We had some time after my pain doctor visit as that didn't take as long as we feared, so we stopped at one of our favorite places in the public library. We found some books that looked interesting and I picked up one I have been wanting to read for awhile. We found out they have a adopt a bookmark where they collect bookmarks left by people over the years and you can pick one out to take home! Very cool, we also got a bookmark from their 40th year celebration last year that we did not pick up last year. The place is always clean, the staff is always great and super friendly. They always have something going on from Open Mic to writing classes. The adopt a bookmark is great. read more

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Able to do early voting here and the staff were so polite to direct me to the polling section. While part of the outside was being having construction, there's still plenty of parking. Old but looks very functional and lots of posted activities. read more

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In order to advance technology, sometimes you have to experience a few growing pains. Well, I learned early afternoon that our WIFI at home would be out for the rest of the afternoon. I work from home, so this was sweet news to my ears (not!) They are putting down fiber in our neighborhood and apparently an unexpected slice occurred today impacting our WIFI. I am very thankful that there is an Austin Public library right down the street from where we live. It has literally been years since I have gone to this library. In fact, it has been modernized with beautiful artwork inside and modern furniture. I can work offline for the rest of the afternoon but thankful to have an option for dialing into a call. The call went well and then I headed home to do some offline work. read more

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Fun APL library in the Northwest area for us with kids to mosey, learn and read in the kid space. We stopped by for the Lunar New Year lion dance, and fun activities for learning about all the different traditions and it was such a blast seeing the turn out! I also loved seeing the little space for puppet shows that so many kids adored, their DVD and book selection was very good assortment wise, and we even did the black history month scavenger hunt they had out, so fun! You even get a prize which all the kids were so excited to do together. I love seeing this well cared for library and had so much fun growing up using a library, and now that I'm a parent enjoy bringing my little one to a space where I spent so much time with books and having fun outside the house :) the staff was so helpful and kind, and we enjoyed the easy parking for APL without having to mosey to a busier library read more

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I really like this library. They have a good variety of programs for the community. Each month's calendar is filled with activities. As a branch, they have a good selection of books on site. Just walk down the rows and I bet you'll see a book that catches your eye! It always happens to me! There's a great children's room with activities and seating special for them. There are many large stuffed animals on top of the book shelves as well--I bet they can come down for fun! A few unique things: you can bring batteries here to recycle. You can also get passport help. read more

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Very nice and clean establishment the staff are very friendly and are willing to assist you in your time of need. I NEEDED some documents scanned via email, Sara was very helpful she walked me to the area explained everything I needed to know and stayed with me during the whole time until the process was done. Thanks Sarah for your wonderful customer service you are appreciated. read more

There are signs all over this library reminding parents not to leave their children unattended in the library for their own safety. For good reason. Use common sense, this is a public space with lots of strangers around. All sorts of people use the library to cool off from the 100+ degree Texas heat. That said, most of the staff here is very pleasant and helpful. The children's book selection is great. The library seems well taken care of and clean. read more

Austin Public Library - Spicewood Springs - Person breaking into donation boxes and strewing items on the ground. - Libraries Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I already reviewed this library once and then updated that review, yet it keeps getting better and better at deeper and deeper levels After I went full time with my Business, I needed a place to work, and I got that here and so much more. They have a knack for hiring interesting, creative, and friendly staff. A few moments conversing with the staff energizes you for your whole day. The staff are excellent conversationalists who connect well with you and share wisdom and advice. Most advice I get in life stinks, but their advice rocks. This last year I have had the honor of participating in their exciting and intellectualy stimulating events. Standout events include open mics, Banned Books Week, and Adult Story Hour. These events are enriching and edifying me. This place optimizes your life fulfillment! Bravo, Spicewood Springs Library! read more

My go-to public library. Primarily bc it's closest to me, lol. But I've visited other locations and still prefer this one. Not enormous but it's quaint. Ample parking. Nice and quiet with lots of seating or places to work. Went to one of the events there recently as well (poetry teaching) and had a blast! read more

We've been visiting this library location for years and have met so many nice employees here. They are courteous and patient. There's one guy who is especially good-humored which makes our visit something we look forward to every time. During pandemic, we reserve our materials online and have picked them up at both the book depository area/drive thru and the curbside pick up spot. The young lady this week was nice enough to bring my kids their 'summer reading program' reward book!! It was so nice that she took the time to ask if we'd received our book and then selected books for them. Thank you Spicewood Springs library staff! We appreciate you. read more

Decent neighborhood library. There's a dedicated computer terminal for car repair manuals- that was a nice touch for do-it-yourselfers. Bathrooms: unisex bathrooms but very clean read more

Watch out Amazon, you are about to get disrupted! Austin Public Library is the MoviePass or Netflix or Uber of books! I will never again buy a book or DVD. The prices are right here at liberry! Also, great staff and self checkout machines to avoid further human interactions. read more

O how I miss the days where I could go into the library and browse the book collection. Now the library has pick up services only due to COVID-19. The staff members are nice and knowledgeable! Just call the phone number listed on the sign and let the staff member know what you need and they will be happy to assist you! read more

Austin Public Library - Spicewood Springs - Libraries Near Me - Austin, Texas

I moved to Austin in 2007 and yes finally found this place. It's right next to the pre-gentrification era North Lamar mini HEB understudy where I had a traumatic experience several years earlier. But there is no public transit remotely nearby? So you have to either be able to drive, have a friend take you, literally hike from the 383 stops which DO exist (well away from the branch) or go to a different location entirely. And the distance to/from the library is not clearly marked or the building itself so you have to guess when you've reached it. It's hidden in shrubbery and designed to be discrete. Most people in this neighborhood may not 'need' a branch library, but it is 'nice' to have. While this library was open, there was a guy out front relieving himself instead of using the public restrooms which were available inside, yes for public use. I think I'll stick to the readily accessible branches I've more easily already found and utilized. Obviously I've not missed much. read more

Good service, a nice selection of materials, clean environment, and chess clubs. It's the next closest one to me, after the Cedar Park library, but I find this one to be a bit superior. read more

Yes I still have a library card. I like to read and books are expensive! This is one of my favorite libraries in Austin. Everything is easy to find, and it even has a drive thru if you want to pick up your on hold books to go or drop off your books when you're through with them. I always forget when it's closed, so sometimes I end up going on the wrong day but it's so close to my apartment so it's convenient whenever. I like to browse the books online then put holds on them so I can walk straight to the hold rack to grab my books. They have this new scanner too that you can stack all your books together instead of scanning each one. I'm still getting used to that though. I highly recommend the e-books they offer online as well. read more

This cool little library is always doing cool stuff for kids. Today they had Marcia Ball come in and play for the kids. read more

Austin Public Library - Spicewood Springs - Marcia Ball at the library. - Libraries Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Only, visited for a Support Group meeting held here on the 1st Sat of the month Overall,it looks nice.Lots of people were in the libary read more

I was surprised to find such a comfy little library nestled in between Spicewood and 183. I haven't checked into their book selection, nor have I spoken with the staff but I have hung out there for some peace and quiet and it's sooo nice. The best thing is the free WiFi and ever since purchasing my MacBook, there is nothing better! The building has floor to ceiling windows that make the lighting nice without the annoying buzz of florescent lighting. They have a few comfortable chairs to sit back and relax and a pretty good amount of tables to spread out books and papers to work all day long on those tedious projects. And they keep it so very cold... so bring a sweater! I, not having kiddos of my own but know some who do, have been told that the childrens section is a good place to enrich the little ones with story time and a nice selection of reading material. read more

I think so sad that they don't do a better more active summer reading program. Places like cedar Park, Wells Branch and round Rock have Raffles and interactive apps with goals. Here you have a page to write down like 10-2 books and you get a free book. My kids got out of school on the 24th almost a month later they still can't get a prize. There's no age range no challenges. Now that we know we can go to the Wells Branch community library we no longer even want to come here. Austin as a whole is so disappointing they should have more for children. read more

I have visited this library several times, yet I have never entered the building. How, you ask? BECAUSE IT HAS A DRIVE THRU! Yep, I reserve my books, CDs and DVDs online and then drive thru to pick them up. It's perfect for moms with toddlers in the car or lazy folk...I happen to fall into both categories. read more

Austin Public Library - Spicewood Springs - This library has its own space dedicated to kids - Libraries Near Me - Austin, Texas

I enjoy this library. It has a good assortment of books and everyone there has been really nice to me. As is the case with all Austin Libraries I've been to, the Spicewood Branch has self-serve checkout kiosks. And solidifying them deserving the fourth star, they even have a book return high enough for people in large pickup trucks! The parking is always good there, especially if you know the parking lot well. That said, I wouldn't go there if I were you, because there isn't enough room for the both of us. :) read more

I have a huge crush on librarians. And there are some pretty cute ones at the Spicewood Branch. If that's not a good enough reason to go check out some free books, I don't know what is. They were building on this thing when I moved here a year ago. I kinda forgot about it until I drove down this street the other day. I had to stop by. I've already been through five books. I can't get enough. The selection isn't that great, but you're sure to find at least something you would want to read. If you're looking for something specific you're probably not going to find it here. This place is better for browsing. read more

I love studying at this library. I've never really enjoyed libraries due to their stale smell, white walls, deafening silence, and confined spaces. The Spicewood Branch is different though. First, there's always people there. Not that their loud, but their presence reminds me that this is a community center and makes the place feel more organic. Second, there's very large windows that are almost floor to ceiling. Above the window, wood art pieces are placed on the wall. I think that's great that they're also supporting local artists! Third, there are study tables right next to the large windows. I have a pet peeve about small, "hip" tables in libraries primarily because I like to be able to have my laptop (receiving wifi, by the way) and my book on the table. I don't need to look cool when I'm studying. I'm at a library, for pete's sake! The only complaint I have is that it's not open later. If it were, 5 stars! That would be as good as it gets! read more

Unfortunately, I have to agree with the comments that characterize the staff as rude. My friend and I took my two year old son to this library today, and liked the facility pretty well. I was disappointed that they only had a handful of books for toddlers; most of the books in the kids section are for ages 4 and up. But I did like the separate section for kids, and my son had a good time. However, when I went to apply for a library card, I encountered some of the rudest treatment I've had in some time. My driver's license doesn't have my current address because I just moved, and the lady asked for proof of address. No big deal there. But when I produced my insurance card, she didn't accept it even though it had my new address on it. She then asked me to log on to one of my online accounts to prove my address, so I did that too. When she saw the address, she then said she needed to see my name in the same place on the page. I scrolled up to show her my name, and long story short, she chose not to accept my information because she then decided she wanted a printed statement. This woman came off as extremely judgmental (she erroneously concluded my friend was my spouse and asked me if he had the info), and her denial of my library card was utterly arbitrary, other than she didn't find me worthy of receiving one. Not to mention, I felt that she was violating my privacy by asking me to scroll around my bank page when she never would have accepted that info anyway. I had far less trouble verifying my identity at the post office! I left ticked off at the ridiculousness of the situation, and I certainly won't visit this branch again. read more

I needed a place to hang out with my 3-year old for half an hour so I stopped in here and was blown away by the interior. This place just smacks of fun and since I was mostly in the kiddie area, can really just speak to that. When I think of a public library I think of cheap vinyl chairs in mass market earth tones and a garage sale mentality toward the rest of the decor. Not so with this branch. If it's due to a recent remodel, then I look forward to when the Manchaca branch is finished with its redo, and am super psyched about the new Twin Oaks branch coming soon to my neighborhood. This location features the most adorable seating I've ever seen in a library...the kind that caused me to wonder, "how could they afford this on a library budget?" Too cute. I would love to bring my dumplin' back for storytimes if it wasn't so dang far from my house. read more

I like this place! It has a non-traditional library look and it does not make me feel like i am in a library. Best of all, it has no old book smell in there, which is awesome! They have great selection of books and friendly staffs. I did browse through their DVD collections and unfortunately it is still a bit limited. Overall, I like this library and very thankful to live close by to it! read more

Great location with helpful staff. I am so glad that the construction is finally finished - now I don't have to trek all the way to the Milwood Branch. The best part of the Austin Public Library system is that you can request almost any book from any branch and have it sent to the branch in your neighborhood. read more

I really like the interior of this library. It's cool, clean, and not blindingly lit. It's just the kind of place I like to sit and browse through a book or two before making my choices. I hadn't been in the kids' area until my nephew visited several weeks back. It's really neat in there! He had a good time alternating between playing with the toys and trying to decide on a couple of books. It was recently remodeled, and although I never saw its previous incarnation, I really like this location. It's modern without being clinical, and feels open and welcoming. I haven't explored its every corner yet, but stumbled across several shelves of books in Hindi. How cool is that? read more

It's nice that there is an option to have the books transported to this library from others in the Travis county area because they have a very limited selection of reference/non-fictional books and DVDs. The staff is helpful and friendly. There are a few areas to kick back and read which is cool. Free wifi is always a plus but again very limited space. It's the closest library to me so I choose it more often than not and will have to continue to look up and order books on my iPhone before coming here for books but it'll do for now. read more

In here every 2-3 weeks to check out a new 20-30 books to keep my son busy reading. It's a pretty great library. I love that the Austin Public Library system is connected online and I can reserve any book in the entire system and it will come to this branch. Their online be catalogue has recently gotten a MUCH needed upgrade, so it's super easy to reserve books/renew books. The login used to be crazy clunky and outdated, now it's what you would expect. The drive through is awesome. I don't have to lug the kids in and out to just drop off books. The only weird thing I've experienced is that it's been confusing on what books/media I could or couldn't pick up from the drive through. I would reserve an audio book online, but told at the drive through that I had to come inside to get it. I don't understand. Lastly, the librarians are what you'd expect from an Austin library... They're super cool and trendy. Sorry, the librarian stereotype is a "shushing" frumpy old lady and many of these librarians are very young, trendy looking and engaging people. Super fun! read more

It's a nice little library. The book and audio visual selection they have on hand is somewhat limited, but I guess with inter-library loans, your choices are really only limited by your own tenacity. We moved from Denton not too long ago, and we were spoiled by the Denton library's amazing in house dvd collection - literally every genre imaginable. The staff at Spicewood is very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is pleasantly casual and welcoming. I really like all the windows by the av / lounge area, lets in a lot of sunlight. I've put a few things on hold so far and they've arrive pretty quickly. All in all, great little library. read more

I come to the Spicewood Branch library for checking out books and movies but most importantly genealogy research. It is discouraging however when I went the previous times only to not be able to print. Today I used the database only computer to access the ancestry and heritage quest subscriptions. I had to use a special access code to log I. Which differs from the other computers. The sign merely says. Access code: (with the access code). I went on finding some great information about my family history. I kept sending info to print cue. At other Austin libraries I need only enter a personal reference to recognize my print jobs. I went to add money to my card and there was nothing in the queue. When I asked for help the guy says oh you have to enter the access code. Perhaps a sign letting patrons know to enter that code for their print jobs would be in order. Consequently I lost all of my work. read more

Love this place! Clean, quiet and all the plugs I needed! Will definitely be back. And I'm from San Antonio!! read more

I gave this place one star for being a library and another star for having books. Those are it's good points. Not-so-good points: 1. Crowded every time I've been there. Long lines. 2. Not a lot of good videos/DVD or audio books. I'm lazy, okay? 3. I did look at the books, too. I couldn't find anything I liked there. My nickname on here is "Picky Girl" so maybe you should take this with a grain of salt, but I do find things to read at other libraries. 4. Weird parking. I don't know why, I just remembered there was something about how you have to get out of the parking lot I didn't like. Some of the staff weren't too great, but some of them were, so that cancels out. "Meh. I've experienced better." read more

The good: Free wifi Large open windows and good lighting A fair amount of free tables to sit down and read / study at. The bad: Short hours (closes when most people get off of work!) No food allowed inside. Makes it hard to spend a full day here. read more

Austin's public libraries are incredible. Books that have been hard for me to find in other cities' libraries are easily found here. Their selection is wide! I haven't visited other locations, since this one is closer to home, so I really can't judge 'em all. But this one has met my needs so far. I also love the Spanish children's books for my Kiddo! Oh and even though it's busy, it's quiet enough to do some studying and room for some internet surfing if that's your thing. For now, this is my preferred location. I'll definitely check out other locations just for comparison. read more

I'm a huge library nerd, but this is my favorite of all the APL libraries. There's always plenty of parking and it's easy to get in and out of the parking lot. It can sometimes look a bit crowded, but it's a library. I'd be sad if I went to a library and there was nobody there. I read mainly young adult and their YA section is seriously ROCKING. They always have really new, up to date books and have even pulled the newest ones and have them in a stack at the beginning of the YA section. Score! They also recently added new bookshelves in the YA section, expanding them upwards to the ceiling so they can add more books. Double score! The staff is nice and knowledgeable and always ask if I need any help with what I'm looking for. Not sure what someone else was complaining about when they said there was always a line. I have never had to wait in line to check out a book and I'm here at least once a week. They also have at least three self-checkout kiosks so you don't have to wait in the "line" if you don't want to. I'm always in and out within just a few minutes if I know ahead of time what I'm looking for. As far as the APL as a whole is concerned, I give them five stars as well. Their website is up-to-date and easy to use. You can browse titles online, put books on hold, and they'll send you an email when they're ready for you to pick up. Brilliant. They usually have no release titles within a few weeks or a month after their release date. So five stars to you, Spicewood Branch, APL! I plan on checking out books from you for many years to come. PS- This location also has clean, nice, big restrooms. Just an FYI for restroom creepers like me. read more

This is a great little library. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and the depth of books is surprising for its size. There are great little places to sit down and study, but not a ton, so if you do use it to study or read for hours I'd get there in the morning when it's completely empty. The drive-thru is AWESOME for picking up/returning. APL is fantastic, and this is a great little branch! read more

I like libraries. This one's a great place to get some work done, or just check out some books. I'm usually either in the travel section, literary fiction, or graphic novels, all of which this branch has a decent selection of. The only thing that sucks about the Austin Public Library system is that you don't get email alerts when your books are overdue, which means my forgetfullness always costs me a few bucks in fees. read more