New York Public Library – Columbus Library

I’m a big library user. Always have been. Must be the nerd inside me. Oh, who am I kiddin’, I’m a Full Blown Nerd. Yeah, I read books. Lots of them. Yeah, I hang out at The Strand a lot, as well as Forbidden Planet, but I ain’t rich and don’t have the money to buy all the books I want. I love the NY Public Library System. Some branches are better stocked than others, but the worst one in my humble opinion is the Columbus Branch on 51^st & 10^th Ave in Hell’s Kitchen.
Why the 1-​star? Well, for a library, they have practically nothing. What I use them for as far as books are concerned is to go pick-​up books that I’ve ordered from other library branch locations since I live just a short 5 minute walk away. I use their branch mostly in the summer when I want to get some free AC and work on my computer, as, like all branches, they have free WiFi. However, nearly without exception, there’s ALWAYS been some kinda incident going on in the library when I go there. Most recently I was there writing an article and someone at a table next to me literally lit up a cigarette and started smoking. Really. The elderly security guard came over to ask the guy to leave but they guy was belligerent and I thought he was gonna hit the security guard. One of the librarians called the police and two cops came in and ended up arresting the guy.
I’ve seen loads of other things going on there. Homeless people coming in hanging out and sometimes sleeping, kids yelling and being disruptive, and just general bad behavior in general by the library patrons. Of course the library is a public place, and, just like Starbucks, harbors many homeless people. The men’s bathroom is so putrid that I literally go home if I need to use the can. I truly feel sorry for the elderly security guard as his job is a joke. The librarians also have my sympathy for they have to put up with a lot of crap.
I think one reason for all the bad behavior and incidents that happen there is that the library is literally across the street from a housing project. I have no issue with housing projects as everyone needs a place to live, and I myself am in a low-​income HUD building, but I truly feel a lot of the problems come from the housing project community across the street.
I no longer go to the Columbus Branch except to pick-​up an occasional book that I ordered. I just don’t like the headache.

It’s a library, so it’s got that going for it, but it’s not the most inspiring library. It feels very middle-​school institutional, rather than feeling larger than life and unto a world of its own like the Mid-​Manhattan Library does.

I wish I could’ve given this place a 3.75 because its actually not that bad. First off its extremely close by to my job which makes it easy to drop by when I wander away from my work. I also noticed that its extremely neat and organized at this location and above all clean. A clean NYC library is nice considering some of them are dirty daycare’s for NY’s homeless /​mentally ill. I really didn’t notice the sound issue some where complaining about. I mean why would you expect a library to be quiet these days? Most people ignore rules and have no respect whether they’re a child or grown adult.
Pros: The librarian with the brownish curly hair was super helpful and not rude like most. She was cute too! ;)
I will visit again.

Unfortunately, I come every so often here if I’m in the neighborhood. The staff are great and very attentive but the high school kids that go there are animals. These ghetto kids need to learn how to act like humans when they are in a public place. They have been shushed many times by the staff but that didn’t seem to help. They have been talking excessively loud and cell phones keep going off despite the security guard calmly asked them to set it on vibrate. What this branch needs are NYC police officers to tame these beasts.

It’s the loudest library I have ever been to. Kids running around laughing and pushing each other… Even the people behind the desk speak in loud voices to the customers. It’s really irritating as it’s a LIBRARY… It’s my local library so I really hope the manager will read this…

Libraries are supposed to be quiet places, where you can bring/​grab a book and study. Not this one.
There are people who go to this library to chat and play games on their phones (with sounds on). And they do it sitting at the table, surrounded by all this other people trying to concentrate.
And it doesn’t make any difference if you try to talk to the staff about it.
I wasted my time at this branch. If you have to choose between this place and a construction plant to study, go with the second.

This library is a huge upgrade from the Brooklyn Public Library I grew up around. This place offers free wifi, and I think even computer rentals (don’t quote me on this). I’ve been here a few times to study.
It’s not an amazing study space because there’s always a weirdo jeopardizing everyone’s study space by either
1.talking on the phone
2. listening to very loud music (w/​or w/​o head phones)
3. breathing very heavily.
The librarians try hard to keep the place in good shape and are generally really friendly. They offer cushy chairs by the librarians desk and it’s usually quieter there. But if you have a laptop and want to charge it there, good luck.
Bottom line: I would go back to this place to study if I don’t feel like buying a cup of coffee to sit at a café and do it.

A variety of seating options for working, studying, or reading and relaxing. Not a huge collection of books in stock, but as you’ll see near the check-​out counter, many people place reserves and requests for books they want from other parts of the district and pick them up when they arrive. There’s a computer lab downstairs and some computers on the main level that require a library card ID number or a guest pass that can be used once per day. Photocopies can be made on the main floor at the end of the magazine and newspaper racks. I didn’t venture to the second floor where the children’s activities and story time areas were, but the bulletin board near the door seemed to have plenty of happenings during the month that kids and parents could partake in.

Ah, my local library. I’ve actually never come here and borrowed a book, but I have stopped by here many times to return books. Oh the beauty of a public library. In this day and age, you hardly hear of anyone going to the library, let alone kids reading books. Nowadays, it’s all about your eBooks. Well, that’s fine with me because that means less people are going to be in the library!
The Columbus branch is located right in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen. It’s not a large branch, so the selection is actually pretty sparse. The times that I’ve been here browsing for a book, I ended up walking away empty handed. On the bright side, if you go to
, you can just place holds on books and have them delivered to any branch in the city. Another thing that’s a bummer is that it has limited hours in comparison to some of the other branches, so if you’re looking to stop by here and return/​borrow some books, you better check to see if they’re open first.
On the bright side, it’s never packed here. People are either hovering around the aisles or surfing the internet and looking at random videos on YouTube. Not a bad NYPL branch, but there really isn’t much here either.

cute little library, located in hell’s kitchen.
Small and cozy, helpful staff!

It’s the typical public library. It’s close to where I live so I drop by when I need to pick something up.

It’s my neighborhood library and I love it. It’s not the fanciest, and the selection isn’t always fresh, but I love that it’s nearby and the staff is friendly. And they have movie and book clubs.

Not one of the better libraries.
A bit small, but it is close (if you live nearby) but you can always place a book on hold and have it delivered here.
If you’re impatient and can’t wait, you can always just hop on a bike and head to one of the many branches that may have your book and get it today.

Small library, but it had the book I wanted, and you don’t have to get searched and scrutinized like you do in Mid-​Manhattan.
Limited number of comps to look through the catalog, however.

A very cozy branch of the NYPL system. I love that it’s only a few blocks from my apartment, and their hours are pretty decent in spite of the budget cuts. While many of the staff here seem somewhat surly, one younger man in particular is INCREDIBLY nice and helpful. Here’s to you sir! *holding up a pint in one hand, and my recently loaned library book in the other*

This is one of the smaller NYPL branches I’ve been to, but it’s a decent one. There are lots of tables to sit and some computers for public use. Bottom floor always seems really crowded with people reading and surfing the net.
Book selection is so-​so, I usually place an online hold and pick up here when it arrives. Holds shelf is conveniently placed just steps away from the checkout desk

its an okay place. the computers are always taken, and they never have/​carry the book or movie im looking for. they have a nice childrens section, and when theres a book sale u can find very interesting old books for such a low amount of cash. i also like the artwork they display on the walls every few months.

I stopped by to do some LSAT related studying before work yesterday. It’s a very small library with limited areas to sit down and study. It looked like they had an extensive kids area… the second floor was devoted to them. If I’m in the area and need some quiet I’ll be back, but I don’t expect to find a very big book selection here.

Nothing fancy, but very comforting. Rent a movie, read a ratty copy of People magazine or something similar, borrow a popular book.