Racine Public Library — Attraction in Racine

I just can't give this place a 1 star, even though I really want to because I'm so angry right now. I love my library card, I get so many digital books from here that I very rarely need to purchase new ones. I don't check out books from the actual library very often, and now I'm regretting doing so... so here comes the part where I'm so frustrated. I checked out an older book called The Idiots guide to.... ( I don't even remember what), and also another one by Dorothy Koomson ( great author btw) Sadly I put them on my book shelf at home and forgot about them. When I noticed there was a block on my card, I realized the reason why. I grabbed both books that have been on my very clean bookshelf for way too long and I returned them. Here's my mistake, I should have walked in and returned them, because what happened next would NOT have happened otherwise. They returned the Koomson book( which was quite literally right next to the other one on my shelf), but they claimed the other one had water damage and mold... MOLD!!! There is absolutely 100 percent no way there was mold or water damage to that book, and if there were any sort of damage, it was already done when I checked it out, because.. number 1, I never even opened the book, and number 2, how the heck would that book be the only book on my whole shelf that suddenly had "water damage and mold?" So, I spilled water, and the only book on my whole shelf (which has 100s of books on it) was the one from the library?? Yes it's my fault for returning it so late, and years ago that would have been a hefty fine, so yes I'll just pay it because I can't have my account blocked, but I am just so angry that I checked out an older book, which probably already had damage and now I'm getting blamed for it. The sad thing is, they won't even let me have the book back because of this mysterious "mold", because they coincidentally just happened to have thrown it away. If this were a restaurant I would never ever go back, but sadly I am a book freak and I need this library to feed my addiction for free😀 So word of advice to everyone.. check over your books when you check them out and make sure any damage is noted, and when you return it, return it in person so some incompetent employee can't accuse you of damaging a book that you did not damage. MOLD?? SERIOUSLY RACINE...

Terrible place. You cant even browse in peace. They allow drug addicts to sit at their computers and cry loudly, disrupting other people there to do things. When approached and kindly told about said disturbances they brush you off and say "oh so and so is always here". And? My children should not be subjected to their addiction behaviors. Period. This is a family establishment not a shelter or a rehab facility. Period. Also, educate your employees. We went though and ENTIRE 20 mins talking with a girl that works there about renting out a milwaukee county zoo pass that she said they had available. She said they had to basically request it from another library and that it would be there for us to pick up in a couple days and they would call to let us know. A couple days passed and no call. So we call. The employee we spoke to said that they dont do that and the the library in Janesville the previous employee requested it from, doesn't do that either.

Really?! Why waste our time? Unbelievable.

THEN I typed up an entire page for a court document I needed. The same ignorant employee said it wasn't sent to the printer and she had no pending document for it. So I went and retyped the WHOLE thing because I had logged off. I then go to the desk and a different employee was there and said the other document had been there the WHOLE time. So I wasted another 40 mins of my time.

This...

Book mobile is a complete joke. The lady definitely doesn't want to be there. the first time she locked the door and said they were on break throw the screen. But I could drive across town to the next spot in 40mins when they leave. Then on another day she was more worried about smoking outside and playing on her phone. Then when she did come in she didn't even say a word nor did the man. They were very rude and stand offish. I asked the woman about some books and she did know where to find any kind of books. She was totally clueless. Like is was her first time stepping in there or something. She could read anything. It was like she was struggling. I had to find my own books. I tried to conversant with both of them and nothing. Then I left with my kids and the women came right back out behind my to continue to smoke her cigarette and go back on her phone. That's the last thing someone wants to see walking up with kids to the door. Is walking up to cigarette some in front of the door with...