Guilderland Public Library

StephenJ W

Attended a presentation by the author of the book, Dog Hiker. Alan V. shared amazing pictures of dogs in nature and offered advice and tips on hiking with our four legged friends.

Lana Holden

Strange that over 2 years into the covid pandemic, in person story times lasted less than a month before returning to virtual again. This month's (May 2022) newsletter says that the advertised virtual story times will "delight families." Really? I wonder who, if anyone, can get their baby, toddler, or young children to have the slightest interest in a story time on a computer screen. Or why you would even try. There is absolutely no substitution for in person community gatherings, such as story time and library visits, in a child's development. So disappointing that so many things continue to be absent for our children. While hospitalizations and risk of severe complications from covid continue to decrease, is it really necessary to cease providing community and social gatherings for the young, the elderly, and all ages in between?

Kaleigh Green

As someone who loves books (over 100 books year to date), loves libraries (I've had a library card since I could write my name) and loves my community, its an understatement to say the remodel of the library is a disappointment. After a delayed opening (someone didn't request the CO in time), the new design is less than seller. The layout of the library is horrendous (not to mention, that the maps they give you were made upside down, so they're very hard to follow). Any parent with children will have to walk all the way through the adult section to make it to the children's area, this is less than ideal. In the adult section and children's sections alike, there is almost no places to sit. A library is not only supposed to be a place for books, but also a place to gather and spend time, but it seems like the opposite was done. It saddens me to see that there weren't any singular person study pods in the library at all. With the reopening, I was very much looking forward to spending some Saturdays working at a desk like this to get my work done. There are a few "study rooms", but they are rather small group meeting rooms, not places for individuals to study. Lastly, the teen room. As a library loving teen, the teen section is disheartening and upsetting to say the least. The teen room is so small it's not even right to call it a room, one lousy table in the center with maybe 6 bookshelf. I'm very frustrated that a place that I loved spending my time when I was younger, no longer is taking into account my (and other teenagers) needs when it comes to making updates to the library.

s cat

Very harsh treatment on Saturday 8/28. Condescending and rude at best. Spoken and treated as a toddler for not following unspoken and unlisted directions with guidelines to wait for emails and call the unanswered telephone number before pickup. Much better and humane services at Colonie library. I will refrain from making this mistake again, will try other places with pleasant and client likable staff. Please save the "remodeling", "construction" and "COVID", "pandemic" excuse response, its been used enough. Enjoy the very big parking lot.