Oak Lawn Public Library

When I was a kid the library was one of my favorite places to go. I guess I have been out of the library scene for awhile because I was completely BLOWN AWAY by how nice this library is. The self check out was so fast that at first I thought I did it wrong. They even have a program where you can check out ebooks and a rosetta stone like language learning program. Awesome, awesome, awesome. As if libraries could get any greater.
Also they have a librarian there named Erin and she’s pretty great too!

This library is one of the coolest libraries in the Chicago suburbs!
There are two stories, which you don’t see in your average library. There is also a coffee shop on the adult side. A nice kiddie area is in the library so it won’t be a bad library for the kiddos. There are many books for the smaller kids. The novel section for the kids has a large variety of books! Another thing to add is that there are CDs, audio books, and a reference section for the kids. A self checkout for books is here too! Just have your library card, and scan the books there! Otherwise, the staff can check them out for you.
This summer, there is a reading program. If your child reads 16 hours, you will get a prize. Every 4 hours your child reads, you come into this library to get a prize. This is all by age groups! There is more information by the staff.
The service is great! The staff are nice and friendly to me when I check out books. There are smiling faces when I need help from the staff, which they all try to help me.
All in all, great library. I will be back again for books!

Love the library. Great play area for little kiddos. Huge A/​V dept. Only complaint is majority of employees I have interacted w/​have been less than friendly. I felt like I was being a nusance when talking to them. Like they hate their jobs, or can’t wait to go home. Was bizarrely complicated when time to renew my card. I am from Hometown. Don’t know if that makes it that much more complicated. Had to go back 3x. Last time was because I came in minutes after their cut-​off time (which I knew nothing about). Considering I was the only person in line, and the library was open another 10+ min, it seemed very rigid. The lady let me know she would have to call the Hometown library to validate my card, so she refused to help me. Couldn’t renew book I had checked out while card was still good. Ironically when updated card today, it took 3 min tops. Still got dinged late fees. Customer service is definitely lacking. Other than that, great facility.

I’ve been here with Oak Lawners on three, maybe four occasions. One of those Oak Lawners is no longer an Oak Lawner. The other is our dear Esther, who may be an Oak Lawner for life, although I’ve tried to get her to move many times.
In any case, I’ve been stuck here, and that was annoying, but not because of the library itself – because of the people who got me stuck here, and let me be very clear: Neither of them were, are, or will ever be Oak Lawners; and Oak Lawn should be quite thankful for that.
It’s a nice place to read and get serious work done, and the librarians run a tight ship, meaning there aren’t tons of ridiculous distractions all over the place. The bathrooms are clean but are hard to find, and the fall decorations are what you’d expect at a library in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

Great library, has a café, loads of books, movies/​videos, CD’s/music, computer software, video games, computers with internet access/​Wifi, printers, scanners, copy machines and used books for sale. Plus armed security guards to ensure public safety from book thieves and pickpockets.

This is my absolute favorite library, and I’ve been to many. Huge selection of books. The librarians are great about keeping the library current and if there’s something they don’t have, you can get it through inter-​library loan. It’s a great place to study for a big exam or just curl up with a new book. One thing to note though — the good seating gets taken quickly on weekends!

Kind of surprised about the «really friendly and helpful staff» comment in another review! I’ve gone here too many times to count. In the children’s section you might find some helpful staff and maybe even one or two friendly faces.
In the adult section is a completely different story. I have never seen one librarian smile ONCE at this library upstairs. Come on, ladies! Dance on the tables sometimes just to mix it up a little.
Finally I know it’s a public library and everything but it would be awesome if the librarians could stop the gross smelly men from leering at web porn. I don’t have a problem with the porn (although jeez dude just get a computer and do that at home) but the gross and smelly part I do. There should be a big sign in front saying «BATHE BEFORE YOU ENTER!»

Great library! Huge Selection, really friendly and helpful staff. I’m a Chicago resident and there’s a Chicago library three blocks from my house but I still drive the five or so miles to Oak Lawn to go to their library because it is so much better.
And they have coffee now too.

I really like what Oak Lawn Library did during their renovation of the building. The space is laid out better and feels so much more open than it did before they redid it. I love the quaint little coffee shop and the new gallery. The outdoor grounds are a nice finishing touch to the library, with benches and adorable landscaping. It fits in just lovely with the downtown Oak Lawn location. Definitely the best library I have visited. I always find what I am looking for here, the staff is friendly and now it is more of a place to hang out.