New York Public Library – Countee Cullen Library

I feel like I am in the library of a small developing poverty stricken country. The Congo probably has a better library. Wtf?

This branch is very close to my apartment, but the service is awful! There’s no drop-​off box for returning books after hours, but the real problem is the staff. Surly and without an ounce of ‘customer service’. There is no «Hello, may I help you?», it’s «Next» while staring vacantly at the computer screen. You have to call out to get their attention (to return a book) and when they do get off their stools and waddle over, it’s as if they are doing you a favor.

I use this branch frequently as it is so close to my apartment. I have consistently found everyone who works here to be friendly and helpful. The check-​out and return process has always been quick and I have never had any problems. The selection isn’t vast, but placing a «hold» on the NYPL website gets the book sent from any branch to Countee Cullen promptly and I am usually able to pick my book up after work since this branch stays open until 8 p.m. Monday-​Thursday. I do wish it were open past 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and not closed completely on Sundays. But I’ll take what I can get. I’m happy to have a library with friendly employees within walking distance of my home, and the lack of selection doesn’t bother me since you can use the
website to get anything you need sent to your closest location!

Came by to drop off my son for a Manga Seminar. We couldn’t get out of the car… never again

This library is not closed, Unilocal.I live a scant two blocks from here, and am a regular patron despite its scant resources. There is only one stack for general fiction. One stack. The rest of the main level consists of one stack reference, one non fiction, one mystery sci-​fi, a small new section and a whole wall of African American work, which strikes me as a bit unnecessary as the Schomburg African American Research Library is on the same block. In general, it’s a pathetically small selection that’s far too heavy on pulp fiction-​y looking crap. That means I have to order a lot of things from other branches, which generally works out ok although I’ve had one book that mysteriously never showed up and another that has been «in transit» for weeks now.
It’s also really noisy in here. Like, I came in once and was like, woah what’s wrong, until I realized that it was just the silence that was freaking me out.
Finally, there’s no drop off bin for after hours. This is the 21^st century in the greatest city in the world, and they haven’t figured out a way to let library patrons return books and tapes after normal business hours? FAIL.
All in all, I’m glad that there is a library so close to my house and that I have access to the New York Public Library’s vast collection, but this particular branch is clearly underfunded and a poor example of a great institution.