Montrose Library — Attraction in Houston

As the summer comes to an end, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the staff at Freed Montrose Library. This library has been the highlight of our summer. While my kids aren’t huge readers, each of them found a library event they loved.

My younger children adored Anna's craft sessions on Wednesdays. Her creativity and patience made every session a joy, and my kids eagerly awaited each one.

All my children, including my eight-year-old who often gets dragged to the library, love PJ Story Time on Tuesday evenings. I've attended story times for almost seven years, and this is the most engaging and interactive one I've ever experienced. Regina and Keyanna are amazing storytellers. They keep the audience engaged, get us moving, let kids read, and handle all the children's requests without missing a beat.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the names of two other librarians. Though they weren't directly involved in the events, each time we returned books or opened an account, they engaged in genuinely warm conversations with all three of my children (my youngest is three). My kids loved being treated like adults when these librarians took the time to ask about their day, their favorite books, or simply shared a laugh with them. Their kindness and interest made every visit feel special and personal.

Lastly, a special shout out to the lovely interns, Ihsan and Rachel, for their constant help and friendly smiles. They made sure every event ran smoothly and that every child felt included and excited.

Thank you, Freed Montrose Library, for making this summer unforgettable for our family. Your dedication and passion have sparked new interests in my children and fostered a love for learning and community. We look forward to many more visits and adventures at...

It's a nice enough space, an airy feeling downstairs plus polite & friendly staff ... but there's not a large book selection to browse, parking is at a premium and as its such a small space, it does feel quite crowded on the top floor (adult area). We spent the day at the central library, but the kids wanted to use the instant print story machine ... found out it was moved to Montrose so we drove the 20 minutes. Then we circled the block for over 20 minutes trying to find a place to park. We pulled into a nearby restaurant only parking lot, had to call the library to learn where to park (honestly, this should be on the landing page for the library). The Montrose Collective Parking Garage at 2701 Grant Street is the closest option to park, a limited number of library patrons can receive 60 minutes of validated free parking at this location. However, who really goes to a library for only an hour? No where was there signage we found that stipulated the parking fees and library staff was unaware of the costs. Turns out we paid about $4.50 for our 2nd hour, so not too bad of a fee...but it could get quite expensive quickly. DO NOT risk parking on the street beyond any time you pay for or illegally as there were literally meter maids writing tickets both when we entered and when we left the library. This is a very busy area, parking is an issue ... if you are in walking distance I'm sure this is a lovely location, but it's not somewhere we plan on returning to as there are much nicer & easier to access spaces within the...

Not my favorite HPL location, but it is my least favorite. It’s a real, honest-to-god, big-city grind getting one of the decade-plus-old PCs for an hour at a time, if you like. If you want to sit, there are some odd desks/chairs/partitions at the back of the second floor that feel exactly like detention. Actually, they have a security guard who circulates and will tell people to pick their heads up. It IS a lot like detention. Their hours of operation are straight-up bonkers; if you intend to come by, definitely confirm the place will be open (esp. if it’s outside 1pm-4pm M-F window) before you do. But they’re doing good work, serving the community the best they can, and the staff seem lovely when they aren’t dealing with legitimately frustrating situations with indigents or difficult clientele, etc. And their hours are crazy (every day is different), but the trains run on time. Not my favorite location, but it would be tough for me to give a public library that’s trying (they are) anything less than 3 stars. That these still exist and operate is kind of incredible, and these strike me as nonpartisan resources that benefit only the poor... I’m afraid of, as a society, losing these kinds of resources bc nobody rich and powerful seems likely to step up if this place finds itself in trouble. And it’s unlovable, almost, but vital and needed. Do with that...