Columbus Metropolitan Library – Northside Branch

This is my new location while my beloved Main Library is under renovation. Neighborhood branch, its small but charming. Favorite material not available? Just asked for it to be shipped to your local, favorite branch.

Happened to be right next door when I went to Daredevil Dogs, so of course I stopped in.
It’s small, but has a decent array of stacks. They had the free papers, and a tiny magazine section. Service was very friendly. The computers were all in use mid-​afternoon, even before grade school was out; college students? Job seekers?
Parking is handy and easy to access. It’s a nice building, and a handy location. Not much else to recommend it.

As a qualifier to my review, my standards for libraries are very high. I like for a library to have great selection, and this is not the particular branch for that. This branch is tiny. It’s not bad, per se. It’s clean and presentable inside. But certainly it is tiny without much to choose from, be it books or media. I understand the need for a place like this with the area it’s in, but unless you live right near it, probably you’re better off at a library closer to you.

Their book selection is awful. The library is so small already, maybe only five rows of books, so why are the shelves always only half-​full? They have a nice selection of kids books in there, but then they put kids books in the adult section too, so there’s really not much selection at all if you want to read something deeper than a cookbook. I suppose it’s fine if you want to use the internet or print something.

This is only the second Columbus Metro Library we have been to since getting our library cards almost a year ago, no idea why we waited this long!
Again probably not the best out of the many branches Columbus has to offer.
It is pretty small but the selection for my son was great.
He got his own library card and for an 8 year old that is pretty exciting to have the first real (he thinks credit) card with his name on it that he got to sign and keep in his wallet.
He close 10 movies and I got some books for him that we had been wanting to get him, I love how they have the newest books and movies and that you can order and reserve them online.
The girls working are great, I can’t wait to check out the other locations to see which one I like best!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this tiny little library. There is also absolutely nothing spectacular about it. There is a reason everyone comments on its size; it really is tiny. Smaller than your high school library tiny.
But then, the books don’t seem to be the draw here. The main attraction is definitely the three rows of internet-​connected PCs, free to use with your library card. During the summer, at least, the waiting time can reach an hour or more as every station is taken over for use by virtual soldiers and the Facebook masses. C’mon, it’s my turn to check Facebook, guys.
It’s a great place to jump in if you need quick access to free wifi (you will need a library card and a PIN number to access the web once you connect to the router). BYODevice is a much surer option than the PC corral, all in all.
The thing that boggles my mind is that this branch (and apparently some others) are completely closed on Sundays. Sundays! That’s part of the weekend! Couldn’t it close on, say, a Tuesday? Who has a use for Tuesdays? Ah, well.
Wonderful little building, though, and worth a visit if you have an excuse for one– although probably not worth going out of your way to see.

The Columbus Metropolitan Library system is great in general. In fact, they’ve been ranked the number one library in the country three times by Hennen’s American Public Library Rating Index, including 2008. However, each branch has its own feel to it.
The Northside branch is sufficient enough. It’s the closest in proximity to me currently, which is why I frequent it. Of the branches that I’ve visited, I’d say Northside is the smallest. It has everything that the other branches do — WiFi, stacks, and Internet portals. I do have to give props to Northside because it has a few comfy chairs and a sofa to kick back on with my laptop. Not to mention the fairly large fish tank to gaze at while giving my eyes a break from looking at my laptop or reading a book or magazine.
Hear me out; there is nothing wrong with Northside. It’s a good little branch. The only downfall is it’s small and being in a heavily populated area, it’s always cramped.

The Northside branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library is probably the smallest library I’ve ever been too, and I grew up in Mansfield and went to school in Ada. There are maybe fifteen columns of shelves, each column having five actual rows of shelves. Whereas at a typical library you’ll find a whole aisle devoted to cooking or a whole aisle devoted to home repair, each section at the Northside branch is only about three feet wide, and the shelves aren’t even full. It’s skimpy to say the least.
The children’s corner takes up the front of the library. It’s colorful with a few good reading chairs, but it’s small as well.
There are adequate computer terminals, so if you just need to use the internet for a bit, this would be an okay place to go.
The study terminals are not very quite. There are usually people around chatting or helping each other absorb info for a quiz or test.
On the plus side, there’s a small fish tank there. This might sound silly, but I haven’t seen a fish tank in a library since I was little. It’s a bit nostalgic for me, and I really like it.
Right now, the branch is having a book sale. If you dig enough, you can find some good stuff. The prices are fair, and you’ll feel good about your purchases because the money will go towards the library.
Tip: The library is easy to pass by since it’s recessed a bit from the street. It’s just past the corner of King Ave and High St on the west side.