New York Public Library – New Amsterdam Library

Wonderful place to bring your child and you won’t misplace them. Children section is very small but comfy.

I’m in here as I type this review from a laptop they have available for use. I needed to return a library book plus I needed to browse the internet. I came here, returned the book, then tried to make a reservation for one of the desktop computers. The wait time was over an hour and I needed to be somewhere by 2:15.
I knew from looking at the public library website that some branches do have laptops available for public use. SO I went back to the circulation desk to ask and thankfully they do have laptops available. They just asked to scan the bar code on my library card and I have it for 45 minutes.

Location is close to my job. Easy to find. Self-​service reserve section and self-​check out. Easy drop off.

I haven’t been here in over a year. Crowded, interior needs a make over. Customer service is not great depending on who you get. Needs improvement in organizing books and DVDs.

This is a really small NYPL location, and I only use it to pick up books I put on hold. The lines can get a little rough at lunch and 5pm, but overall it goes pretty quickly. They don’t seem to carry many popular books or movies here, and I get the feeling that the branch mainly caters to downtown employees who want to pick up hold requests. They do have a little computer area that seems pretty popular.

Been a while since I’ve been to this branch. Really sad and disappointed what they ended up doing with this location. What happened to the once cool children’s nook? Also, the reading section in the back with the sofa? Where did all the books go? Sad. Also rude staff behind the desk; apparently you should stand far from the counter and make up your own imaginary line and be called by any staff behind the desk — if they choose to acknowledge you — to return or borrow a book. Ridiculous.

I just came back from the New Amsterdam branch of the NYPL. I went there to return some books and pay a small fine. After being in line for about ten minutes and realizing that the line was barely moving I decided to drop the books in the dropbox and pay the fine another time.
I got out of the line and went to the drop box and tried to open it but it was completely jammed. I tried a couple of times but it wouldn’t budge so I walked up to the counter and told the lady that it wasn’t opening and asked her if I could just leave my books on the counter. She told me that I had to put it in the drop box and «to give it a couple of whacks and pull upward.» I went back and did that and it still didn’t work. (All of this was very loud and disruptive to the other patrons). I went back to the counter, asked again if I could leave it there or what she suggested I do and again they told me that I had to find some way to put it in the drop box or I would have to wait in line to return it (the line that I had already waited in for ten minutes and was about thirty minutes long).
At this point there were 5+ other patrons with me making a raucous trying to bang and pry the thing open while the library staff just stared at us. I managed to squeeze my two books through a tiny slit in the front as they were very thin and left while the other 5 people were still trying to get the thing open. It was the pretty ridiculous even by NYPL standards.
I reserve my books online and pick them up/​drop them off here because its close to my work. The line is always ridiculously long, most of the people inside are homeless and the staff is super ghetto. If you can, use another branch.

I had wanted to drop a star for the ironic fact that no branch in the NYPL system, including this most dreadful one, carries «Party Girl,» aka the Parker Posey LIBRARY movie (though they do carry every other film in which she stars, such as the straight-​to-​dvd «The OH in Ohio»), but alas I cannot go any lower than one star.

I usually go here to pick up items that I cannot find at the BPL. There is a newly renovated section to sit down and they also have free wifi which seems to be a fast connection so props for that. Their collection is small but like any library you can request materials from any branch in the entire NYPL system.

One of the smaller library branches I have been to, but it kind of makes it cozy.
It’s never been crowded the couple of times I have been there, and they have a large selection of movies, but a smaller selections of books. I suppose this would be a good location to pick up holds, and it is also a place to grab free wi-​fi.

If you’re looking for a place to find homeless singles, this is the place…
I’ve known about the great library hustle for a long time:
A) Find a book /​dvd /​cd that you want
B) Reserve it online
C) Pick it up at the local library of your choice
I use this library because it is close to work and I always make the mistake of coming here at the busiest times (12pm and 5pm). It is starting to resemble a Bronx bodega drug front — the shelves seem emptier each time I go. Hopefully they’re not consolidating and shutting the location down… where else will the homeless singles congregate?

One of the busiest libraries in the NYPL system. The space is small, but still manages to have lots of seating. Like most people that use this branch I reserve books and DVDs online and pick them up here. This is not a good place to do research or to use a computer. The best thing about this branch are the people that work here (let’s give a shoutout for Local 1930!). They are incredibly helpful, courteous & professional. Despite the long lines when you walk into this branch at lunch time, the staff works quickly & diligently to get people in & out quickly.

Super tiny library. Staff is ah.unique. Can get quite smelly since homeless people like to take refugee in here. I usually come here to pick up my books and that is it.
This is a LIBRARY. Not the best but it’s still free so 3 star for you! :)

definitely not the best branch but i come because this is what’s closest and where i have all my books sent. i’m pretty sure they don’t have A/​C… and if they do, they must not use it. i’m also annoyed at how slowly they file away the reserved books. i find myself combing through the un-​shelved books trying to find my reserved books. and when they DO shelve them, it’s not always in order. kind of annoying, but i’m stuck because of it’s proximity to my apt.

A
Tiny
Library
With few outlets
And below average number of nuts.

You’re my secret library, that harbors my books for a quick pick up.
What would I do without you?
Your staff is polite and patrons are quiet. I can not value you enough.
Eternally yours,
DM

After enduring three frustrating and draining hours of battling with the MTA, I finally arrive at New York Public Library’s New Amsterdam Branch. This library is quaint yet able to accommodate numerous students and contains an auditorium to host small events like open-​mic poetry readings, book readings, book signings, et al.
The auditorium is small and doors are locked for late comers, like myself – blame it on the MTA, I was able to grant access with a knock where I recited two of my recent poems.

This place is horrible! It’s tiny and they only have 2 tables with outlets for laptops. All other seating is child size… seriously, like the same stuff we had at the pre-​school I used to work at.
To top it off, there was no AC and I heard a fan going, but I didn’t actually feel it.

I love this branch, one of the first to offer wi-​fi. I used to work for the NY Public Library system, I performed at every branch in the Bronx and Manhattan at least twice and this is a decent one, reasonably clean. Not that big, but still, they keep a good grip on keeping the smelly people out, and the kids room is great, as are all the library locations, no matter where you are in NYC.

This is a teeny tiny little slip of a library. I would occasionally come here during my summers home from college to check out books, but it was always a bit of a trek from my neighborhood. I don’t think I even came here during high school since our school’s library was about three times as large and much better stocked with research material. If anything, I’d go up to the Donnell branch in midtown.
So what is this library really good for? Well, there’s very limited seating, but I suppose if you can score a spot at one of the tables, you’re all set. From what I remember though, this branch was usually occupied by at least one very smelly, slumbering homeless person, and considering the size of the space, it’s not an odor you can easily escape. Nothing against the homeless or anything — libraries should be safe havens for everybody — but it can be a bit distracting.
They have a small children’s section in the corner where someone will have storytime and read to the kids. That’s always nice, isn’t it? And I think they even have a small viewing room for some of the research material. I haven’t been here in years, though, so some of these details may have changed.
I don’t mean to rag on the NYPL system, honestly. I love libraries and I love spending time in rooms filled with books. But this branch could really stand a sprucing up, especially since it’s the only one in the Lower Manhattan area. And yes, I do realize that the library system probably does not get as much money as it deserves in order to do so, and I shouldn’t complain since it’s free (that alone earns it 3 stars). But c’mon, show the books a little respect, will ya?