Westfall Branch Library — Attraction in San Antonio

I had to visit three different places today just to renew my library card, and by the time I arrived at the Westfall branch, I was frustrated and ready to give up. But Natalia at the front desk completely turned my day around. She helped me renew my card in under five minutes and made sure all my information was up to date, which explained why I hadn’t received a renewal notice in the first place.

Since I no longer keep a physical library card (I usually borrow books digitally through Kindle and Libby), she explained that there was an option to issue a new physical card with a different number and transfer everything over so I could have a card in hand again. I declined because all my info is saved in LastPass and it would complicate things for me, but I was so impressed that she not only knew about that option but explained it so clearly.

She also told me about the TechBridge(?) card, which would allow me to check out books from another library system where I live (and can’t join because I don’t ‘pay taxes’ due to being right on the line). SAPL has such an incredible catalog that I don’t see myself needing that but I’m very happy to know I have options.

What stood out most is that Natalia understood the SAPL system very well and could explain my options thoroughly. That’s rare. Most places I go, people either don’t care to help or genuinely don’t know how. She was a breath of fresh air. Thank you, Natalia, for turning a frustrating errand into a quick and...

I have been coming to this location over 20 years. But recently they've added security guards and today it was close to closing and I was being helped to login to my SAPL app to get my card number to check out my books when a security came straight at 6:00 p.m And told me I had to leave right in the middle of trying to finish being helped in the first place I know as a security guard myself that you're not allowed to use intimidation tactics to get people to leave and I had every right to finish getting helped first before leaving. If the owner of this library gets this message just know that I'm very sad because I ain't get them reading material that I was looking very forward to getting it gives me a heavy heart to give this review two stars for this location.

PS The only reason it's getting two stars is because a couple of the people working there have known me since I was...

While we thought we were going to have a good experience, one of the workers ruined it by telling us that we weren’t allowed in the “teen” area. We were looking at manga and my 5 year old was playing with the plastic golf toys as there was no one else in the area and the worker told us we could look but could touch anything in the area as it was for teens only. Mind you it was early in the morning and only 3 people in library other than us and workers. I could completely understand if my child was being destructive or if my child was disrupting teens in the area and to be told we could look but not allowed in the area? It was an area with manga! Really made me not want to ever adventure out to other public libraries and instead I’ll just stick to my...