Santa Monica Public Library: Fairview050

The Fairview Branch Library, whose children's librarian was honored by the New York Times as the 2005 Children's Librarian of the Year, boasts a strong Spanish-language collection and offers excellent story times for children up to age five in English and Spanish.

The branch has a strong Reading Skills collection for emergent readers and a Youth Technology Center for students in grades 4-12, with supervised computer and homework support. The Spanish language collections support recreational and curriculum needs. Bilingual staff is available for reference inquiries and can help arrange tutoring, too. Activities include a highly successful Youth Chess Club and after-school, evening, and weekend programs for children, teens, and families.

Computers with Internet access and word processing capability are available, and the branch is also a hotspot for Wireless (WiFi) Internet access.

The public programs at this branch are particularly popular and often attract crowds to the branch's community room.