This place is directly around the corner from me. It is a small location tucked near the shopping…read morecenter. There is a pathway and stairs you must take to get to the library. It is unclear if this location is handicap accessible. I only noticed stairs to reach the entrance once you cross the bridge. There are computers and copiers to use. When I say small, this spot is like a walk-in closet small. There are books for various genres, so you would have to preserve certain books from other locations. The staff seemed friendly when we entered. There are no meeting rooms for privacy but there is about two long tables either side of the library to sit at to work.

The library is in an incredibly worn out and in disrepair, and it's hard to navigate (the entrance…read moreis not at the GPS address entrance). There's a pedestrian bridge connecting the library to the parking lot adjacent to a strip mall. The interior is very small and doesn't have a pleasant vibe. It's dark and smelled bad. There were a bunch of people lined up at the computers talking loudly in a one-room library. So disrespectful. The employee, Jana, was very nice and helpful.

During COVID, I actually avoided this location because I thought the drive up window at Perry Hall…read morewould be a much easier option. So for the past couple months I've been driving out of my way to the PH branch. Two weeks ago I thought I would give the WM a shot. Mannnn I have been so wrong about them. You drive in, call the number on the sign and tell them your name and which parking spot you're in (this is really only necessary if they are bringing the books to your car). I thought it would take forever to get someone on the phone, but each time it was right away (my 3rd trip in 2 weeks, yes I'm a bookworm). Then you have the option to meet them at the front door with your books. It was less than 30 seconds of a wait time!! While I like the lazy option of not getting out of my car at the PH branch, this was just as fast and convenient (if not faster because PH usually has at least 1-2 cars in line already).

Popped in quick to print something and the front desk woman was very kind and helpful!read more

This is a large central library. You can't find free parking immediately around it, so you can…read moreeither search a ways or pay for the municipal garage, which adjoins the library, is quite large, and is not wildly expensive. It was a substantial facility offering a mix of reading materials and social services. I had no difficulty in locating a workspace, and wifi, charging, and air conditioning was mainly what I needed.

Awesome library. Came here with my parents alot as a kid. Very clean and well staff. Ran by good…read morepeople

I admit, I came here for the instagram photos. I didn't get exactly what I came for because you…read moreonly see a limited number of rooms in the house and you can't take photos on the first floor (to protect the artifacts) . . . but it was still a worthwhile trip! First, call ahead (there is no online system so you do actually have to call) to make sure they are giving tours and at what times (only certain days of the week, last tour usually starts at 1 PM). This mansion is another relic from the gilded age, however this one isn't completely stuck in the past and is a living, breathing arts venue. The last residents (she died in 1956 I think) had no children and left it to Johns Hopkins University with the specification it be used as an art museum. And there is a lot of interesting and attractive art, though it's mostly art by European white men. That's just what the owners collected . . . but our docent told us they are trying to diversify the collection by purchasing pieces by artists of color. The libraries are actually part of the Johns Hopkins collection and students can make appointments to come read them or use them for research. There are some nature books and some Audubon books that are so large that they require two people to move and turn the pages. There is also a reading room for students. It was previously their bedroom, which they didn't want displayed. There are some fun little quirky rich people things (if you dissociate from today's capitalistic hell). A 23K gold bathroom. The second wife who lived in the residence was obsessed with herself and had multiple paintings and busts of herself around the home. And her bathtub was surrounded by mirrors, including a mirror on the ceiling. A bowling alley that was turned into a display space for all their expensive artificacts. A lot of Tiffany glass. Antiquities. My admission was 10 dollars with a AAA discount. I think regular admission is 12 dollars.

I do recommend calling to confirm when a docent is available, but if one is, it is definitely worth…read morecoming. There is plenty of parking as it's a bit away from the main Johns Hopkins campus. Our tour guide was really knowledgeable and explained a lot about each room and answered all of our questions. There are a lot of beautiful and unique objects, even though unfortunately photograph isn't allowed in the good rooms. The sheer amount of books they owned and how they present them is pretty inspiring. The Garrett's having their own performance/stage area is pretty unique, and you can even rent the space out if desired. At the end, there's a great display of their Asian art collection, and then suddenly you are back in the gift shop where you started, which has some good items. The tour was more than an hour, but it was really interesting, and all the employees were excited to answer questions, so you could see their passion. It's a great tour and worth doing if in Baltimore.

*Review for Storyville*…read more Storyville is the best!! What an amazing play option for littles! As soon as my daughter got comfortable walking, we came here to let her explore. She loves it! Plus they have a room off to the side where I can put the stroller and diaper bag and there's a bathroom for diaper changes and washing hands afterwards. They also give you a bag in case your little one puts anything in their mouth so they can sanitize afterward which is so smart. The only small thing that can be annoying is some parents come and ignore their kids, preferring to be on their phones and let their kids run rogue. Not ideal. I had a kid come up to my daughter trying to pick her up to give her a hug once - no parent anywhere to be found. I like that there's an age limit, although I don't know how strict they are with that because I've seen some bigger kids before. But it's an amazing free resource!

Storyville is the reason I gave this 5 stars. There are only 2 locations that have Woodlawn and…read moreRosedale . This little interactive area for kids age 0-12 years is amazing. So much to see and do. I love it. I bring my son here 2 times a week and he always has such a good time

I visited this library for the first time yesterday because it is finals week at my school and I…read morehave to cram in a lot of work by next week. I arrived to the library around 12:30pm and sat upstairs at the large table near the teenage book section with my assignments and headphones to start working. As I was finding my seat, I saw a sign on the quiet study room that said no elementary or middle schoolers were allowed in. I didn't think much of it l because there were no children around. Sometime after 2pm, multiple kids (elementary and middle school age) showed up and the library turned unintentionally into an aftercare program. They were very noisy and the librarian constantly had to remind them of proper library etiquette. I was glad to see kids use the library's free resources so I give 4 stars. The library is beautiful, was clean and maintained very well but the children made it difficult to get my work done. Next time I'll visit earlier and/or go in the study room. I didn't notice until I was going back to my car that there were so many schools located right next to the library so definitely come earlier in the day to avoid the ruckus.

I'm in the quiet study area, but there is a constant beep from scanner and loud music from outside…read more Today, at least, this is not a great place to get work/studying completed in a not-so-quiet quiet room.

Because it's the best and we are 3rd generation at this library and the staff are so supportive…read morewith the students and us older people.

We love our library. It is a smaller branch but super well maintained with great staff and plenty…read moreof programs.

For the price, can't be beat!…read more The model is simple: donate your books (up to 7 boxes per visit). They give them away for free! According to their website, you can't take more than 150,000 books per visit, so don't be too greedy, you bookworms! They sell 1-2% of donated books to cover overhead, but everything else is volunteer basis, keeping The Book Thing a free community even once a month. Be prepared to wait in line. We arrived at 11:45 so most of the big rush had faded. They let people in on the hour, with a max of 100 people in per time. If you arrive after someone leaves, they can let you in to finish that hour out. You could make a day of it - there are several cafés, breweries, and restaurants in the area that you could visit before or afterwards. Inside there are three rooms - red, blue, and green. They are organized by genres. A warning: this is not for claustrophobic people. It gets crowded and while people are generally polite and respectful, you will rub shoulders with plenty of other bibliophiles. My kids enjoyed it, though Child #1 was a tad overwhelmed and Child#3 wanted to get out of his umbrella stroller and run around! They all picked out something that was just for them. My wife gathered several books and I picked up a couple for myself. When you leave, you need to count your books and tell them that number (for their record-keeping) and your ZIP code. Other than that, it's a great deal, not to mention a fun way to meet other folks in the community. One parent reminisced about how her (now grown) daughter used to love a series that my middle child was looking at. I overheard one woman asking about a particular genre and a volunteer told her that those usually get picked over pretty early. So while there is more of a wait and higher demand closer to opening time, it sounds like there are some choicer items that are available then. DONATION - there is a small one-way road that leads around the back. After the morning rush, it seemed like it moves quickly. There's a small parking pad where you can pull up and give your books to some volunteers. Parking - it's Waverly, so pretty much street parking and you will have to look. We lucked out and saw someone leaving their spot right by the donation drop-off, so we were able to park close. If you have a bunch of books that could use a new home, come donate them here! If you are curious about grabbing some new books for yourself, drop on by! Just check the website for specific dates - it can vary from month to month what's available.

Such a cool community completely FREE resource in the city! I first heard about bookthings in 2023…read moreand this was my second time coming here. It has been in operation since 1999 and filled with volunteers and they now own the building. It's only open once a month now but I guess it used to be more. As a tip - go closer to the hour like on the :45 mark otherwise be prepared to wait an hour. People from all walks of life come here. This operates on donations so I dropped off my books and got in line. It is a bit overwhelming and the books are organized in categories. It is fun to browse but there is a chaotic energy that I don't always love. I don't think I would go back - I much prefer the little libraries! After standing in line, when you walk in, you do have to adjust to the brightness. It's a completely free resource. You can take as many books as you want. When you check out you just tell them the total number of books and your ZIP Code. It's amazing this free resource exists - make sure you don't hoard (like the two women in front of me who were on their fourth entry of the day). Make sure you partake in the recycling of the system. Take books back take new books and keep this amazing free resource in the community.