Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library — Attraction in Chicago

Four stars because libraries are great in general and this has the goods more than any other CPL as far as I know, and has had something on whatever I was looking for. But yeah, for the experience I definitely prefer some of the smaller branch libraries. This has many times the selection, but it feels...the best word is depressing. The staff are sullen. The area they call main or something, the sort of basics, popular matuerial like DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, some travel, is lit the way I imagine the waiting room in hell is--I thought it was going to run into beetlejuice browsing the popular DVDs. The staff in there are particularly surly and just generally seem resigned to misery. The rest of the library is more nicely lit and less awful, and the furniture is decently nice, and it could actually be a comfortable pace to work, despite the utter and apparently deliberate banishment of natural light [update -- I saw some windows on the north side a few floors up recently!].

My first time here I was taken aback when the security guard sidestepped into my path as I left the third floor, where the circulation desk is, apparently wanting to make sure I'd checked out the book I was carrying. That's fine, I'm opposed to library pilfering, but there could have been a sign or something so it didn't seem so menacing. And isn't that what those sensors are for?

The building is this beautiful red brick and it seemed like it should have nice big windows everywhere, but it doesn't. Anyway, the collection is better than any other CPL, but this is a place for infrequent visits or reference material; anything in circulation one really wants can be holded to a branch library. There's bike parking around, and the el practically runs through the library,...

I was disappointed on my visit to the Harold Washington Library this morning. The bound periodicals, whch used to be on the third floor, were moved to the fifth, and it looked to me like there were fewer shelves of them than before. The librarian told me that they didn't have bound volumes of the New Republic anymore. It appears the Washington Library has gotten rid of many bound periodicals for, I assume, the same reason other libraries have: to free up space.

Then I went to use the microfim machine to make copies of some articles I came to look for. Unfortunately, they have a new, computerized system that I found difficult to use. After I made 5 copies, it froze up, and the librarian said she'd set me up on another machine. In the meantime, I had to go down two floors to retrieve my copies on the third floor. Once there, I saw the copies were very light and, what's worse, the machine had copied the wrong pages. In the old days, you could make copies on the microfilm machines on the third floor and see right away if there was a quality problem. Now, you have to go down two floors to find that out. What kind of awful system is this?

I told the librarian I wasn't going to try again and that I would find another library to work in. I'll say that the two library staffers I spoke with were very nice and helpful. But I just hate the changes I saw this morning, so (after a couple of decades of patronage) I don't...

Absolutely massive awesome library with tons of selections and knowledgeable clerks. I live within 30 minutes of here so I love visiting the place… HOWEVER be prepared to encounter a metric boatload of homeless people! The smells are off the charts.

Bathrooms typically have junkies in the stalls shooting up, this is such a massive problem that Narcan is conveniently stocked in different hallways so that you can prevent someone from overdosing. Be warned though that if you choose to be the Good Samaritan and prevent someone from dying they will be angry with you for “messing up” their high.

Last but not least, keep an eye on your belongings! Many a person in the building have sticky fingers and they LITERALLY prowl the library looking for victims who have walked away from their electronics or just aren’t paying attention to their surroundings. Sadly the security guards really just try and break up fights. They don’t proactively prevent people from stealing. They’ve seen it all and they are sick of it and act Blasé and nonchalant when you complain about something or report a missing item.

Keep your head on a swivel and have your street smarts about you. It may be a beautiful place but as with all beautiful things when you take a closer look there might be an...