Somerville Public Library – West Branch

I love this libraries outstanding inter library loan program. Sometimes it’s a bit slow – takes almost a week – but that’s a small price to pay for a free book. Sometimes the guy behind the counter here comes off as a grump, but as is the case with everyone, they’re really nice once you dig deeper. It’s certainly not a state of the art facility, but they do a more or less good job. They also recommended everyone in the community read «the Martian», which thank god they did, because that book is incredible and I would have never read it otherwise. Advice: ramp up the website with some interactive professional help, and get more recommendations out to the locals!
Update: they literally have every book I’ve ever looked for– and movies and audio books too. Incredible. We’re lucky to have this. *adding one star!

I love this library but the man who works here is sort of rude. It doesn’t really go with the positive library vibes. I was here right when it opened the other week and there were at least 6 or 7 other people there at the same time right when doors opened. It was sort of beautiful– such proof that people still use and love libraries. But once I asked the man who worked there if there was another floor besides the first floor and he told me no. Then I went back and discovered that there was indeed an upstairs. And most recently I asked him when my books were due and he tersely told me to look at the receipt– the receipt he had just watched me ball up and throw away. It was weird.
Anyways a good library all in all, but the experience could be a bit better.

We really enjoy this library. The staff in the children’s room are always really friendly, and it’s a greatly little space that they have set up downstairs. I am admittedly much less familiar with the adult sections of the library, since I’m usually there with a child in tow.
I know that there are plans to renovate the library in the near future, and I look forward to seeing what they plan to do (although I hope that it won’t have a big impact on the «old» feel of the building).
I do wish that they wouldn’t keep the bathroom locked (especially if they don’t have someone at the front desk at the children’s room, where the bathroom is located). Since they give the key to anyone who asks, and it often just gets handed off between people waiting for the bathroom, I’m not sure why they keep it locked, and if there’s no one covering the children’s room, the key is up at the main desk (which would be less of a problem if it didn’t involve hauling a child who urgently needs to pee up and down the spiral staircase…)
The hours can be a bit of a bummer as well. I found out the hard way one week that they are only open 2pm-​6pm on Fridays. I had one very sad kid that evening.

I am trying to be a good Somerville resident and support my local library, but this branch makes it hard to do so. The rule that you can only renew a book twice, regardless if there are 5 other copies on the shelf or not, is just downright pointless. The book I have been reading has 4 other copies sitting on the shelf at this current branch! In addition there were no reservations for this particular book that would hinder a renewal. What was accomplished by having me return the book? Following rules for the sake of following them? So much for a friendly, neighborly establishment. I will go back to buying books at the local bookstore– it’s too much of a headache to do otherwise.

You ever read one of those reviews where the star rating and the body just don’t gel?
«Food was awesome. Spicy where it needed to be, and bursting with flavor. Servers smiled all the time and never let our water empty. Couldn’t believe how cheap the final bill was — four people with a beer each for under $ 80? This place is my new favorite!» Two stars.
Huhsaywha?
Well strap in, faithful reader. I’m about to get all up on irrational rationale.
What makes this building, nay structure, so lovable is that every element begs to be hated. The musty smell, the division of materials, the sticky anachronistic keyboards that seem to transfer data at the speed of traffic.
Author (hourglass) «B-​E-​N…» (hourglass) «D-E-R-,-A» (hourglass) «I-​M» (hourglass) Oh for fuck’s sake. (Shhhh!) Sorry.
It’s just an old codger of a library, tech adverse with silent screams to the olden days of handwriting hold requests and putting ultraviolent graphic novels in the kids section because «that’s who reads comic books.» They never have the book you want, but maybe, if you’re lucky, they’ll slip you the first season of The Wire on DVD and Kenny G’s Hits on wax.
So grumpy, so old, so… adorably primitive? Anyway, I get my books here. You should too.

I can have books from anywhere in the Minuteman library system delivered to a mausoleum-​style building located within walking distance of my house? Uhm, okay!
Yeah, it’s a pretty lousy library in and of itself… but since we’re all lucky enough to be living in 2010, that doesn’t really matter. Internet technology and a hyper-​efficient mail system makes this library a lot bigger than it seems. Also, it’s one of the few public restrooms in Davis Square that won’t make you feel guilty for walking out without buying something. I’m a fan!

This is my new neighborhood library. I’ve only actually browsed here once as I usually put holds on things I want and pick them up here. For a branch library, they have great hours, they’re even open until 9 two nights a week! The staff is very friendly. I once was behind someone I knew in line who is a regular from way back and they bent over backwards to find what she needed. Good stuff.

Time to ditch the massive VHS collection, SPL.
This place seems a bit outdated, and not just because of the video cassettes. Yeah, that would take some money for the community, but a good library is worth it (though I hear there’s another nearby).
I’ve sat here a few times, spending several hours doing nothing but taking advantage of their free wifi.
I did, however, take some time to survey the limited book selection, and peek downstairs on my way to the bathroom. I wish this place had the budget, because it’s got a lot of potential to be really nice.

This branch of the Somerville Public Library definitely needs some upgrading. After years of using the main branch, I find this one very small and a very limited selection. I understand that libraries are funded and the city has to delegate more money for this and for that. Well please do so! The Audio Visual Selection of CDs and DVDs is tiny, while they do have a huge selection of VHS, nobody has a VHS player anymore!
I find the layout of this branch rather confusing and not well labeled, I know my way around a library. My first job was in a library all through high school. I just wish they’d put more money and effort into improving their library because it seems all I do now is look up online from home what I want, request it, wait for the email to say its in, and pick it up. I miss the days of spending hours roaming the stacks until something called out to me.

I am really happy to have a library so close to me, and this place is small, but they have many of the classics here. Whenever I come in, the librarians are very helpful, and if I can’t find a book I would like I can order it from another library through inter-​library loans. Although this library is very old and not very conducive to sitting down and reading a book, it gets the job done. This place could use a little more love, but with so many local libraries closing down lately, I can’t really complain.

i am a recent rediscover-​er of this thing called a «library»! after living in somerville for four years now, i am proud to say i finally have a SPL card. i’ve only spent about ten minutes in their physical location, but the card is still powerful (actually it’s not even a card, it’s a tag for my keychain), letting me browse books online and request anything from the minuteman network. so far, i’ve checked out Monsoon Wedding and ten travel guides on Singapore (hey, these are expensive). i feel like i’m abusing the system, but they didn’t give me any nasty looks.
it’s really easy to check the book status online, and they send you emails when your request has arrived. my newest awesome discovery: museum passes! you can check out passes for the MFA, Isabella Stewart, Peabody Essex, Harvard Museum of Art, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Aquarium, Museum of Science, the list goes on… (you have to get these from the main branch on highland). how awesome is that!
there is room for improvement, but i don’t blame them for that. it’s not an especially cozy place to hang out or study, and the selection is small so it’s better to request books. the weekday hours are pretty good (open till 9pm on mon & thurs), but they are closed on weekends :(still, it’s a great free resource to take advantage of.

A cute little library right outside of the Davis T stop, but they don’t have a lot of room or books inside. Lots of chairs to sit in and read the books. It is also a fairly small place with some odd hours, but having a library in the area is always a good thing.

I endorse and/​or echo the comments voiced here.

This branch has the STUPIDEST F*CKING HOURS EVAR.
I’m sorry, i get it, you can’t staff all branch libraries every damn hour of the day, but the hours at the West Branch are not only paltry (to say the least) but are COMPLETELY FREAKING ARBITRARY.
Want to go on Monday to pick up your book from interlibrary loan? Well you’re in luck my friend– we’re open from 10AM to 9 at night! Hooray!!! Oh, did you have some other Monday commitment? No problem, why don’t you stop by on Wednesday! Oooooh, sorry man. Nice try, but we keep a strict 2−6PM policy on Wednesdays. It’s just the way we roll. And same with Fridays. Oh, did you say you wanted to pop by on Saturday? Yeah, tough sh*t. We take the weekends off too. Try next Monday!
I mean, for the love of God, the whole point of branch libraries is that it makes it more CONVENIENT for local residents to pop by and grab a book. Instead, it would have been more than worth my time to drive/​walk/​crawl/​take the 88 down to Somerville Central and grab that damn copy of Yo, Rigoberta Menchu. I’ve learned my lesson. And seriously: how much $$$ does it take to staff the library? $ 10 an hour? Seriously. Time to call 311 Direct.
ANGST! OUTRAGE! ENTITLEMENT TO MY BOOKS!!!111 111

Viva la biblioteca!
I love libraries, but wish they were better funded. I particularly wish this one were open longer hours (weekends and more weeknights). Also I’ve been frustrated by how slow and inefficient some of the staff members are.
Still, the this library delivers the things that are really important to me. It’s located near the Davis T stop, and you can use it to borrow and return items from the Minuteman system.