Columbus Metropolitan Library: Whetstone Branch — Attraction in Columbus

Used to love it. But I would advise adults to stay away after recent moving and remodeling there is plenty of room for teens and children, but we are forgotten. In the new area for adults there are 2 comfortable chairs and NO outlets for computers and phones. The area up at the front which probably would have made a better area for teens, has comfortable seats, etc., but is so God awfully loud it is impossible to concentrate. One problem that has always existed with this library is they have always allowed people to talk in normally loud voices. Multiple people have commented on this. They even have a teacher who comes in and teaches French to children. She practically yells. There is a quiet room but the furniture is almost identical to the the ones we sat in ,in grade school. I mentioned the problem to a librarian at the desk and he was nice but admitted that probably all these issues will not be solved. Speaking as a senior and disabled person, this library is. no longer senior and disabled - friendly. All we want is a quiet area with area with comfortable chairs and electric outlets. As the man says nobody gets everything they want. But I need these three things to be comfortable. And we had them before I. The room that was given to the teens. I can hear them yelling in there as I write this. I will no longer using this library until all three issues are addressed. The best of everything has been given to the kids and teens. We are obviously an afterthought and no longer wanted here. I will call in from time to time to see if their attitude has changed. But will not be back unless we receive a tiny bit of the accommodations. And I will not be voting on any issue to support the library unless disabled areade a place here too. It's great that kids have a place to go that is safe and welcoming. But why does that have to mean that disabled people have to be not be able to use the library too. And I know I am not the only one to...

I love the library. It’s a great place to expand my education through reading, socialize with my friends (quietly), and play games or do work on the computer. I am a teen, so I get to be in the teens only section. My complaints though are something MANY people have been talking about. For one, I don’t think it’s fair to take up half the library, and then give the older people not a singular comfortable place to sit. Most of the seats are at computers, which not everyone even comes for. And usually what they get for chargers are those dumb little charging stations. Now my other complaint is that we’re having these extremely loud EIGHT YEAR OLDS come into the teen area for some stupid improv club on Wednesdays. It’s a LIBRARY. I’m all for breaking tradition but being quiet in a library has been a thing since the first one was created thousands of years ago. Why can’t the DnD club or whatever and the improv club go do it in the rec-center? They have plenty of rooms in there! I shouldn’t have to leave the teen area to get any work done. The biggest problem with this though, is that these issues are so fixable and no one is doing anything!!! Bring back quiet libraries...

I recently visited [on 1-17-2023] the Whetstone Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, at 3909 N. High St. in the "Clintonville" neighborhood of Columbus, after an absence of several years.

One of the many groups with which I am involved had held a meeting there that evening; it had been great to be able to return to the Whetstone Branch Library for my first time in quite a while.

Two things that I had noticed for the first time during my recent visit to that library had been clearly-labeled "School Help" and "To and Through College and Career" areas. No one had been in those areas while I had been there but I had been there several hours after schools had closed for the day.

While I had been attending school many years ago, it never would have occurred to me to visit my local library and ask for help; I am glad to now be aware of the fact that the Whetstone Branch Library and other branches of the Columbus Metropolitan Library provide that service to students.

And, as I have known for many years, the Whetstone Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library is a great location at which to...