Hillside Public Library — Attraction in Town of North Hempstead

Honestly the children's section of the library is phenomenal. The staff is helpful and great with kids. They do awesome programs etc.

The first floor librarians however...never have I met a group of more nasty, unhelpful, rude women. Seriously. Not one of them are nice. I needed to renew my library card and they fought with me demanding I bring a utility bill to show proof of residence. I lived with my parents still so I didn't pay utilities (mind you I had bank statements, license, cell phone bill etc all with my name and address) until finally they told me to come back with two credit card statements. Then when I went back it was another problem because the same woman (literally the same person) changed her mind and wouldn't accept it. On another occasion I rented three books, one of which they got for me from oyster bays library which they've done before. When trying to return them I was very nastily told this was not their book. I explained that I knew that but they had requested the book for me and I had rented all three at this location. The woman was literally screaming in my face about how I was wrong and they don't do that before I pulled out the receipt from when I rented them (thank god I kept it) and showed her all three titles were there. Seriously. Such a nasty and unfriendly group of women. If it wasn't for the children's section and my two year old I would never step foot in the...

I've been coming here for years. Depending on my need, the library is worth both 5 stars and 1. If I come here to tutor a student or to just spend some time relaxing with my head in a book, or to even hang out with a friend, sure, it gets five stars. It's pretty, comfortable, and the librarians are nice and helpful (as long as you don't interact with the front circulation desk too much). They don't really shush you (as stereotype dictates) nor is it stuffy and uncomfortable in there.

If I come here to study however, the tables turn. The chatter of people at the "tutor tables", the loud librarians (both when talking to each other and when talking to customers) and the children running about upstairs are overwhelming. I've sat down to study with headphones, but I can't focus. Even through it, I can still hear all the chatter.

I'm not someone that can study unless there's absolute quiet either, so it's an uphill battle for me. There was one spot that I loved to sit at, which is in between the adults "stories" and "non-fiction" sections. Unfortunately, it's only a small singular table that gets filled up. Even the seat (in the corner right beside it) isn't far away enough from the chatter to provide enough...

I came to this library for the first time for toddler open play and I thought it was great! It took place on the 2nd floor and the area is next to a bunch of windows so you can see outside facing the library parking lot and street. A lot of natural light comes in and it's a big space for open play with a ton of toy options and a table just for coloring.

The one negative is once open play is over (about an hour), they put away all the toys. I've been to other libraries where they leave the toys out for the children to play with as long as the library is open.

The parking lot is very big and there were plenty of spots when I went, which was a weekday at 4:30pm. I liked how the open play was in the middle of the day as early times don't work for my...