Reston Regional Library — Attraction in Reston

I used to love this little library but the last few times I've been there (3 times last week and again today), it was so hot inside that I was sweating so I had to leave. Another big minus is that there's not enough outlets to go around as so many people bring their own devices now so I had to walk around the inside of the library a few minutes until someone was leaving where there was an outlet nearby. Also, I know with the library being next to a homeless shelter that it's going to attract homeless people but I wish there was some kind of compromise because the times when I've used one of the library's computers there's always a homeless person nearby and some are a bit overly fragrant (and not in a good way).

This evening when I was leaving I mentioned to the young lady working at the info desk how hot it was and that I was going to have to find somewhere cooler to go to and she said that their AC is degraded due to how old the bldg is and that Fairfax does not want to spend money to fix the AC when there are plans to replace the library with a new building at some point so it doesn't look like that problem will be resolved any time soon.

Anyway, guess with summer around the corner I'll have to find somewhere else to go where it's cooler, more outlets and less homeless people. (Note: I feel badly for mentioning the homeless problem at this library as I know that homeless people need access to a computer but it's also a turnoff because many of them are addicts and they don't bathe plus they are always hanging out inside or outside the library and they're sometimes a bit hostile. I guess that explains why many times there's a police cruiser parked in the library parking lot even though the Reston Police are directly across the street. I'm sure that it's not a police officer's favorite task to have to babysit the library when there are other more important matters to attend to. Not sure what the answer is with regard to the homeless shelter next door. Bad...

Horrible place, even being next to a police station. Was ripped off 300 dollars on Sunday, March 17, on a Sunday on saint patricks day, because of shady staff and lack of security. Library lets users log on and sync google profiles and this feature alone will have staff help scammers get peoples credentials. Scammer easily sees your screen, gets on your PC via PayPal, then adds their bank account to PayPal. Scammer went on my PC after leaving it to go print. Scammer sits on your PC with you thinking it's theirs, switches your stuff around when you go print. I know because when I went to get my glasses it was at the scammers desk, meaning he switched PCs with my PC leading to confusion. It's a tall skinny looking white hippie guy with brown hair and a hair bun. Scammer jumps on your PC when you go to print, switches your stuff to another PC. You'll think Staff logged you out. Staff has Google sync and not incognito mode available. You can basically, sync your Google account at this library, completely giving yourself to hackers. STAFF sees nothing happening with scammers due to computers laughingly behind help desk, which is facing towards an exit and a seating area for scammers to watch from afar, multiple users. Prying eyes are at this...

5 stars for the programming, 4 stars for the librarians, 3 stars for the collection, 2 stars for the facilities, which are cramped, dated, dingy, and heavily overused. Every time I visit the facility, it seems like every carrol, table, stall and computer are occupied. (The only exception is an ill-conceived "teen area" which is always empty and probably ought to be repurposed.) This says great things about the library and its programming - obviously the surrounding community loves and heavily uses this library! But the facility is clearly dated and straining to meet the needs of today's diverse clientelle: for example, some study carrols don't have access to electricity, the chairs are ancient and uncomfortable, the children's library is cramped, there's often a long line for computer access, the temperature is often too warm/stuffy, and the payment kiosk they've installed in an ill-advised attempt to cut down on staffing rarely works. FCPL has some 24 libraries, many of which are spanking new, filled with amenities, and drop-dead gorgeous - alas, this is NOT...