Bolton Central Library — Attraction in Bolton

In general it's a good library. The staff are always exceptionally helpful and friendly. There's a really good sized collection of books, both fiction and non-fiction, which means a wide range of subjects and styles.

Bolton is a fairly multicultural town which is reflected by the number of foreign language books in the library and the number of languages represented. And there's a good selection of resources for those who want to learn a foreign language, or improve their English.

However, I do have a gripe that makes it impossible for me to give more than 3 stars. A few years ago the fiction books were divided into sections according to genre, ie sci-fi, horror, crime, historical drama, romance, etc.

Then some sort of internal building work took place causing the library to have to shut for a while. When it reopened the only discernible result of this work was the fact that all genres were mixed in together with the mass of non-genre fiction. All apart from western and romance genres, which still have their own separate sets of shelves.

This really irritates me and when I try to speak to the otherwise brilliant staff about it they just point out the fact that the books are arranged in alphabetical order according to author. This is all well and good if you're looking for a particular author. But if you're a fan of a particular genre and would like to browse that genre to sample the work of an author you haven't tried before, you have to spend hours trudging through the entire fiction collection. Unless your preferred genre is romance or western.

I am reasonably sure that this doesn't breach any legislation or regulations specific to libraries, and I know for sure that it doesn't go against the letter of any equal rights laws. However, it does take the spirit of every equal rights / anti-discrimination legislation ever enacted and slap that spirit in the face with a huge wet kipper.

To my mind this attack against fans of genres other than western or romance is purely down to callous and / or...

Absolutely shocking. Was sat at the computers , 3 of us, 1 had a seat with no computer in front of so we assumed we can sit there and use that desk to study? as it is a library? whilst the other two did use the computers. member of public rudely came over and a member of staff , who wasn’t 100% polite to us children as customers, did sort it and the 3 said they could move up a space (on to another chair in front of a desk with no computer) so this member of public can use the computer. was told by the male member of staff this was okay. we continued doing our thing, in a library, noise levels down, revising for our upcoming IMPORTANT exams. a RUDE member of staff, WENDY, came over being very belittling us as she must’ve assumed we were younger lol, spoke to us awfully, had an awful attitude and made me feel so uncomfortable as i was in this public space with my friends minding my business and had this lady being in my presence, then had her come out of nowhere being horribly rude. awful. could’ve spoke nicely and made her point (which didn’t make sense) in a more professional way, you know as she’s meant to be the worker and we are the customers? never coming back again. what a sad thing as the library is great, just isn’t reflected in the workers. was told i can’t sit at a computer to study as it isn’t a study zone. isn’t the point of a library to study? maybe remove that play area or add more computers not harass the people using it....

Most of the staff are untrained, there is almost constant radio noise from security and staff radios, staff often have loud if not boisterous conversations with each-other - the few staff who know what they are doing are not always there - Then there are staff who simply try to fob you off when making any sort of enquiry - I have just left the library feeling utterly indignant after waiting in line to make an enquiry (after first being fobbed off when a staff member said there is no result yet of a review of an acquisition I applied for of a law book - she made this declaration without taking my name or library number) then when it got to my turn, part-way through my second attempt at enquiry the staff member started talking past me to another staff member, Really, I felt as welcome as space-suit-flatulence. I won't be going again, is it worth taking the train to Manchester? I'm going to find out.

There is definitely an air of misandry, anti-white-racism and other distasteful undercurrents in this library. If you're not Gay, Asian, Transgender, Lesbian or Feminist - Don't expect good, if any, 'service'.

Disappointed, Angered, Annoyed, Insulted,...