Amherst Main Library At Audubon

Great library I would say, although there is not so many books on professional level. You can find books about cooking, lots of fiction and biographies but not so much for career development, education or self development.
We pick up a lot of kids books for our little daughter and she totally loves it! Staff is extremely helpful, place itself is neat and has a great reading area.

I love this library. I will admit, during the earlier morning hours, there are all sorts of mommies and little kids wandering around, but if you’re not into dealing with that, go later in the day.
Before I come here, I go on the B&ECPL (
) to search for books in the catalog. No sense in spending hours searching (especially for books that are checked out) when I can be prepared when I arrive.
I’m a big fan of renting CDs from here, though these days the DVDs take over a good amount of space and often people sworm this area so it’s hard to get in. Another good opportunity to search the web catalog first!
Though I have a Kindle and iTunes and all the technology I could dream of, I still like coming here to rent a book or a CD. Instead of spending big American boffos on these materials, I like that I can rent stories and tunes to see if I really want to commit to them first.
So glad that libraries are open!!!

Nice and spacious with excellent facilities as do most of the libraries within the Erie County system. The doors to the open magically as you approach, suggesting an Aladdin’s cave of interest within. I imagine this was a consideration for those in wheelchairs and the elderly, but this is Amherst, so some of the housewives think this tres chic innovation was especially installed for them.
Along the main corridor, there are numerous community activities promoted on the bulletin board, with the flyers organized and posted by someone with severe and probably debilitating OCD. I was tempted to shift a flyer ever-​so-​slightly askew, but I thought the poster would have a heart attack when he /​she saw desecration of the board.
Selection even during an age when eBooks are a major challenge to the written word, there is an excellent selection, as DVDs and music on CDs. I betcha Amazon, Apple, and all other tech companies are waiting for the day when all this information is passé.
Everything seems wonderful until you deal with the librarian and staff, and it all goes downhill from there. Their attitude is unpleasant, and their assistance is minimal. What saves the day are the marvelous self scanners that enable the borrower to skip any human interaction, which is important here in avoiding the unpleasantness of some of the staff members. Roseanne Butler-​Smith, who is listed as the librarian for this branch, must be a piece of work to have staff like this.
(BTW: Similar to a quote by John Cleese in the program Fawlty Towers, «If they don’t like checking out books, why don’t they get themselves another bloody job — designing cathedrals or composing violin concertos. That’s it! The Audubon Library Concerto — in four movements, all of them slow, with a four-​hour tea-​break in between.»)

Beautiful setting if you’re longing for a bricks-​and-​mortar feel of the library. You have to make an effort to visit the library these days, since so much information is available at home, right on your computer.
Unfortunately, this library has always ailed in the customer service department. There are an awful lot of employees with the it’s-not-MY-department attitude. For instance, I forgot my library card (switched wallets recently before going out of town) and oh, boy, what a mistake. I’m just glad I’m not a person with some kind of social phobia, I imagine it would be rather difficult to ask for assistance if you had that problem, and especially to ask these people.
Of course I would have used self-​checkout if I had my card with me (it’s the only way they really want you to checkout) but it meant that the desk I approached was currently non-​staffed. So I went to the «Return» desk, figuring that person could pinch hit, but, oh dear, no. The Librarian was at her desk, but, oh dear, that was not her job, there SHOULD be someone up there. Or maybe in back. (Where is «in back» anyway? and why aren’t they «in front»?) Finally, another librarian jumped in, somewhat grudgingly to assist. The helper that was supposed to be there zipped in front of my helper to checkout someone else. It was a serenity prayer type of experience.
The library is well organized, there are plenty of what-​to-​do flyers announcing upcoming library events, ironically, a customer service poll and a single PENCIL where you can fill out your form and leave on the pile with the other ones. Hmm, wonder where the less-​than-​stellar reviews go, or is that the reason for the pencil and not a pen?
This place is handicapped accessible and the doors open like magic, no buttons to push. It’s quite serene, with all the windows, a nice place to snuggle up with a book, oh wait, the children. Yes, lovely as they are, the children no longer believe in quiet at the library, ever since it’s become a place to borrow media over books. The parents are too busy pawing through all the DVDs to mention that it might be relaxing to sit in a window spot and enjoy a book.
I think Audubon Library could step it up in the customer service area if they put their minds to it. It would seem so much more inviting, warm and welcoming if they’d only put out a glad-you’re-here, come on in, how can I help you?! attitude out there, rather than the I’m an introvert, I don’t like people, please don’t ask anything of me sense I get when I visit. After this visit, I wonder why I didn’t just go online and get what I wanted.

Ample space inside, relaxing air while quiet most of the time (wish the users can keep it that way — I really appreciate people who don’t stay chatting on phone while in a library) The computer is slow, so you have better bring your own laptop. A lot of collection to check out.