Friends of the Golden Gate Library

Friends of the Golden Gate Library Golden Gate is the neighborhood library for Emeryville and the Golden Gate neighborhood community. We are a branch of the Oakland Public Library.

The Golden Gate Branch was one of the first neighborhood libraries to be established by the City of Oakland in 1899. With funding from the Carnegie Foundation, the 7,000 square foot, 2-story building, at 5606 San Pablo Avenue, was originally built and dedicated in 1918. Golden Gate has approximately 35,000 books, compact discs, videos, DVDs, audio cassettes, and magazines and newspapers for all ag

es. Golden Gate houses the East Indian collection, which includes books for adults and children in Punjabi, Hindi, and Gujarati; a large collection of Bollywood films; and folk, pop, and classical music from India. The African American collection is one of the largest branch collections in the system. We also have a computer lab with thirteen

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library host the very popular Summer Jazz program, bringing first-class jazz musicians to the library for a series of free concerts on Sunday afternoons. The Friends also sponsor the library's ongoing book sale, known to our patrons as the greatest book sale in town. Proceeds from the book sale fund our annual Diwali celebration, programs and performances, and other library needs. Come visit us to enjoy our beautiful space, meet our friendly staff, and check out our books, movies, music, and more! Ongoing Library events:

Preschool Storytime: Wednesdays at 10:30
MoCHA Afterschool Art Program (drop-in): Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00
Baby Bounce, followed by playtime: Saturdays at 11:00
Poetry Freewrite with Emeryville Poet Laureate Janell Moon: Second Tuesdays, 6:15 p.m. Golden Gate Book Club: Fourth Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m. Free Tax Preparation by appointment: Thursdays 10:00-2:30, February - April

All Library events are FREE and open to the public.

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library is excited to announce our 2026 Jazz On Sunday concert series is coming this July...
03/31/2026

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library is excited to announce our 2026 Jazz On Sunday concert series is coming this July and August! A fabulous line up of Jazz musicians awaits you! A total of 9 concerts!

We receive great support from the Oakland Public Library and the City of Emeryville. But in order to continue Jazz On Sunday we need your help too!

Established over 30 years ago by the celebrated drummer Donald "Duck" Bailey, Jazz On Sundays has featured many great Jazz musicians and also provided stage experience for many young and upcoming Jazz musicians. Please support our 2026 Jazz On Sunday program now!

The Michael Jones Quartet provided a Holiday performance today at the Emeryville Senior Center! The band featured Ranzel Merritt (tenor sax); Spencer Allen (piano); Michael Jones (bass); and Randy Ranzel Merritt (drums). This Friends of the Golden Gate Library performance was sponsored by the City of Emeryville.

Friends Of The Golden Gate Library is preparing our 2026 July & August Concert Series. Grants are scarce! Please consid...
02/27/2026

Friends Of The Golden Gate Library is preparing our 2026 July & August Concert Series. Grants are scarce! Please consider making a donation to our GoFundMe!

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

Friends Of The Golden Gate Library are preparing our 2026 Jazz On Sunday Concert Series for this July & August. Grant f...
02/27/2026

Friends Of The Golden Gate Library are preparing our 2026 Jazz On Sunday Concert Series for this July & August. Grant funds are scarce this year. Please consider donating to our GoFundMe!

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

The Michael Jones Quartet provided a Holiday performance today at the Emeryville Senior Center! The band featured Ranz...
12/13/2025

The Michael Jones Quartet provided a Holiday performance today at the Emeryville Senior Center! The band featured Ranzel Merritt (tenor sax); Spencer Allen (piano); Michael Jones (bass); and Randy Ranzel Merritt (drums). This Friends of the Golden Gate Library performance was sponsored by the City of Emeryville.

After a little technical glitch our Jazz On Sundays fundraiser is now back up running again and awaits your kind donatio...
12/13/2025

After a little technical glitch our Jazz On Sundays fundraiser is now back up running again and awaits your kind donations!

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

12/11/2025

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

Jazz On Sunday's 2025 Summer Jazz Concert series ended with a bang! Our grand finale was provided by the Geechi Taylor ...
08/25/2025

Jazz On Sunday's 2025 Summer Jazz Concert series ended with a bang! Our grand finale was provided by the Geechi Taylor Quartet featuring Geechi Taylor (trumpet); Glen Pearson (piano); Ron Blecher (bass); and Howard Wiley (drums). Geechi's set included the Sinatra favorite The Best Is Yet To Come;
Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy (Geechi, vocals); Gigi Gryce’s Minority; Sam River’s Beatrice (performed by Glen Pearson);
When You Wish Upon A Star (performed by Ron Blecher and also song by the audience); and God Bless The Child (sang by Geechi's father John Taylor). A great performance before a full house! The band was introduced by Friends of the Golden Gate Library president Michael Jones. Special thanks to FGGL volunteer Esther Green and Golden Gate Branch Library's Anna. Photos by Tim Burgess. 08-24-25.

The final Jazz On Sunday Youth Jazz Performance this year was the multi talented Young Musicians Choral Orchestra's Jazz...
08/25/2025

The final Jazz On Sunday Youth Jazz Performance this year was the multi talented Young Musicians Choral Orchestra's Jazz Combo featuring Lukas Levine (13 yrs) bass; Luna Levine (10 yrs) vocals; Margret Kariuki (15 yrs) vocals & alto sax; Max Nguyen (17 yrs) piano & vocals; and Nimah Rowden (21 yrs) drums. According to their music instructor Geechi Taylor these young musicians each play many different instruments. The YMCO Jazz Combo's set included Blues By Five (Lukas, Maggie, Max and Nimah solos); Stolen Moments (Margret, sax); So What (Lukas & Max solos); Fly Me to the Moon (Luna vocals); Night and Day Max vocals); and Autumn Leaves (Luna vocals). The band was introduced by Friends of the Golden Gate Library president Michael Jones. Special thanks to FGGL volunteer Esther Green and Golden Gate Branch Library's Anna. Photos by Tim Burgess 08-24-25.

08/22/2025

Address

5606 San Pablo Avenue
Oakland, CA
94608

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12:30pm - 8pm
Wednesday 10pm - 5:30pm
Thursday 10pm - 5:30pm
Friday 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday 10am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+15105975023

Website

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