Ridgewood Branch Queens Library

I’m giving this library a four as it serves its purpose, for the most part, as a neighborhood library. However, it is so disappointing that so little is offered here compared to some of the other branches. Every single time I’ve wanted to sign my child up for something, it’s either not offered at this branch or during a time of the day when working parents cannot make it.
Ridgewood Library, please add more programs (such as the Google CS First program — something harder than storytelling) to your location.
Aside from checking out books and coming here for computer services, I haven’t been able to use other services thus far.

I guess this Library serves its purpose for the community. If you’re looking for a quiet place to read or get some studying. Unfortunately, this isn’t the library to do it at. You’re better off going to a café. You always have someone talking to loud, not sectioned off area to study, and once school is out, the real noise begins.

The bad reviews are so obviously racist and have little to do with the actual quality of this library branch. The staff has been nothing but helpful to me. They even found a way to fill my request for a book that had been out of circulation for a decade. The library over all is organized, clean and quiet. Great library!

they are getting budget cuts and trying to bring people back to reading? and looking for employess now? well maybe if they get rid of the nasty African American lady that works there they would have any easy time, she is rude and just plain nasty

The building itself looks nice and clean since the remodel. Too bad it’s unsafe for decent people to go into unarmed because of certain thug teenagers hanging around after school.
Maybe if this place had an actual security guard instead of expecting the staff to confront fighting kids and smelly homeless people with no weapons or training and the local police precinct wasn’t the 104, this place could be a library instead of a community holding pen for society’s undesirables. The manager is also rude and combative to people who aren’t trying to cause problems and just want to use the library for its intended purpose. You can tell that the staff hates her and hates working there in general.
Be warned, ladies. You’ll be safer in a nightclub until the gentrification hits. Seek customer service elsewhere. A Wal-​Mart would be better.

This has to be the loudest library I have ever stepped into! I would rather travel to my college library campus in Midtown than come here again! There are kids running up and down the stairs, ADULTS talking on their cellphones and even librarians arguing with people. I should add that there is a lower level just for children but there’s still tons of noise.
The library is very nice but with all this noise I will never come here again.

I love having a library within walking distance of my house, and the Ridgewood library is a nice place to go to get your books. The selection at this particular library is pretty small, but if you are willing to wait a few days to get your book, you have the entire Queens library system at your disposal. The staff is really helpful. The only down side to this library is that, at 2:30 on weekdays, it basically turns into a daycare for rowdy middle school kids. They overrun the place, make a ton of noise and the library staff do little to quiet them.

Small library, but much better than the one in Forest Hills.
The review before this one pretty much nails the description.
The only downfall are teenagers gossiping loudly upstairs in the «lounge» area while you’re trying to study. Otherwise, nice place.

Whew. Just re-​opened following renovations, this is about as good as it gets for a small branch library. While the collection on-​site is small (and much of it in foreign languages), you have full access to the Queens Library system (largest circulation in the country) and can order items from other branches. The interior is so new that they have yet to have signs labeling the sections, so navigation is a bit tricky. There is a nice lounge lofted above the main room, and presumably they hold events in the auditorium downstairs. The self check-​out machines are pretty amazing– you scan your card, and somehow a sensor magically detects any books you have nearby and enters their records into the system. A printed receipt holds the due date. Fun times.
I do wish they had more local interest/​history materials… I’ll need to trek out to the Archives in Jamaica for much of what I’m seeking at moment.

The Ridgewood Library is a free work spot extraordinaire. In a neighborhood with no cafés to laptop in, this library is a well air-​conditioned work oasis. The wireless is slow, but that actually helps me concentrate. This ‘brary is never so busy that you can’t get a table, never loud or distracting, and always well staffed. The hours are different depending on the day of the week, so make sure to check the website (
).