This is a wonderful, beautiful library right up against a busy main street (Duke Street) but the access point is through N Pickett Street and with a huge parking lot nestled among mature trees and plenty of shade. As of May 2024, is heavily under construction and restoration, and areas are clearly taped off. The library is still open for business. The interior is clean, bright lit, huge with tall ceilings, books stocked and neatly organized on shelves, areas for newsletters and flyers, clean bathrooms, a separate kids area, computers for Internet access, a lovely very green courtyard, comfortable arm chairs, and a lot of seating. Anyone who lives, works, owns property, owns a business or attends school in Alexandria is entitled to a free library card and allowed full use of the facilities, plus those who live in Arlington, Charles, District of Columbia, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Montgomery, Prince George's, and Prince William. read more

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Very helpful staff getting me what I needed. Children's and young adult sections are good

Has a great variety of resources. Is a living tool of 21st century information for students, teachers, professionals, and all who need to fulfill their curiosity for just about any need. Wonderful courteous staff. They make me proud to say I am a citizen of Alexandria. read more

The library staff here is incredibly disappointing. And I feel absolutely confident saying that they discriminate against their guests. First, re-train your staff, or replace. Make an effort to accommodate all people, of all race and color, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. I am most disappointed with the children & teen librarians. If you are here to bring your child to an activity or class, I STRONGLY suggest you go to a different library - Barrett, Burke, Duncan - those libraries actually make an effort toward the guests and children visiting them. I will NEVER return to this library again. Give it enough time, they will have a lawsuit slapped on them. read more

BIG library with lots of books and a very helpful staff. It's a busy, bustling building of books. People from near and far (there were license plates from Maryland and D.C.) come to this particular branch and enjoy the many services provided there. Our family goes often and our son especially loves the variety of books, CDs, DVDs, etc available to borrow. read more

They got the books, I know that's right. They got books for everything but the Lord, you know that? Last time I checked I found two. One Hindu and one Tao. That big a** library and only two books on God. I'm crying right now. How? Bless! read more

Reading has been a passion since I was young. I used to read with a flashlight after "lights out." This library is awesome. You can register for a card, no matter where you live in the DMV. There are lots of online choices (classes, etc) available. The library is cheerful, roomy and easy to find. You can even choose what color card you want. There are activities for kids (and adults). Make sure you use the card at least once a year, to maintain your account. read more

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library - Libraries Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

It's a beautiful building, but their collection is shamefully lacking in nonfiction. If you want to learn about politics, specifically the Dulles brothers and the real things that were happening in the 1950s and 1960s, I recommend DC Public Library. They had some of the books I searched for, that Alexandria lacked. DC Public Library honors residents of surrounding jurisdictions with library cards. read more

Well I never been to a library like this before, the people were different the visitors and some of the staff. I was a regular there I worked in the area and had about 5 hours to kill, so I hung out there, homeless people hung around, one man run to get the daily paper before me, one day I notice a man spitting in the news paper after he read it he just split in hit. I was cheated when they had a book sale I reported it to the manager and she took my credit card in the back and stayed a long time. I was so glad the job I was working ended. Smdh Va got issues. read more

Love my local library! There are always plenty of helpful librarians, my holds are always waiting for me, lots of chairs, nice clean bathrooms. read more

Wow what a community resource here, Free books to take home, literally and of course reduced cost music cd's and DVD's. Classrooms for meetings and this location has quite a few and also information on passports. What a huge facility and fun for the whole family! read more

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library - Libraries Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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It's a nice quiet library! There's lots of space to spread out and study. The librarians are also nice and helpful and not meddlesome. They are also very helpful and patient with people who struggle navigating the internet/ using computers. Everyone is able to work quietly and no one bothers anyone which I really like. They also have a passport/ visa Photo Booth which saves a trip to the pharmacy. read more

Quiet, spacious library with lots of nooks and crannies. There are big tables near the center and many individual desks scattered around the edges of the building if you want privacy/a more focused environment. As of October 2021 all meeting rooms are closed, so I would say this is a good choice for individual/quiet studying. Overall a super nice library, whether you want to get work done or just look around. read more

This is a pretty amazing library. It is huge and has so many resources and great things to check out. They offer many things here such as : + Getting your passport + special events such as crafting, author talks, board game get together, story time, etc. + Large children's section with a ton of light and seating. The kids can have so much fun here!! The selection here is huge - from fiction to DVDs to large prints to nonfiction to everything in between. Really impressed with their choices. I have to give a big shout out to their "hold" system. I love how you can reserve a book even if it's available and a librarian will go and get it for you and put it on the "holding book shelf" and you can just get in, grab your book, and get out. It's super convenient. Sometimes you get lucky and there's no one waiting for the book but sometimes you can be #218 like I am now for a super popular book. Recommendation: Can we get more board games for check out? Or more copies of the super popular books. read more

Bad experience tonight with a young lady working the front desk. I placed a hold for a book over 24 hours ago, and it wasn't ready. At first, this lady said the book wasn't ready. In the past, librarians went and found the book. She made no effort to do so until I asked her to do it, and she then only made a half hearted look behind the counter. I asked her that it had to be somewhere nearby as in the past other librarians had found books for me, and she said it could be anywhere. I shook my head in frustration and turned to leave, and what I was hoping to hear was something like "it will be ready tomorrow and we will contact you then". Instead, she said "THANK YOU" in a loud exaggerated tone that made it sound like she was being sarcastic and snotty. I cancelled the hold and went elsewhere for the book. I did not get her name, but she was young, short, heavy set, dark hair, and wore glasses. read more

Never in my life would I have thought that I would be a story time connoisseur but here I am. It's been two weeks since I've last attended story time at Charles E Beatley and I have found myself singing the peanut....peanut butter (and jelly!) song to myself ALL. THE. TIME. I consider that a win for the librarian who was able to command a pretty large audience of different ages for her thirty minute show of stories, puppets, and songs. As I mentioned this is a bigger crowd of children than most other libraries since they offer walk ins (most libraries make you register in advance). This could be a plus or minus depending on who you are. It's a bit wilder for my ten month old but very helpful with unpredictable baby schedules. They have a small play area with a giant rug, toys, and a wooden kitchen that kids can play with afterwards which is kind of cool. Not sure how often it is sanitized but I hear germs are great for building the immune system! read more

This branch of the Alexandria library system is huge! It has a really nice children's play area too. In addition to the play area there is a children's reading area and several tables for chess. There are several nice nooks for reading. They seem to have a lot of events here. We recently went to a fall festival that included a really awesome "bubble man" and a Photo Booth! I noticed upcoming they have a costume swap for Halloween. There is a large parking lot that occasionally has food trucks in it. They do have story times as well for the little ones. This is my preferred branch, although not the closest, so I will continue to visit sporadically. read more

This review is mainly on the Passport service. Today (Sunday) we arrived 30mins before the library opened since that's what was recommended to me by several women. There was a line outside of the door specifically for passport services. There were only a couple people in front of us. The doors opened exactly at 1pm and a lady directed the passport line to the waiting area. The family in front of us didn't have all their application paperwork filled out so they stepped aside. We were up next.. all paperwork filled out & all documents/copies on hand. We were then directed to a desk area where an associate helped us. She reviewed the paper work, we made our payments, signed the applications, swore that all info was correct and we were done in 10 mins!! As long as you get there early and have ALL required documents, you'll be good to go! We applied for our two kids who are only 3 & 1yrs old. Here's a quick list of what we needed and brought with us to apply for their passports: :Both parents present (if one parent can't show up, you can submit an additional form that's signed and notarized) :DS-11 form (filled out online and printed at home-do not sign it until you're instructed to do so) :Passport photos :Original birth certificate :Black & white copy of birth certificate :Our drivers license (both parents) :Black & white (front & back) copy of drivers license (both parents) :Check payment made to US Department of State :Check payment made to Alexandria Library ---- If you want to figure out what you need to bring to apply for your passport, view the actual US Department of State webpage. That is also where you can fill out the application. read more

I love this library, the staff are great its always clean and the books are organized. I also love the history of why it was named after Charles E Beatley Jr. Look it up if you don't know! read more

Large library with decent facilities and a good selection of books. With that being said, for those who prefer a quieter setting I would look elsewhere as it was fairly busy and there was a lot going on. Personally, I prefer a quieter library environment, whereas this one had people talking, watching videos without headphones, babies crying, etc. read more

While Beatley does not have as much historic charm as some of the smaller neighborhood libraries, it makes up for that in other ways. This library always has the materials that I'm looking for! When I search online for a book, 9 times out of 10, it will be available here; sometimes multiple copies and forms (i.e. audiobook). Beatley is bigger than the other Alexandria libraries. More interesting programs are here, due to more meeting areas being available. Plenty of computers, with a large teen section and separate young childrens' section with a modern pretend play area with wooden furniture and play equipment. The periodicals section, all the way in the back, has an abundance of comfy chairs. Plenty of free parking in the lot, with longer hours than other locations. Also, they now do passport processing here, near the reference desk. But please check hours because the schedule varies. read more

All libraries are under appreciated to some degree, but this one in particular punches above it's weight. The selection is really good and the staff is always helpful and friendly. read more

Beatley Library is a really pretty library. It is bright and airy inside and fairly spacious. There is an area just for teens, which is great. I always look forward to perusing the recently released or best-seller section. It is clean and quiet, and I can always easily find what I am looking for. However, it is has not been my best library experience. First, there are not many places to sit and read a book, if you feel like it. Workstations are also limited. Some staff are friendly, others are not. For the most part, I "order" my books online. My main issue is that even if I request a book that library has "in-stock" (not already checked-out), it still takes weeks for me to receive it. Some books I have been waiting several months for. Also, the book selection is limited, and it appears they do not participate in a regional library-share program (only a city-wide one). Many of the books I have searched for are not available through the Alexandria libraries, which is disappointing, given the urban location and proximity to our nation's capital. Still, I love libraries and I am thankful that it continues to receive funding and serves the community. read more

Very hostile place for a library! Specially towards families, bear with me to hear the details: We were there yesterday where I wanted to stop to look for a book, I had my child with me, and so I opened a computer for him on a kids YouTube show, while I went to look for a book, a lady that looked like homeless was sitting there on the computer next to him with another young lady (that might be her daughter) checking her Facebook and eyeing us the whole time, I did not think much of it then went to get my book, then I saw her screaming for the librarian and pointing at my child saying "hey where is this child's mother"! I was barely 50 feet away and within eye sight so I pointed to her that I'm here, she looked at me and kept shouting that I left my child and disappeared and she doesn't have to watch my child for me! At that point I came to tell her that I was there the whole time and I never asked her to watch him, she kept going on how she felt she had to watch him and that she is a woman of god... etc of all that crazy talk while her daughter was repeating same thing both were yelling very loudly, I asked them repeatedly to stop yelling when they never did I looked at the librarIan I asked her to quiet them as I don't have any interest talking to them and the library should be a quiet place, she looked at me and said they are right you have to watch your child!!! The crazy lady kept saying thank you I knew it and kept going on, the librarian went back to her desk didn't even ask her to respect the place or stop yelling. This place is a very hostile towards mothers because : 1. not only once or twice but many times it happened that my child happened to raise his voice playing or laughing and a librarian would jump on me even on the first incident reminding me it's a quiet place and he should be quiet! But 2 adults (the crazy lady and her daughter) screaming for at least 10 minutes was not addressed 2. I did my search and came to a conclusion that I did nothing against the library regulations or even state laws by leaving my child on the computer and going to grab a book, I didn't leave the premises or even go out of sight! So my child was not unattended, not for a second, and there is no one more caring in this world for my child's safety than me so those cheap acts of "I'm better than you" I would've expected on the street but not in a presumably respectful library, obviously librarians there need to be educated on staying within their job description as librarians and not start acting as counselors, or they will bring this place down, reviews are all over the internet saying the same thing. Oh and if you want to use their printer plan on forking out, it costs $0.25 for black and white page! WTH is that? I used libraries printers all around the country including the expensive California and it was $0.10 or $0.15 tops, but $0.25?!!!! Come on! read more

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library - Of course this library is noisy, librarians are busy shaming mothers but leave crazy adults screaming for 10 minutes - Libraries Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I am revising my review because of one beautiful person, Rebecca..This woman helped us so much and so kindly and so professionally!! She was so so patient and so helpful, thank you so much! Nice bulding, huge space. .BUT...! Their U.S passport issuing process worth rethinking.. So they don't let you sign in online or schedule an appointment. What they do is opening the waiting list at 2:45 p.m. first comes first. If you're not there early enough to sign for the waiting list (it's only waiting list. .) you're out. Also, you can be there on time, but people are pushing to get to the list so if your not agressive enough... Why not have us scheduling online...? read more

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library - Libraries Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I had a great experience with passport renewal here. I went on Saturday afternoon, there was no wait and the staff processed my application quickly. It is also a really great library, with a huge selection and plenty of workspace. The staff are really friendly and helpful too! read more

Nothing particularly special about the library, but it's a nice library with a good selection. It's usally pretty quiet, and never too crowded. A decent amount of seating all over the library, from central seats with tables, to comfortable chairs in hidden corners. Large children's section. Decent YA section. Very good Mystery and sci-fi/fantasy sections. Good non-fiction section. read more

I never thought I would say this, but this might be my favorite library! It is located close to my apartment in Alexandria (about 3 miles away) and I can almost guarantee that I will be able to sit at a private study space if I visit during the week. I typically venture out of my common spaces in my home to study and do research when I need a change of atmosphere, and this is the fist place that always comes to mind. Again it is quiet, the staff is helpful, and the public seem to respect one another. When the weather is warm, I enjoy sitting out in the terrace area and read or get some fresh air and sunlight. read more

This place is amazing. Great facility for kids and adults. This library gives you access to a clean facility, knowledgeable (friendly) staff, plenty of computers and unlimited resources. This facility also process and renew passport applications, which is convenient for Alexandria, VA residents. read more

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library - Libraries Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The Charles E Beatley Jr library was recently remodeled back in '00 and is located in the West End of Alexandria. The hubs and I come here often, as they have a great selection of books, classics and current best-sellers. Besides a great literary collection, they also have meeting rooms for groups and organizations, a Reading Garden (a smoke-free environment for reading and for public programs), and in-library events (readings, workshops, movies, etc.). Another great service that they offer are the U.S. Passport renewal/application services (Tues-Thurs, Sat & Sun). It is by walk-in basis only, and no appointment necessary/required. Just make sure you download/print/fill-out all the required documents off the official Passport website and bring all the documentation/identification. You go over to the information desk, and there is a clipboard with a sign-in sheet that is laid out about 10-15 minutes before the service is offered. I went on a Sunday, and because the library doesn't open until 1, and the services began at 1, there was already a huge queue out the door. Just be diligent in making your way over to the desk (walk, don't run, or you'll get chastised), and sign-in. They will give you a buzzer to also let you know when it's your turn. The process itself took about half an hour, but may take longer for some. Plenty of parking in the library lot. +great literary selection +U.S. Passport services (Tues-Thurs, 3-7PM; Sat: 11AM-3PM; Sun: 1-3PM); walk-in basis, first-come, first-serve +plenty of parking in library lot read more

I've really liked this library (from the outside) for a long time now. I've driven by many times. Its nestled on Duke Street, a stone's throw up the road from Harris Teeter & Mango Mike's; spitting distance from Landmark "Mall". Today, I stopped in to let rush-hour traffic die down, cool off in the A/C, and use up some of their free WiFi. Well...2 outta 3 ain't bad. It *was* cool inside. They have a lot of nice books, a whole bunch of CDs, DVDs, and hard-wired computers, They even have a garden. And plenty of clean bathrooms with fragrant hand soap and lots of paper towels. And I did stay there long enough for rush hour to die down. Too bad I spent the whole time trying to connect to the internet. Ugh. Then, the daggone battery on my laptop started getting low. So I had to stretch my power cord across a busy aisle and plug it in under some microfiche table. I had to take my eyes off of that little spinning circle (you know, the icon that indicates Windows IE is 'doing something') to warn library patrons walking by not to trip over my power cord. Ugh. It took SO long, *I* nodded off. I never did get connected to the web, eventhough the bars were green and it said 'signal strength EXCELLENT' (yeah, right). Finally, I left that cool oasis with no WiFi, came home, and did the dam yelp on my crackberry. p.s. - I'd go back again for some books, DVDs, and CDs. I just won't wait for any WiFi. read more

My favorite of the Alexandria public libraries! My favorite part is the local artwork on display right inside the first set of doors. This place definitely has a community feel to it. So many computers, plus comps only for word processing. Be sure to bring a thumb drive or buy one there for only $7! There's free wi-fi too though the closer you are to the Reference Desk, the better reception you get. The ladies at Reference are quite helpful. You can tell they actually enjoy their jobs and serving the public. I wish I could say the same thing about all the folks at Circulation...there are a couple who are not very personable and do not seem to know what customer service is. Use the self-checkout stations and that later problem is solved! Plus, there's ample parking and a decent periodicals section. My only "needs improvement" to this library is that it seems very...public. It even smells like people who need a bath. Just sayin...air freshener and some anti-bacterial wipes for the keyboards would certainly benefit the place. But still a gorgeous building, inside and out. read more

Main Entry: library Pronunciation: \l-brer-, -bre-r; British usually & US sometimes -brr-; US sometimes -br, -ber-, -be-r\ Function: noun 1 a : a place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials (as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept for use but not for sale b : a collection of such materials [That's for you digital natives who have never set foot inside these edifices of erudition, do all your research on one wiki or other, or tote your e-reader along on your beach vacay. Nothing wrong with that, I'm just sayin'...for old-timers this is where we cut our literate teeth, sitting on carpet squares and hanging on the childrens librarian's every word as she read "Harry the Dirty Dog."] As far as libraries go, Beatley Central is one of the best big "small-town" libraries out there. From the outside it looks like a little Seuss-ian village -- and it's supposed to. Architect Michael Graves designed it that way to create an inviting feeling of community. Inside it's spacious, bright, open, and blessedly quiet; well-organized and well-stocked. New releases are conveniently spotlighted as you walk through the doors. Children's department is huge. Reference desk is centrally located. Huge selection of DVDs, music CDs, and books on CD for those who still have their players (digital natives disregard). Large number of computers for Internet access and word processing, as well as wifi. Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff. Self-checkout machines. And near the circulation desk, several shelves of used books for sale at rock-bottom prices. I don't work summers, so this is when I get my read on in order to make up for the lack of "me" time the rest of the year. Visiting Beatley I'm reminded again how great and useful this library really is, and how much libraries could really use our patronage in this economic climate. read more

This place is great for a quiet study. I came with my laptop and the internet was perfect. I didn't even have to register because I didn't borrow any books. The staff is friendly and will answer any questions you have. They have not only car but also bike parking which is perfect if you have a bike. read more

Its a library. It is very loud, though. People freely talk on their phones or hold conversations. I've never seen staff intervene. The children's section is in the front and the noise echoes throughout. It is always cold. Copying is 25 cents per page; seems a little pricey. The bathroom is always dirty. I stopped using it a few visits ago. Bring headphones and a sweater. Don't drink any liquid before your visit . It's a library. read more

Nice large library, a lot of seating to study, easy parking. They have a nice outdoor patio-ish area you can walk around if you need some fresh air :) Just wish they had more outlets near the tables, and allowed snacks in the libraries. read more

At the risk of having 5 bajillion (ok, 2 or 3) people read this and flock to Beatley like lemmings, I will keep this review as negative as possible. Except that I can't. I like this library a lot. It has all the new books, a pretty decent movie collection to supplement my Netflix addiction, and even some college-level textbooks for serious academic research. Every time I have come here on Sunday, it's been crowded with students/people trying to get work done, so I never go for more than just to pick up some books to read. One of my favorite parts is the shelf by the door that sells used books for 50 and 25 cents. The building is nice and modern, and the selection great. I like it as my local library! read more

So we came here to get our passports done, the first time we checked in the staff member (white male) looked over our paperwork and said we needed to have the original document. We returned a 2nd time and Jenny the passport rep said that we needed an additional form and we needed it notarized like wtf. Now a 3rd time we are back and same passport lady (Jenny) tells us we needed a copy of the Driver License to go with a certain form. Like why didnt she tell us clearly the last time we were here. read more

The only problem with this library...why can't it be located in my area? Hahaha...but it doesn't stop me from utilizing it. I do like that they have a reciprocal agreement with other local counties...so if you live/work/do business in another county (such as Loudon or Fairfax) you can get a library card. I like that this library, out of the ones that I use, most likely has the book that I'm looking for. I don't usually have to waste time to order the book from another library (well probably because this is the main location). My favorite thing about this library - they usually have a book sale...which is like my kryptonite. Ugh there's no way I can say no to a book sale. I also noticed that they offer passport services, although I've never used it. Overall this library is great. I enjoy using it. read more

My review is more for the digital resources. I frequent the e-book and audio book catalog. The wait for new materiel can vary from a few weeks to a few months... but there are so many other things to stay engaged with while you "wait; it's not that bad. I recently found out they offer movie streaming as well. Libraries are keeping up with the digital demand and I appreciate that! For materiel you place on hold and pickup, I don't like that your full name is listed for anyone perusing the stacks. Privacy please. read more