Services & Programs

In addition to our in-person services, Mechanics' Institute Library currently offers additional services to members with special materials requests.

Purchase Suggestion

Our library's collection is meant to serve the interests and needs of our community. If you have a suggestion for a title to be added, whether a new release, a classic, or something you feel would add to our collection, please fill out this form. Our librarians will review and consider all requests.

Library by Mail - Outreach Services

Library by Mail - Outreach Services is a specially-funded service for Mechanics' Institute members who are unable to visit the Library due to illness, injury, or disability, or who are caring for ill, injured, or disabled family members.

The Library by Mail program provides library materials by postal mail to members who cannot visit in-person. This program is strictly limited to registered participants and can be activated upon the completion of a simple form and a one-time registration fee of $25. If a Mechanics’ member is unable to afford the registration fee, it can be waived by contacting 415-393-0107.

Materials are mailed free of charge to members through a special service offered by the U.S. Postal Service. All library materials circulate to registered program members for six weeks. Participants are permitted four items per request.

To register for this program, please complete the registration form or call 415-393-0101 or email here. We will have you on your way to home-delivered library materials in no time.

If you'd like to contribute resources or to assist with this program, please contact 415-393-0102 or reach out via email.

Interlibrary Loan

Material that is not in Mechanics’ Institute Library’s collection may be borrowed from another library via interlibrary loan (ILL). In addition, while lending libraries as a rule do not loan entire journals or newspaper issues, copies of magazine or newspaper articles can also be requested. It takes between two to six weeks to fill an interlibrary loan request. The average loan period for materials is three weeks.

• Mechanics’ Institute Library does not borrow from institutions located within San Francisco that are freely accessible to the public.
• We do not borrow books internationally from libraries overseas, including eMaterials or scanned copies from journals.
• A maximum of five requests per member will be processed per month.
• All materials obtained through interlibrary loan are subject to the policies of the lending library and to international copyright laws.
• Members are responsible for paying any borrowing or copy fees set by the lending library plus shipping costs as needed. Members must indicate in the ILL request how much they are willing to pay for this service. Overdue fines for interlibrary loan materials are $.50/day.

To submit an interlibrary loan request, use the form below. If you have any additional questions please email.

Become A Member

Join as a new member today and receive 13 months of an annual membership in this time limited offer.  Explore our literary and chess events and access to our historic library.

Explore Membership Benefits