Allentown Public Library

This is probably, short of a few areas colleges, the nicest library in the LV by a long shot.
* There’s only one parking lot in the back of the building and while it’s not too large, I’ve never had trouble finding a space although if you did I guess you would be parking on the street which around here is kind of sketch.
* Nice longer hours being open until eight Monday thru Thursday.
* Nice sized children’s area on the second floor and if the noise level is a bit too much on the other side of the second floor there is an adult’s only area which is normally pin drop quiet.
* Now that the libraries in Allentown-​Bethlehem-​Easton have joined forces one library card allows you to borrow from all three and return books to all three very much hassle free.
* If there is one negative it would be that don’t come trying to use one of their computers for any online activities as while there are a good number of terminals they are regularly full and people camp out for what seems like forever.
* While a library has existed in Allentown for over one hundred years, the current building was built in the early 70’s and quite honestly it looks like it. Also, don’t let Google fool you into thinking that there are other Allentown library branches because this has been it since 2009 when deep state budget cuts forced the Emaus Avenue branch to close.
For right now this is our go-​to library when needed as everything is new-​ish, clean and the staff is very customer service orientated. What’s not to like?

I visit libraries primarily to utilize wi-​fi in a quiet setting, a place where I can get work done without feeling obligated to buy coffee or a magazine to justify my being there. I’ve found libraries are usually better places to «set up shop» if you have a full –size laptop with peripherals and want to settle in for more than an hour or two. In any case, I love the way this library is laid out architecturally. Lots of open space and availability of seating. The staff here is very helpful and there’s ample (free) parking. I do on occasion peruse the stacks and there’s a decent selection of material for general reference/​reading/​etc., pretty much what one would expect from a small city library.
Now, back to why I usually visit this library and why I’m taking two stars away. One, the wi-​fi is unreliable. There’s a pattern I’ve noticed with the wi-​fi here, once you initially login, the connection is great. However, on an intermittent basis, it tends to slow down the longer you stay logged in until eventually you need to log out and back in again just to continue your work. Not sure who the ISP is here, but I wish they’d either upgrade or fix this problem. Additionally, the filtering here will block out some web based e-​mail services, so you’re better off sticking with a mainstream service like g-​mail or yahoo.
The second star I’m taking away for the noise level. There’s a nice section in the back of the library where most people with laptops go that want to plug in and work. Since this area is out of the main view of the staff desk, it tends to attract people who want to have extended and sometimes very loud conversations on their cell phones, as well as the occasional assembly of obnoxious teenagers. In fairness, the staff is not paid to be baby sitters and there is often a police officer here as well to assist with unruly individuals. That being said, it doesn’t change the fact that there are too many disturbances, especially for a library of this size.

I’ve loved this library years ago as a little kid devouring books and I still love it now as an adult with a voracious appetite for the written word. I don’t visit as often anymore due to… life getting in the way I guess lol. The staff has always been very knowledgeable and helpful, and the selections are great.

–Excellent staff, very helpful with my young son.
–Great selection of DVDs and Music CDs

I love this library — of course, I like libraries in general, and what I love most about this particular library is that it is ‘mine’ now that I live in Whitehall. The first thing I locate when I move to a new town is the post office — second is the local library. The Whitehall library is a nice little library, but a little small for my taste. I was delighted to discover that I could take my Whitehall library card to the Allentown library and with the addition of a little sticker, I was good to go :-) One of the first things I learned about this library is the great DVD policy — 10 DVDs at a time for a week for free! Whitehall is 3 at a time for 3 days for $.50 each — quite a difference! They have lots of VCR tapes also for those of us who still have those antiquated VCRs. A nice choice of musical CDs is available and books on tape.
I have found the library staff to be uniformly helpful and pleasant to deal with. There is a book club that meets the 4^th Tuesday of the month — attendees have a voice in choosing the books, which is a nice incentive to attend. They have lots of computers for public use, and a nice touch is a few computers available for a quick jump online — 15 minutes is just enough time for me to get my email up and print out what ever I emailed to myself for printing since I have no printer at home, and I don’t have to wait in line for the longer-​use computers. Printing is only $ 10 a copy, which is very reasonable. You can also go upstairs near the children’s section and use that printer to print from a flash drive or use your own paper.
It only costs $.25 to reserve a book, and you can do it online from home at
. You can also check what books you have at home and renew online, a great convenience if you have books due and can’t make it to the library in time. You can also check online to see if they have a book that you want before you go and have them save it for you. I love the online feature so you can do searching, reserving, and renewing at home!
There is parking out front on the street and more parking in the back.