A welcoming neighborhood branch with children’s books, materials in Chinese and Vietnamese, and a deep collection on Chinatown history. Open seven days a week.
Opening Hours
| Monday | 10 am–6 pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10 am–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 10 am–8 pm |
| Thursday | 10 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 1 pm–6 pm |
| Saturday | 10 am–6 pm |
| Sunday | 1 pm–5 pm |
SFPL lists hours without am/pm; afternoon/evening reading applied to closing times (standard SFPL format). Monday service is back: sfpl.org/locations/chinatown listed "Mon 10 - 6" when re-read 2026-10-14; the same page listed "Mon closed" on 2026-10-11, so the Monday row was published as closed until now.
From the venue’s own page, checked October 15, 2026. Holiday hours and one-off closures can differ.
Getting There
- MPowell St & Jackson StPowell–Hyde cable car, Powell–Mason cable car · 45 m, about 1 min walk
- MMason St & Washington StPowell–Hyde cable car · 120 m, about 2 min walk
- BMontgomery Street BART0.6 mi, about 15 min walk
Transit directions, including buses
Nearest Muni Metro, streetcar and cable car stops and BART stations, from SFMTA and BART published stop data. Distances are straight-line, and walking times are our estimate. Buses aren’t listed here.
More in Chinatown
Coming up Nearby
- Syd Mead: Future Pastime Thu, Oct 8 – Dec 17 · Transamerica Pyramid Annex Gallery
- Chinatown Halloween Festival Sat, Oct 31 · Waverly Place (between Sacramento & Washington Sts)
- Popovich Comedy Pet Theater Sun, Dec 6 · Great Star Theater
Places in the Neighborhood
- Chinese Historical Society of America Museum Museums
- Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory Ice Cream & Treats
- Jessica Silverman Art Galleries
- Willie “Woo Woo” Wong Playground Parks & Playgrounds
Mentioned in Our Guides
Cite this page: Project SF, “Chinatown/Him Mark Lai Branch Library”, projectsf.com/listings/chinatown-him-mark-lai-branch-library/ (updated ).