting and my experience here is not helping their cause. I checked out a book and didn't actually get the chance to read it. I'm just so busy and I never seem to have the time to just sit down and enjoy a book. It sat on my bookshelf untouched. I returned it and got a big fat fine for "damaged materials." It's a library book....it's not going to be in perfect condition. They couldn't prove that I actually damaged it. The lady I talked to on the phone was consistently talking over me. I couldn't get a word in. I ended up having to buy the book for cover price. Ridiculous. I had them deactivate my account. My days of going to the library are over. What made it worse was the librarian saying "sorry about that." No you're not. Don't lie to me
