Langside Library

Don’t you just love the smell of a good, old fashioned library. Soon as I walked in here, the lovely smell of books took me back to my childhood spent in libraries. Excellent selection if books, and super friendly staff. They give you a good 4 weeks before you need to take books back as well. And it’s free… what’s not to like!

About time I got around to this review – Langside’s my local branch library, and it’s not a bad wee place.
The selection is fairly good, though sparse in certain areas and thicker in others. That said, go through the shelves of whatever you’re interested in, and you may find a gem or two or something, as Andrew notes, that’s idiosyncratic in a good way. While they keep plenty of the bestsellers in, there are lots of other surprises to be found. Also, there are plenty of indie DVDs amidst the others for loan.
Additionally, there’s a substantial children’s section to one side of the building, as well as a decent amount of YA lit. (That shelf set is amidst the adult books, as really needs to be done to attract that age group.)
They do seem to purchase new at a fairly good rate, from the turnover I’ve seen on their newer book tables, which is a good sign for a library. There are also plenty of community events both for kids and adults, and the staff are friendly and clearly engaged in their work (I write this in early December – today they were opening a box of Santa hats, which all of them were wearing with panache).
All in all, a good branch, and I feel lucky to have it near me.

This is a lovely, local library. It is inside one of the most impressive listed buildings going (in the south side of Glasgow anyway), with a small garden area behind. This area is completed by a few well worn wooden benches for dog walker and the essential ‘dog dirty’ bin too.
Meanwhile, inside the library is an extensive range of books, well organised and easy to find. Searches can easily be conducted with the help of friendly members of staff or a self-​help computer which is situated behind the main staff area.
As well as books, they also have a moderate range of DVDs, videos and Cd’s that can be borrowed. As expected, there are also a selection of library PCs which can be booked out or, at times, used without prior reservations being made.

Conveniently located next to the hospital, Langside Library is a little more old fashioned than the new libraries that are springing up across Glasgow: even the book selection is dated, with the Mind Body and Spirit Section specialising in the Abrahamic religions and the graphic novel section a mere whimper. It isn’t a great place for the specialist, unless it it is in crime novels or science fiction, where they have some idiosyncratic choices, and the CDs are mostly mainstream pop with a bit of classical. But the staff are very helpful and, while it might be a sad comment, it is peaceful and underused. Besides, they have a large section for kids, set away from the rest of the building, which keeps the atmosphere relaxed.

A good old fashioned Library, intent on offering books and learning and little else. Admirably hesitant to change, the Langside Library is much the same inside and out — bar the selection of computers — as it was ten, fifteen, twenty years ago.
The kids section is large and comprehensive, with all the favourites accounted for. However, special mention must go to the classics section which has a particularly extensive Dickens collection.
Pretty much every newspaper is accounted for, as well as plenty of magazines and periodicals.

A decent sized library with a good selection of books and a large children’s area.