Queens Public Library at Jackson Heights — Attraction in New York

It makes me sad to leave a two-star review for a library because I think all libraries should be five-star libraries. They are so important for the health of the community.

Right away I got a officious vibe from the librarian as I applied for my card. Just rules, no orientation or anything. I then came in the next day to work on my computer, but my battery was low, so I needed to plug in. There was no place to plug in on many of the tables, and it was pretty crowded, but I did find a wall plug four feet away from one of the tables, so I plugged in there. Another librarian came by and told me that I could not plug in there because of a tripping hazard. My laptop has a very long cord, and I had been careful to lay it out so no one would even brush it, and it was a low-traffic area, but he said, that's the rule.

He said that they'd been requesting an installation of electricity on the tables for a long time but no one had. It seemed to me though that a surge strip with an eight foot cord and one of those rubber no-trip cord covers would be an easy fix for this mostly imagined problem, and that would give everyone at the table enough electricity for their laptops, but I digress.

I went looking for another place to sit. There were computers along the front window, and the row was mostly full of desktop computers, but I noticed a gap where there was room but no computer, so I set up there. I grabbed a chair from down the row, plugged in, and started to work. Another librarian came by and gave me the evil eye, I think because I'd moved a chair. She told me that there wasn't a space there, but there clearly was, so I pointed that out to her, and she left.

The next day I came back, and instead of finding an extra chair in that spot, I saw that someone had spread out the computers more so that there was no longer an extra spot where I had been sitting. Huge eye-roll.

I signed up for a computer and was assigned one in the back room. when I got back there, I was able to print pretty easily and for free (earns a star), but there were signs there saying that you could not plug in your laptop to charge it in that room. I did anyway while I printed and hoped no one would notice.

The whole vibe of this library was officious anti-patron like this. There were only two spots along the window where one could plug in a laptop and work, with chairs.

Also it sure did seem like there were a lot of staff not doing much. I'd say eliminate a position, but in a place like this, I'd be afraid that they'd fire a nice librarian and keep the...

The librarian profession is wonderful. I do have utmost respect for those who truly love books and dedicate their career around its atmosphere. However, I feel like majority of the librarians I’ve come across at the Queens Library branches growing up as a kid and now an adult are just very depressed and/or just plain rude. It’s almost as if they never wanted to be librarians to begin with. It’s been a while since I returned to the Jackson Heights branch. I used to frequent it with my little sister and we’d read books in the 2nd level childrens’ floor. While the librarians were still a hit or miss, I really liked the library. Today my opinion changed. I came today with my friend who was visiting from abroad. I was giving a tour of the library and reminiscing to all my favorite childrens’ books. Apparently when we take a seat, the librarian tells us we can’t sit there unless we have kids. I never seen the library doing that before. Strange. However, I understood it might be so that random students or other adults don’t hog up the tables and sit there with their laptops when it could be reserved for kids. However, there was literally only 2 other people in the entire floor (the library was closing in less than an hour too). Regardless, rules are rules so I didn’t want to make a fuss. We finally found a corner by the glass windows and decide to sit on the floor and mind our own business, while going through some of my favorite books growing up. It wasn’t even comfortable sitting on the floors but whatever I wanted to respect the rules. Guess what happens next….. That “Karen” of a librarian (I kid you not, she gave Karen vibes) actually hunts us down and tells us we can’t even sit there if we don’t have kids. Huh???! Like I understand the tables but why the floor by the corner???! Again, it was Tuesday (November 30, 2021), around 5 ish pm and the 2nd floor was EMPTY (check the security cameras). Her reaction was over the top. Woman, if I had kids, I would never bring them near you. Anyways, total mood killer. We went downstairs and continued on with our business. I never had this bad of an experience before. I feel especially bad for my foreign friend who probably has the impression that all American libraries are like this. It’s not. Libraries are great, it’s the people who work in them...

Being born and raised in Jackson Heights, I've been to this library ever since I was a kid and now that I have my own children, I was excited to continue the tradition and show them a place I remember fondly. Unfortunately, things have changed and not all for the better. Second floor employees have militant attitudes and expect kids to be compliant robots. The most shocking thing I witnessed was on a Friday when they had toddler story time. An elderly woman arrived saying she came to see her great grandchildren and the woman with dark hair denied her entry because she didn't have a ticket. I over heard the elderly woman say she's 92 years old and came from a long way, and the employee said sorry story time can't be interrupted and you need a ticket for next time, and you can just watch from the outside glass. The elderly woman said, there won't be a next time, thank you. I had stepped out since my kids were crying and the blonde hair woman doing story time told us to "take a break". I knew my kids weren't feeling it and would not go back in, so I told the employee this woman could just take my place, and she said NO we cannot do that, they only give tickets out Mondays and there are no more tickets. I just couldn't believe my ears. The elderly woman took a seat outside and called whoever was inside in story time and the person came out and pleaded with the employee and then finally she was let inside. It was shocking to see how they treated this elderly woman. Show some compassion and just...