Glendale Central Library

Quiet and relaxing place to read all kinds of different books! Another way to grow in knowledge and learn new things. People are very kind and amazing. Beautiful people all around. Lovely environment! Glass windows for nice views. Some homeless people but I don’t judge. At the end we are human and treat each with love !

So many books, manga volumes, DVDs & CDs displaying at the Glendale Central Library. I really like it very much. So many people visiting, reading books newspapers even studying on the computer. I play Metal Slug online for free such fun. Watch out for homeless people. (Smells bad) The restroom looks clean safe area security patroling The librarians are so friendly!! Highly recommend!! Easy parking lot of course!! Outstanding!!

Best library I have ever visited!! Endless shelf of books, a cozy vibe and an incredibly helpful staff. 👍

The Shepard Fairey show was great. The prints in the hallway were nice and the gallery seemed to have more recent works. Great collage on panel and paper with some actual silk screens and a documentary rolling in the background. I like Shepard Faireys work. I particularly love his use of distressed and weathered surfaces, which I think was most successful in the work on paper. Seeing his work in a truly public space like a library inspired hope in and of itself. His work is democratic and egalitarian. How apropos.

Fantastic facility! Super friendly, experience customer service, this lady at front desk helped me with returning if couple of books. She didn’t want her name to be mentioned, very knowledgeable, patient and considerate. New remodeling has brought a fresh modern look. Beautifully done. Wonderful job from City if Glendale.

The female staff in the children’s area this morning was extremely rude. I was in the children’s area with my young adult autistic client that reads at a 2nd grade level. This staff told us in a rude manner that we had to leave, even after explaining that to her. She said that only children and their families are allowed in that area. My client was very upset that he was kicked out. My client was working quietly and not disrupting anyone.

Went for the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos and as you can see in the photos they had crafting for the kids, mask decorating and the environment was welcoming. They also had kids playing rock music outdoors. Over all an excellent experience

The remodeled library looks. Great! They offer so many free workshops as well. So many books and everyone is very friendly. It is usually pretty packed but it is great for kids and adults. There is free parking and alot of times they have events in the parking lot but there is so many nearby places to park. The Glendale galleria and Americana are within walking distance.

One of my favorite places to visit! I love going to the makerspace here and using the 3D printers and sewing machines. I love browsing the manga and graphic novel sections, and also chatting it up with some of the employees who are passionate about books and getting recommendations from them. It's a nice piece of safety in a busy and bustling area. Very quiet and dim with study areas in places ranging from full sun to staring at a wall -- whatever helps someone concentrate. It's pretty safe and people have left their supplies around for quick restroom breaks. This library also allows food and drinks! And the best part? They have those uber comfortable Herman Miller chairs to lounge in. The ones you usually see in college libraries and have probably fell asleep in yourself. Only knocking off a star because I wish their manga section was as great as their graphic novel one -- and for the makerspace not having good airflow. They weren't included in construction plans to improve circulation in there, unfortunately.

So grateful for public services. I had a seamless experience here where my guest pass got me 10 pages free printing, which I desperately needed to get my passport renewed, and free parking. Love the library!!!

This place used to so great to come and study now there are homeless everywhere, there are people who watch the special needs kids who are soo loud and very unprofessional , there is no room for people who actually need to study and need to concentrate it's a shame what this library has become

One of the best public Library in the San Gabriel Valley area. Or must I say Los Angeles County, because Glendale borders the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys of Los Angeles. Anyways, way back in the days, when I worked in Pasadena, I'd come to Glendale Library sometimes to check out the resources and books here. I recently stopped by here just to take a quick look at things. Place has been remodeled since than, and more new computers and books have been brought inside. The library is big with lots of magazines and old books. Being that Glendale has the largest Armenian community. You can find lots and lots of books about Armenian culture and history. There are a few books and video audios to study the Armenian language here as well. So, this is a library with alot of purpose to it. Its always a pleasure to visit here any chance I get.

The female staff in the children's area this morning was extremely rude. I was in the children's area with my young adult autistic client that reads at a 2nd grade level. This staff told us in a rude manner that we had to leave, even after explaining that to her. She said that only children and their families are allowed in that area. My client was very upset that he was kicked out. My client was working quietly and not disrupting anyone.

It's been thirty years since I've had a library card, but when I saw the spacious Glendale Library I knew I had to pick one up. Plus in this heat wave they had good air conditioning so it was a no-brainer. In addition to the a/c, they had a huge collection of books. Let me tell you that the library has come far in the past thirty years. There was an art installation, they had a little studio to introduce you to sewing and 3D printing, and other resources. There were plenty of workstations, chair, and computer stations for people to take advantage. You'd almost forget that since the rise of big box bookstores like B&N had replaced the neighborhood library, but it looks like they're coming back. Be sure to stop by your local library and pick up a card. If you're ini the neighborhood, the Glendale library would be an excellent choice,.

Used to be a an amazing place to read books, and study as a student. However, after covid the place is filled with homeless people and it is unsafe! It is extremely hard to study and concentrate especially if you plan on taking practice exams which requires a lot of concentration! I had someone snoring very loudly next to me and no one was doing anything about it! The security only tells the ppl what to eat and what not to eat which is ridiculous! Instead of focusing on a stupid sandwich how about go tell the other person to not take his socks off and put his feet on the desk and make the whole area smell bad!! If you ever come just ask for disinfecting wipes from the front desk and wipe everything and I mean everything. The place is filthy and even after wiping everything down isn't enough!

I came through because I had a few hours to kill and I honestly enjoyed my time here. Everything is so spacious and they have lots of places to just sit and relax. WiFi was pretty solid and they looked like they have some pretty cool rooms. They have a pretty decent children's section if you got kids and I heard there's even a recording studio you can spend some time in. They have so have some decent sized conference rooms. I would find myself here again if I was in the area. Parking is across the street and the first 3 hours are free when your ticket is validated at the front desk.

Really beautiful library it's nice and really big library it's clean plenty of parking I enjoy coming here people are nice here the workers here are nice

Been coming to this library for years. Loved how it looked prior to construction but great either way. People complaining ab homeless people on here have no clue what libraries are about. Often times especially in this heat the library is the only air conditioned place they are welcome. Have some heart. Contrary to some reviews on here this library is very clean in my experience and a wonderful place to study, though I do think having more seating would be better (and more tables, as a lot of the seats are "modern" looking but dont really provide comfort, hence the 4 stars) Great staff, helpful and always kind. Great selection of new books, and will get books transferred from other libraries if they do not have it.

I f'ing love it here. It exists smack dab in the middle of what I would consider the mix of Glendale (I could be wrong.) without the production. It's in the cut, but not. The library is specious in all the right ways with high, and long window accents. There's a parking lot available although, it's not very big. There's also street parking available at no additional cost. There are kiosks available to check out, and renew books. For as many people that seem to frequent here, it's always kept up. The librarians are helpful, and knowledgable. If there is a selection you're interested in, but cannot locate, you can more than likely have that title transferred over for your convenience. There are sensory objects available upon request if you're looking to ease your mind along with coloring material. There are an array of impressive handmade bookmarks available art the information desk that are absolutely adorable, and appear to be created by children in the community. This this library offers a plethora of classes to help aid kids, teenagers, and the elderly. They even offer validation for the parking lot located directly across the street. Go GCL, I see you!

I prefer the Glendale libraries over the LA public libraries, there is just something about the friendly staff and cleanliness that keeps me coming back! This branch is our primary location to receive all of our books on hold. I love that everything is so neatly organized and clean. People on yelp complain about the homeless people hanging out here but it's not like they're taking over the place. From my experience I have never had a bad experience with homeless people at this branch. Yea I do see them on the first floor but most of the time I've only seen them minding their own business either reading a book or trying to use a computer. Children's room: this is the main reason why we come to this library. My 2 year old son loves reading his books in the tree section. Although he can't really read and understand the words in the book, he seems to find happiness and satisfaction when he grabs a book in this area. Parking: parking here is super limited, you might get lucky by getting a spot in their small parking lot, but they do validate for 3 hrs if you park at the public parking structure across the street! We always try our luck and hope we can find a spot but if not, we just park across the street. Staff: I've interacted with staff here pretty much every time we visit and I've always had a very good experience! The people I have interacted with have always gone above and beyond and provided me with a lot of good information. For example, I asked an employee at the front desk about the new CA State park pass program (I had no idea what it was and how the pass works), not only did the staffer explain the whole process to me, but went out of his way to help me put a hold on one of the passes online. I was able to check out the pass when it was available to me and I enjoyed visiting many of the locations where parking was free because of this pass! Returns: Another reason why we love this branch is their state of the art RETURNS machine! I don't know if that's what they call it, but that's what WE call it lol. I always come here with my toddler and he simply LOVES returning the books in the "book machine". If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll explain. This branch has a conveyor belt machine, and when you put your returned book in the slot on the wall, the conveyor belt will take your book, scan it and sort it by making sure it goes into the correct box where the book will later be put back on the shelves! My son loves putting the books in the hole and watch it go through the belt. We spend a few minutes here just returning books. It makes a great experience for my toddler and it's another reason for him to come to the library. Holds: The hold system at this library is awesome! I have a list curated online with all the books I would like to read and place on hold, and once that book becomes available, I get an email and I come pick it up. I know other libraries have this system too but I just love that the hold section is close to the entrance of the library. There was a time I literally got dropped off by my husband, walked in the library, picked up my books from the hold section, used the self check out machine and walked out of the library and back in the car. That whole process took me less than 2 minutes and the reason why it only took a couple of minutes is because of the organization and easy to use hold system this branch uses. Thank you to everyone that works here! You guys make our experience so enjoyable!

This is a huge and gorgeous library. Unfortunately it has become a homeless encampment. Homeless people everywhere sleeping with numerous bags. This leaves limited seating to the people who come to study. I don't feel this is a great place for children unless you want to surround them with homeless people. The security does pretty much nothing. They just walk around watching people sleep. Don't say anything when people are talking in full voice on their cellphones. This place has a lot of potential but needs to be cleaned up. Also the upstairs that has giant windows they removed the majority of the tables. Anyhow really poorly managed. The tables are dirty and the carpet looks like it hasn't been vacuumed for days. Super gross. Some guy is yelling in here right now. Security?

This library isn't a safe space. The city of Glendale really needs to make some strict rules and regulations. Homeless people everywhere!! There's no room to sit because the unhoused take up more than half the tables and chairs. This is ridiculous. As a tax paying resident we should be able to enjoy our local library. The unhoused make it filthy and crowded. I rather support the Burbank libraries from now on since it's only 15 minutes away. Hopefully the city of Glendale does something about this as soon as possible.

Too many homeless people! And employees don't care! It is supposed to be a library where people can study not a shelter

1/3 of the people inside this library are homeless. They mostly sit on the bottom floor near the windows. They smell, and no they are not reading books. They hang out here, sleep here, and organize their bags full of junk here. While reading, you will see the occasional bum walk around aimlessly. Why? Scooping for any potential items that can be stolen. No, they are not looking for a book to read. Be aware when you are in this library. The one security guard cannot see everything. Personally, I have already prevent one theft; which spurred me to make this review.

Great library. It has grown a lot. There is a Creative space for art, crafts, virtual reality stations, and 3D printer stations. There are also sewing machines, paints, and there's an audio recording studio too. It comes fully equipped with computer, DAW, mics, interface, and more. The workshops to teach you the basics are completely free and you can sign up to reserve time with the studio for your own music projects. Of course, this library still has the most cat books ever, so if you're a cat person, this library is for you. Other than that, there are tons of stations and desks where you can work. The top floor is especially conducive to flow with large windows radiating sunlight throughout the space. The other desks and work stations have plenty of power ports for your laptops and other devices. There are both IBM compatible stations and Mac stations. Also, they have some really great scanning machines at the entrance. This library has changed a lot. I say it's for the better.

I remember the days of goofing off at this library as a kid.. The stupid joke of placing library books in someone else bag as they walk towards the exit turnstile on the way out never got old.. That was decades ago.. Yas.. Decades ago when Thrifty Ice Cream two blocks down was 15 cents. Glendale Central Library recently received a nice makeover. The skeleton is the same, however, the entrances and the guts have changed. There's even a gallery of art and artwork spaced around the library. The best part of this library is the magazine area where has a picturesque view of the park next door looking out thru a storefront.. Try this library if you're nearby and looking for a place to chill. Definitely double check your bag to make sure no one place a book in it..

Their maker space is fantastic, part of me that wants to review it because Right now it seems like a secret gem, but truthfully everyone should know about this amazing resource, sewing machines, 3-D printers, art software all sorts of stuff. Really cool, and the people there are super helpful

As far as LA libraries go this is a great one it's a huge space if you want to work 2 floors and plenty of outlets and good wifi very quiet for the most part You cannot avoid some homeless but if you live in LA it shouldn't bother you at this point..staff is very nice and it's clean and they also do some art installations here which I find very thoughtful I like this way more than the burbank libraries which unfortunately are trashy

This branch is surrounded by paid parking but across the street from entrance, the library will validate your parking. Hours are late kinda Monday to Thursday so that's convenient. Wifi is available inside and upstairs tables have multiple power outlets. Convenient to Americana at Brand and a variety of food places.

5 stars for all that they offer - up to 100 loans (LAPL limits you to 30 items), 5 renewals (LAPL only gives 3), free interlibrary loans, and they have an extra loan system called LINK+, which is a free service that enables card holders to request material not available locally, giving you access to a catalog of materials from over 70 participating libraries in California. A researcher's or bibliophile's dream. I cannot comment on the in-library experience, as I do not find it a comfortable place to study (the seats aren't bad & the lighting is adequate-I just don't care for the energy there. For that purpose, Brand is a much nicer branch, despite being less conveniently (possibly because of) located.) I had to deduct one star because the parking situation can be problematic.

I came in today to print 2 images. Due to my disability, I was having difficulty figuring out how to do so. So, I asked the staff for assistance. The woman that helped me was so patient. She went above and beyond and I was able to walk out with the printed images I needed.

Downstairs: Full of mentally challenged snots who snores and can't keep their laugh together. and homeless people. Upstairs: Place of heaven.

The library is finally open for in person visits. Thank God because their book hold system wasn't the best. Okay, it was the worst. Talk about slow. My kids can spend all day here. The childrens' room is as big as some libraries. It has shelves upon shelves of picture books, chapter books and an okay section of graphic novels. The only other place that I know that has a bigger children selection is the Los Angeles Central Library. The librarians are really friendly and nice. Pre-Covid: My daughter asked for some Daniel Tiger books and they didn't have any. She cried from disappointment. The librarian ordered some for her. How awesome is that? Unsure about the adult section because I never get a chance to check it out. I get all my books from Overdrive, which the Glendale library system does not support. They discontinued it awhile back. Another cool thing about this library is that it has a partnership with Pasadena so you can put Pasadena books on hold and borrow them.

It's a good place to study if you can get a desk. The desks are often occupied by homeless people as is the area by the front. On many occasions both the upstairs study area and the front smell like human feces. This is a biohazard. No idea how this is acceptable. There are also people sleeping there and security turns a blind eye. Security seems to pick and choose who they will reprimand for being loud, on a phone call or committing other activities that are supposedly prohibited. There are times when there are people casing the place to see what they can take. I've been verbally harassed by homeless people but I ignore it. I just don't understand why security allows these ppl to loiter especially by the children's area. The night cleaning person is on the rude side. He takes a long time to clean the bathroom but when you walk in there is toilet paper smeared and stuff on toilet seats, food, grit and dirt clogging sinks and the paper towels are left outside of the dispenser after closing off the restroom for extended time. The cleaning women during the day are super considerate and do clean properly as well as keep in mind that people need to use the restroom. Despite the issues I do find I can generally get a lot of school work done and the added bonus is they are open late and all weekend usually.

Arts and Culture? They don't know the definition of Culture. It's Spanish History Month and These People Don't Even Know What The 20 Flags for the Spanish Speaking Countries Look Like. Amazing, Happy We Are Still Educating and Keeping America Up to Date, Not! Guess They Gave Up on Research and Homework. Great Example for Their Own Kids.

This is a nice library. New remodeled with a large open space that makes you want to hang out. There are a lot of areas for quiet study and chairs and coffee tables. There are conference rooms you can book and they have mobile printing. Just be sure you bring cash (coins too) - you can use your credit/debit card for any print job over $5. It can get a bit noisy like all libraries because you certainly cannot stop children from making a bit of noise right? What I absolutely hate and simply do not understand is why people go to the library (any library) and make calls for personal business. (Do I really need to know you're having trouble with your internet or have problems with an insurance claim?) I've had my fair share of calling security to ask them to go outside to make/take phone calls. Let's not forget the ones who answer incoming calls and chat like they were in their own homes. It's just rude and a good example of that epidemic called entitlement. This library also has their fair share of homeless people who do not bother anyone. They want a place to hang out or come in from the cold. There's also parking on Harvard (first 90 minutes are free) and the library validates for three hours.

One of my favorite libraries. Many resources Many areas to sit and read/study along with different areas for age groups.

I like to go here and do my homework I like how quiet the area is it makes me feel great, the upstairs area is great since it's just workers really or students (like me) doing homework then downstairs it's a lot of people sleeping, but it is a cold place the AC is amazing during a warm day

I have never seen how disrespectful people can be with not respecting being quiet. No security anywhere. People are laughing, talking and snoring out loud. I don't recommend anyone bringing children. Not a safe place.

I've been coming to this library since I moved to Glendale in 2015 and I've had mixed feelings about it the whole time. I come here on the weekends to work and while I love that it's really close to my apartment and that they have free WiFi and plenty of space to work, the environment is really bad. One would have to be a moron not to know and understand that homelessness is a huge problem throughout the state of California; the city of Glendale is no exception and the library is a hangout for the homeless. That being said, anyone who comes here is going to have to put up with the unsanitary conditions of being in close proximity of homeless. Furthermore, if you will have to put up with the snoring of the ones who use the library as a place to sleep. Of course, there are also the yelling and screaming kids running around whose parents can't be bothered to teach them about using their inside voices when they're in the library. However, I have to say that the absolute worst condition (that is actually getting worse every time I come here) are the people who reserve the rooms "study" rooms (and I use that word VERY loosely) that are upstairs. Every single weekend for the past few months, there are people in those rooms who are quite honestly the loudest, rudest, most obnoxious people in the place. It's absolutely useless to complain to the librarians downstairs because they can't do anything about it. Even when the security guards do come up and tell the people to be quiet, the reprieve lasts about 10-15min and it's back to the same old crap.

What a fantastic job they have done remodeling this library! Indeed Glendale is a the Jewel City! Superbly done, crisp clean, modern furniture, spacious, windows for walls, and all this with high ceilings! Facilities: They have many little conference rooms upstairs, free resources; hardcopies, online resources, etc. The bathrooms are very modern, and very clean. As the parking is limited on their grounds, they validate the Maryland parking tickets for 3 hours. Just all around a beautiful place to stop to rest, check out a book, or just breathe in and out and enjoy the modern architecture. Excellent job Glendale!

I truly want to give this place more stars but I believe I have some legitimate basis that deems worthy of a 3-star review. During the time that I would study for my standardized tests to get into school, I would scour all throughout Glendale to find the best coffee shop to relax and study, but sometimes the noise would be too much so I would crave the silence of a library. So after a long day at work, I drive a few blocks towards the library and realize that despite the beautiful renovation, the parking situation is still horrible as ever. The few spots that are available are only for thirty minutes, while others are for Handicap parking, leaving the rest to search for curb parking on the surrounding streets, metered parking on Harvard or pay to park in the covered structure off Maryland. I'm not only aggravated at this point for having to waste valuable studying time to find a decent parking spot without having to feed a parking machine $30 each week, but what about the children? Why should this be such a hassle for schoolchildren who want to visit the library with an adult and have to struggle this much for parking? For a public establishment such as the library, why not provide free parking to its attendants? Secondly, I am aware that I'm going back on my word by saying this as it's a public area, but shouldn't there be any kind of control against unsafe individuals who enter the library? Lately, I stopped studying here because there would be so much distraction from vagabonds who would either disrupt people's work by talking to them, or disrupt people's silent time by making excessive noise and in turn creating an unsafe environment for the rest of the people. No library worker or security guard approached any of these people to dismiss them, and I couldn't concentrate on my work any longer. In addition, the computers are not clean. I cringe anytime I am forced to use one of them and always want to wipe the computer stations with Clorox wipes. I simply think this library can be taken care of a lot better. Last but not least, the hours fluctuate a bit much. It's unfortunate how early they close on Fridays.

The absolute worst library i've ever been to. My wife and I often come into this library to get our work done, but because of the covid precautions, it's been extremely difficult. The security detail at this library, run the place like it's Fort Knox , i'm not kidding. They watch your every move, whether it be on camera, or right in front of your face. I recently caught one of the security guards recording my wife and I as he walked by. I confronted him about it and he threatened me, so I did what anybody would do, I went directly to his boss and demanded to file a complaint, but to my suprise, they did not care, as they not only were aware of this behavior, but somehow sickeningly made excuses for it. I don't understand how they're allowed to behave this way, they're a state funded library, they literally get paid to work for us...

I love this place. The collection of books is sort of extensive, serving to a wide range of interests and preferences. The library staff are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, specially Tom always willing to assist in finding the perfect book or providing recommendations. The seating areas are comfortable and conducive to both focused studying and leisurely reading. The only problem is that homeless people are sleeping there during the day. They need to find a solution for this issue.

Glendale Central Library's spacious with multiple floors. I came here to read up on the latest diet fads. And not yet at the library... 'The Dude Diet' c2017. However, I sat quietly for an hour and read something for anyone at almost any age 'The Taco Cleanse' c2015. It was a breezy read that made me realize sticking to one diet for an infinity could be accomplishable by anyone if they loved it enough. It's not always about being cheap and simple. And maybe, I was meant to be a vitamin popping juice cleanse that like eating at least one great meal per day. So why did I ever visit this freaking library? Well, lemme go absorb the NonFiction Acting & Film Section. Large selection of autobiographies, biographies, famous resumes and other things like lifestyle. I actually want to read "Stories from Candyland" by Candy Spelling. She's the widow to Aaron, mother to Tori and Randy. Also, there's recipes in the book. But red velvet cake makes me puke. And Candy goes back on the shelf. What sort of film star am I going to be... And I sing-a-long to the top television sitcoms book with a picture of Gilligan on the front cover. The genocide section was completely frightening. And many periodicals were written in Eastern European languages like Armenian. Why... So I wandered into the 1915 commemorative art space. Sad. Weird. Small. Oh, i was invited to a discussion about Los Angeles in the 1970's at 7pm. Friendly people, but I'm not staying. Did you know Charles Manson was deemed a dreamboat, cult leader and serial killer? That was a question and a fact. Glendale Central's steps away from the senior center, church, Americana at Brand, Glendale Galleria and auto dealers. But it's a library... So if you happen to visit, BE QUIET.

I haven't been to a public library since high school because I just haven't found the need to go. But lately my laptop hasn't been working so my friends suggested this library. Walking in, the inside is huge and quite intimidating for someone like me. I went up the the front desk and they immediately noticed my confusion and tried to help me. I signed up for a library card and was provided a breakdown of the sections of the library and how to use my card. The man in the front desk was so nice, he asked about my day and even shared with me that he would be going on vacation to Australia. The card didn't take long to sign up for, I was done in about 5 minutes and it's free! After signing up, I decided to walk around and have a feel of the atmosphere. The library is so huge I didn't expect it to feel so safe or clean, but it was! There was no trash laying around anywhere, and after awhile I noticed that they do have a security guard walking around. The options of books and audiotapes are almost endless. There's so many small study tables to sit at and provide a lot of privacy. This is the perfect place to study at during finals season. I will definitely be back!

Glendale Downtown Library is one of my favourite public libraries. Did you know that your Glendale library card can be used at not just Glendale city libraries, but also Burbank and Pasadena? Similarly, Pasadena library cards are valid at all Pasadena and Glendale Public Libraries. A fair amount of the books I've put on hold at the Glendale downtown library transit from Pasadena Public Library. Library patrons can also return books they've checked out from any Glendale Library at any Pasadena Library branch, thus offering patrons convenience and much saved time. I've really only started coming here regularly in 2018. My first visit was in February 2017 when I was home for only a week in between fieldwork and my last semester of graduate school. It was within that time I was able to write part of my Masters thesis proposal! For much of the past spring and summer of 2018, I spent hours and hours here to read for thesis and write chapters of said thesis. If my thesis-writing stint had been a Hollywood blockbuster, Glendale Central Library would've won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor/Actress. This library is open everyday! Yes, even on Sundays! Not a day to waste when you've got deadlines, my friends. I'm so glad that chapter of my life is over, by the way. Now I can enjoy the library for fun! I'm the girl carrying too many books upstairs in the fiction section or the girl eagerly going straight to the 'Holds' section to claim the books she had reserved online. I love this location for a library because there are a plethora of errands you can accomplish along with being an anxious and overworked grad student and/or book nerd. There's a park right next to it (Glendale Central Park), site to wonderful outdoor movies come summer time. In fact, you can see the food trucks parked right outside from the second floor of the library. The library is also within walking distance to the Americana, Philz Coffee, Shake Shack, the Glendale Galleria. For parking, visitors to Downtown Central Library receive 3 hours FREE parking across Harvard Street at the Marketplace parking structure with validation at the service desk on the ground floor. Additionally, short term parking spaces are available on the east and south sides of the building. Unfortunately, these spots are only for an hour free parking. In between thesis-reading/writing session, I used to walk over to the little courtyard next to the Museum of Neon Art to eat my lunch. One time, I even had solo lunch at the Shake Shack. Another time was for having my glasses adjusted by the lovely folks at Warby Parker nearby. Lots to do around here but the best thing to do, you ask? Wander through the library stacks, of course. That, and checking out whichever exhibition they have on at the ReflectSpace Gallery. I appreciate you so much more than I can ever fathom, Glendale Public Library.

A nice, large library with a good children's floor. Nice staff, and they even have a fish tank for the kids to look at... There's enough parking and you're a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Americana!

I'm starting to get tired of city of Glendale employees forgetting that they work for us. Tired of the arrogance of these library employees. Tired of paying taxes for this.

I've been coming to this library regularly to check out books and DVDs since the 90s. Patiently I waited the ridiculous almost-year for the place to be "renovated," and tried to shrug off the ridiculous ugly renovation after it re-opened. I now use it weekly. My experience there yesterday was so terrible that when I tried to complain to administration, I only found a lone man there, explaining that the one I need to complain to was "in a meeting." I've had this happen before. "In a meeting" means "forget you." He handed me a tiny piece of comment paper and a tiny pencil without an eraser so I could "write it for them." Ha. Now, after reading the reviews here, I understand that my perspective is simply wrong, according to the GPL (or the Yelpers who were evidently getting some kind of perks from Yelp or the GPL to write 5 star reviews that focus solely on the architecture or WiFi). This library is no longer about literacy and learning. No longer about library staff treating borrowers with respect. Nor is it about being proud to enable everyone to read good books, whether or not they have the money to buy them. This ugly, huge, empty-space echoing library has been re-made into a Community Center. The Illiterate may watch porn on the free computers. The homeless may sleep in its chairs (that part is okay with me). Mothers do not have to tell their noisy brats to be quiet. On some nights, dozens of teens run around yelling and laughing. Quiet helps people focus on...the BOOK they are reading. For the second consecutive week, I've left after an altercation with staff with my heart pounding and feeling depressed. When I arrived with 16 items to return, the short, black haired (Armenian) accented librarian at the desk refused to check them in. "Go drop them off over there," she said pointing in a vague direction. I told her no. I need a receipt. (Once at another library, I was told that a DVD I returned was still out, and I had to prove to them it was on the shelf. Which I did.) She said: "We NEVER give receipts." I explained that I have recently received such a receipt. She insisted. She has worked there for years. So I went to the librarian next to her. And to her credit, this lovely young woman checked in my items and gave me...a receipt. Last week I got a lecture from a male librarian (he's been around for a long time also) about how they do NOT check out patrons anymore. He gave me a crash course in how to use the machine. So yesterday I put my stack on the little e-pad that "reads" the codes. And it looked like all had checked out except one book. Last week I got a lecture from a male librarian (he's been around for a long time also) about how they do NOT check out patrons anymore. He gave me a crash course in how to use the machine. With heart pounding, I put my stack on the little e-pad that "reads" the codes. And it looked like all had checked out except one book. I walked away from it to ask another male librarian at the desk to help me. He asked me to wait. Nobody was with him, but he had "something to do" first. I begged him to hurry because the machine would turn off and then what? He kept doing his thing. When he finally came over, the machine was off. Did the stuff check out or not? He nicely took everything back to what used to be the check-out desk and started to go item by item (8 items). I pointed to the book that did not check out and asked why not start there? So he did. And said, "There's a hold on this book, that's why it wouldn't check out." Oh. Okay. But then he overrode the Hold and gave it to me, saying: "I have to just believe you." Meaning "You maybe didn't take this off the Hold shelf and try to check out this book meant for someone else." I reacted with such anger, I just gave it back to him. To me, this empty shell now called a "library" by Glendale is a disgrace. It dishonors the people who want to borrow its books and DVDs and CDs with its narrow focus and hostility towards its patrons who actually use their library cards. And it would be great if they hired more staff with higher IQ's than are presently exhibited.

They give validation for parking in the garage. Free WiFi. Tables are too low. Made for kids.

I appreciate libraries very much as I am not a person who can study at home. With that said, this library is pretty nice. It's spacious, it's clean, has good lighting, provides lots of tables for individual studying, and has rooms designated for group study sessions. Parking is convenient as you can park right across the street (Home Goods parking) and the library will validate for 3 hrs. Wifi is included. Has art on the walls in case you want to wander during break. Overall just a good studying environment. Very grateful for this place.

Reason for visit: Kids needed a book and a place to do homework. Spent time in the kids section upstairs, it's freezing so make sure to bring a jacket. They have a pretty good selection for kids of all ages as well as a place for the little ones to play which my 7yr. old enjoyed. Note: They are doing renovation and will be closed September 1st till March 2017. Parking: Very small considering the size of the building, luckily found street parking close by. Hopefully they will fix this problem during the renovation. Staff: Very friendly and love what they do. We look forward to coming back next year to a new and improved library!

I went to this library for years when I was a kid. It was renovating for a while, but the way it looks now is so spacious and modern! Looks huge compared to other libraries. They have updated their collection and have lots of events for both adults and children. Renting a book/movie is very easy since they have an online system to check for what you're looking for. To rent out their computer services and other facilities you of course need a library card, but it's free, so might as well (the fact hat you can use this card for other libraries in Glendale help, too)! Definitely a great mainstay in Glendale, this library is a place I will always look to go to when I want to read or write.

Nice to cool down and relax. Clean and COVID precautions in place still. Helpful/friendly staff. Not overcrowded. Selection is not large

A local friend of mine said this library received major remodeling so I thought i'd check it out with my two young kids. I used to come to this library after school during grade school and HS many many years ago, before all the renovations happened. I even studied here during nursing school. I was initially excited to take my kids here since I kind of grew up here and had some good memories, but I'm sad to say this library may not be the best environment for my kids. I came here to check out their children's area specifically, so my review is based on our experience. We visited one afternoon about a week ago during a summer heat wave. Thought it would be a perfect place to beat the heat and be productive, having the kids play in the children's room and possibly check out a few books. Nope. The children's area is big and it looked like there were plenty of toys, but they were all over the place. There were several families there as well with kids that ranged from 0-10 yrs old. For other parents out there, who are also checking out libraries in the area, be aware that parents here don't seem to monitor their kids. There was an older boy, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, telling my curious 2 yr old to "Go Away!!! Just.. Go Away!!!" in a very rude tone. There wasn't a parent around to correct his behavior, so I had to tell him to stop what he's doing because he's being mean and not nice. Seriously though, what has happened to Glendale?! Yes, aesthetically the library has been beautifully revamped, but the quality of its patrons has seriously deteriorated. I would possibly consider visiting during baby/toddler storytime when other children my kids age are present. Perhaps, my experience would be better assuming their parents would be more present and attentive. Otherwise, I would not recommend dropping by for a visit "just 'cuz", especially with the wild kids roaming around unsupervised. On a positive note, they do have the marketplace parking lot that gives 90 free minutes and conveniently located right across from the library. I would have gotten my ticket validated for 3 hrs free, but I didn't bother staying that long.

Beautiful modern library. I wanted to check it out since my searches at the Pasadena library inevitably would point me to the Glendale central library. It's spacious and quiet with plenty of nooks to study. It has a makerspace, auditorium and conference rooms that can be booked. It has a parking lot too so don't make the same mistake I did and pay for parking.