Glendale Public Library

Love the library! Librarians are super helpful and informative.
My favorite section, New Books, is sometimes lacking a quantity of books. The book sale area has good bargains. Books have doubled in price to two dollars for a hardback now. Somehow that seems a lot. Us folks who donate used books wouldn’t mind a discount. The lines to speak with librarian or purchase a book are long at times.
Don’t expect to find the charming Café. It was done away with a couple of years ago. It was the highlight for many of us library visitors to purchase a treat and sit there and peruse our borrowed books.

The locations and buildings of the library are beautiful. I love the Xeriscape Garden at the Main library with the peacocks – which they are also in the process of renovating to make it even more earth friendly by recycling rain water. The programs put on by the library look like a lot of fun, including the culture passes which allow a family to get a free ticket (monthly) to different museums and sites that usually cost a hefty amount of money. Also, the librarians here are very nice and helpful.
On the down side, the hours are strange, and I have noticed that the technology here is very outdated. Their catalog computers are ancient, and the website does not function well and seems to be set up in a very old format. I have also searched for more current literature here (published in the last two years) and not found much of what I am looking for.
I think that the hours and the old technology are both related to lack of funding. I will pay much closer attention to this as a voter, as I believe that literacy is a gateway to higher education, which all people should have access to.

Great library! The librarians are very friendly and helpful. The only thing I dislike about it is the odd hours. They are closed on Thursdays and don’t open until 1 on Fridays. Strange.

Glendale has 3 well stocked libraries. My wife always gets her fair share of audio books (she drives 1 – 3 hours per day to do home visits with young children). I’ve gone through the Alera series and am currently working on Wheel of Time. We’ve managed to even (eventually) borrow season 2 of Game of Thrones.
The area outside has several interesting hangouts. I just wish the little coffee shop would come back!

Go here for the books. Go for the little café nook in the front. They DO have good coffee and little snacks so it’s like going to Starbucks without the Starbucks name. That’s all fine.
What I want to talk about is outside the library and why this is the best library in all of Phoenix. There are winding paths in front, to the side and behind the library. They have created a xeriscape garden where you can view and learn about more exotic desert plants. They have a rare Chinese silk floss tree. (see the three attached pics) I recommend getting a coffee AND strolling these parts. Don’t worry about the heat. There’s lots of shade. Oh yeah, and they have peacocks wandering the parking lot and they aren’t shy.
Behind the library is a gate going directly to Saguaro Ranch. It’s a Victorian era house rumored to be haunted. There’s a huge orchard and a funny little outhouse. You have to make a reservation to go through the house. The rest is free. So the big thing about this library is the exterior.

This library is great! They have an awesome selection of audio books, being my #1 pull in. They have a little café outside that is handy if needing a latte or a snack. The workers are incredibly helpful, and it’s super convenient to my house. I am there at least once a month, and will surely be regarded as a regular soon :)

everyone here is always very helpful and professional, especially in the children’s department which is why we are usually there.

The Glendale Public Library is an excellent facility. In front it’s educational xeriscape gardens guarded by chickens and peacocks. Inside it’s coffee and snack bar, community meeting rooms, digital, book and periodical resources. It is an excellent place. Get there before budget cuts get it!
My pics on Yahoo! Local: