Baltimore County Public Library – Towson Branch

Our favorite public library. Large selection, helpful staff, well organized. Wish parking was free but cavy have it all! Coffee shop is nice bonus too.

This is a great library. Yes parking is slightly difficult; if you can take a bus or walk, do so. I am sad that my writing group no longer meets here; it is in such a great location. Love the Guggenheim-​esque design of the entrance, and there are tons of staff picks throughout the main floor. Huge Kids section. And a little café if you’d like a snack! I like the airy design of this building and it has lots of places to sit and read or work. Huge selection, and I love how you can request your books from different library branches and have them delivered to your «home» branch! So great. I have been able to get ALL the books on my list this way. And I love seeing what the staffers recommend!

Yes it’s big and great for families. But it’s not very quiet to study at and you also you have to pay to park.

This is a Baltimore County Public Library. It is the main library in the network of county libraries, so this tends to have the biggest selection of resources.
The library is a statuesque salmon/​sienna colored building. Inside it is even more fascinating. There is a ramp (think mini Guggenheim) that takes you from the York Road entrance up to the main part of the library. The ramp is lined with black and white historical photos of Towson. The library was built in the 60s, so you’ll get that 60s institutional vibe — open plan, bubble windows and concrete.
The library carries non-​fiction and fiction books, books on tape, reference material, videos, CDs, video games and more for children to adults. If you have a library card, you can use the computers and internet. They have FREE wifi here, too. Desks and tables are scattered throughout the library so you can enjoy a quiet space.
If you stay awhile, you can enjoy a coffee, tea, hot chocolate or snack at the adjoining café. It’s a great way to spend a few hours enjoying a coffee while reading without having the pressure to buy a book.
There is metered street parking limited to 2 hours. You can also enter the library from the garage. Garage parking is about $ 1 per hour and the first 15 minutes are free.

Baltimore County Public Library does pretty good. The new Perry Hall branch is awesome. It has a fireplace and a couple of meeting rooms, plus a load of new books. But I didn’t tell you that…