Library and Community Services provides a diverse array of lifelong learning and recreational opportunities for Menlo Park residents of all ages, abilities, and lived experiences. We employ skilled and qualified personnel, supported by contracted help and an extraordinary corps of community volunteers to deliver high-quality public services to the Menlo Park community including libraries, recreation, sports, early childhood education, after school programs, youth camps, senior programs, athletic fields and courts, community events, and aquatics.
Library and Community Services
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
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The City of Menlo Park operates two public library facilities, Menlo Park Library and Belle Haven Library. Services at both locations include physical and digital book lending, technology access, study and learning spaces, literacy support and tutoring,
cultural and educational programs that support lifelong learning, intellectual curiosity, and discovery. Belle Haven Library's features also include a makerspace, teen zone, tutoring room, classroom, and conference room.
Visit the library webpage
The City of Menlo Park provides a wide range of recreation and sports
programs for all ages and interests. Indoor and outdoor recreation facilities host community classes at reasonable rates, for example health and wellness, dance, youth and adult sports, youth gymnastics, music, drama, art, lifelong learning and more. The Belle Haven Community Campus features include a public gymnasium, senior center, movement studio, fitness center, and aquatics center.
See the Activity Guide
The Belle Haven Child Development Center provides licensed, subsidized early childhood education and development services for income-qualified children ages three to five years. A daily nutritious breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack are essential for health and wellness, while the activities at the center support the socio-emotional, physical, and cognitive age-appropriate development of children and their families. This program is funded in part by grant funding from the State of California.
The Menlo Children’s Center provides licensed early childhood education for children ages 18 months through five years. The program's daily curriculum include activities to nurture the socio-emotional, physical, and cognitive age-appropriate development of the children, as well as a nutritional component.
Belle Haven Youth Center provides licensed after-school care for children in grades K-5, and full-day summer camp programs. Nutrition, homework support, and activities that support the development of the whole child. The Belle Haven Youth Center is located inside of the Belle Haven Community Campus. Newly constructed and opened in 2024, the Belle Haven Community Campus location includes the youth center, a gated outdoor play structure, kitchenette, and easy access to a new children's library, makerspace, and other recreation programs.
Menlo Children's Center After-school Program provides licensed after-school care for children in in grades K-5, and full-day summer camp programs.
Nutrition, homework support, and daily activities support the socio-emotional, physical, and cognitive age-appropriate development of the whole child. The Menlo Children's Center is located on the Burgess Park Campus and is within easy walking distance of outdoor parks, a duck pond with ducks, turtles, and fish, and the Arrillaga Family Gymnastics Center where children enjoy mini-outings.
Menlo Park Senior Center provides activities and services for Menlo Park residents ages 55 and up. Programs include weekday nutrition program and meal service, health and wellness, social activities, arts and crafts, language learning, dance and fitness classes, telephone wellness checks, transportation, and food pantry distribution.
The Menlo Park Senior Center is housed inside of the Belle Haven Community Campus and features a senior center lounge, dining hall, movement studio, all-ages public library, indoor/outdoor gathering places, makerspace, aquatics center, and a full-time nutrition coordinator dedicated to providing seniors with affordable, delicious, high-quality, nutritionally balanced lunches.
In 2024, the City of Menlo Park and its partners completed the construction of a new multi-service public facility at 100 Terminal Ave in Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood. The project included 37,000 square feet of floor space on two levels, and incorporated a public gymnasium, senior center, branch library, aquatics center, youth center (school-age child care), fitness center, makerspace, meeting rooms, and event hall, among other features. The new multi-service Belle Haven Community Campus is certified LEEDS Platinum, all-electric, zero combustion, net zero energy facility with onsite renewable energy generation, battery microgrid, and electric vehicle charging stations, and its structural design is resilient to serve as an emergency shelter.
Menlo Park is home to many beautiful parks and open spaces, ranging from nature preserves to playgrounds, sports parks to picnic areas, and everything in between.
(PDF, 354KB)
Library and Community Services
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Library and Community Services is committed to being as transparent as possible and providing the public a clear understanding of our policies, procedures, and planning.
Department policies and procedures
Library and Community Services
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
LCS collects statistics and conducts surveys related to department activities. These data help to inform decision-making and improve services to the community. Statistical reports and surveys are reviewed by the Library Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission.
Description
|
Type
|
Date |
Link
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Library, Recreation and Parks Survey 2025(PDF, 4MB)
Preliminary report (PDF)(PDF, 4MB) | Raw data (XLS)(XLSX, 495KB)
|
Survey |
April 2025 |
View(PDF, 4MB)
|
| LCS Statistics 2025 (YTD)(PDF, 685KB)
|
Statistics |
Mar. 2025 |
View(PDF, 685KB)
|
| LCS Statistics 2023 - 2024(PDF, 169KB)
|
Statistics
|
Jan. 2023 - Dec. 2024 |
View(PDF, 169KB)
|
| Child Care Needs Survey 2024(PDF, 5MB)
|
Survey |
Nov. 2024 |
View(PDF, 5MB)
|
| Aquatics User Survey 2024(PDF, 3MB)
|
Survey |
Nov. 2024 |
View(PDF, 3MB)
|
| Menlo Park Library Annual Report 2023(PDF, 245KB) |
Infographic |
Nov. 2023 |
View(PDF, 245KB) |
Aquatics Annual Report 2022(PDF, 937KB)
|
Report
|
Apr. 2023 |
View(PDF, 937KB)
|
| Recreation and Community Programs Survey 2022(PDF, 3MB)
|
Survey
|
Sept. 2022
|
View (PDF, 3MB)
|
Tennis Court User Survey 2021(PDF, 1MB)
|
Survey |
May 2021
|
View(PDF, 1MB) |
Library and Community Services
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Library and Community Services provides a diverse array of lifelong learning and recreational opportunities for Menlo Park residents of all ages, abilities, and lived experiences. We deliver high-quality public services to the Menlo Park community including libraries, recreation, sports, early childhood education, after school programs, youth camps, senior programs, athletic fields and courts, community events, and aquatics.
We employ skilled and qualified personnel, supported by contracted help and an extraordinary corps of community volunteers.
Library and Community Services
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Library and Community Services uses strategic and master plans as tools to help guide department activities. Strategic and master plans establish department goals and priorities, provide transparency and ensure accountability to the public.
Strategic and master plans
Library and Community Services
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Library Commission
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Library Commission advises the City Council on matters related to the services, programs, and facilities of the City's libraries and library systems.
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Parks and Recreation Commission
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Parks and Recreation Commission advises the City Council on services, programs, and facilities related to the city's parks and recreation programs.
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Youth Advisory Committee
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The Youth Advisory Committee engages teens in civic activity by advising the Parks and Recreation Commission on recreational and service programs.
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Library Teen Advisory Group
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The informal Teen Advisory Group (TAG) shares ideas for library programs and events for teens.
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Volunteer support
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Community volunteers generously give their time, talent, and resources to enhance services and resources to the community. Volunteers provide hands-on support to senior center programs, library programs, homework help, community events, recreation programs, adult literacy and language learning.
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Little Free Libraries
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Dozens of volunteer households across Menlo Park support free access to books and reading through a grassroots network of Little Free Libraries.
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Organized charitable fundraising
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Friends of Menlo Park Library and Menlo Park Library Foundation are all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organizations whose sole mission is to fundraise and support Menlo Park Library programs, services and capital projects.
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