Enoch Pratt Free Library - Central Library — Attraction in Baltimore

We called a week in advance to make an appointment to view the special collections, left a voice mail to call us back with available times for the day we wanted to come, and heard nothing back. We’re over four hours away and carved time out specifically to see this collection, so we paid for parking and went to the room. An incredibly rude woman gaslit us about the fact that we called and tried to make an appointment a week ago saying no one was here to answer or call back today and ignored us every time we said we called a week ago — as if it was our fault for being unprepared rather than their failure to call us back after we tried multiple times to make an appt.

We received no apology for the inconvenience and she wouldn’t let us stay five minutes to briefly look at the items on display in the open. My trip has been ruined with zero empathy. I understand that things happen, but to handle a situation like this by blaming people who did everything they could to secure an appointment is rude and unprofessional.

It says on the site that walk-ins are welcome for this collection, so after getting ghosted when we tried multiple times to book an appointment, we didn’t think it would be a huge issue. You need to be transparent about policies and maybe show some empathy when your department didn’t do what they should have done. Busy or not, this issue is not on us and the person working in the room did absolutely nothing to try to find a solution, or at the very least, treat us with respect.

After we left the room, we could audibly hear her ranting about us through the glass after speaking to us like we were children getting reprimanded for eating a cookie before dinner. It was professional and insulting all around even though we were reasonable and trying to find a solution as she was blaming us for unpreparedness that was the fault of her department. If she had just said that she was sorry for the mix-up and took ownership, then that would have been one thing. But that level of disrespect was petty and...

Pratt Library does and will forever have a place in my heart. It's been a safe haven for decades- first to me, then my son. However, I would highly suggest to anyone who goes to this location for passport service to pay attention to the person who helps you with that. The woman (I do not remember her name) who handled my passport application forgot to take a copy of my social security card and send it with the application. I received a call from the library that same day. They asked if I could come back there, but of course it was a Saturday, I was miles and miles away, and smack dab in the middle of the next thing I had to get done by then. I asked can they hold the application, I'll bring them back my ss card and they can send it another day. She responded that unfortunately they have to send in the application right when they receive it. They can't hold it. She then apologized for the inconvenience, but it's still a headache to have to wonder if my application will be accepted. I mean, it's already a process that takes several months even when one does present the application in full. According to the woman who helped me at the library, sometimes an application that is missing a ss card is approved anyway. Otherwise, I'll just have to wait for a denial and respond accordingly, which will take even MORE TIME. Time is precious, so if you are on a time crunch and need a passport, I'd suggest going here if you must, but micromanaging the process. I just "trusted the process", and now I'm playing wait-and-see.

Every other services/events I've ever had/attended at this library over the years has been just fine. As I said, I love Pratt Library. This experience has not put me off. ...

I always have a pleasant experience when visiting this library.

However, during my recent visit to an event, I followed the parking voucher directions that was presented on my virtual ticket; Unbeknownst to me, I went to the parking garage first, in which the directions said I could get a voucher after the libraries' event.

The parking associate told me that it was the responsibility of the library to give me a voucher before parking in the lot, so I drove to the library to obtain this parking voucher advertised on the virtual ticket.

I acknowledged this to one of the event associates at the time, and she mentioned that the parking facility was responsible.

Nonetheless, the library event associate hands me a small size barcode piece of paper and says that the parking facility was to give me a voucher upon exiting their lot.

At the end of the event, I went to another event associate within the library, and He mentioned He didn't believe He had anymore vouchers to give, but pointed out the woman I talked to before the event started.

She handed him another small ticket, as I don't believe she knew she was helping me again.

At the parking garage, I waited no longer than 5 to 10 minutes in the garage to leave because of miscommunication between the parking voucher for visitors.

That was very discouraging and overwhelming, but I will not let that experience stop me from visiting one of my favorite enoch libraries...