Oh my local library how I love thee. Free thirty minute parking in certain spots, private rooms to study, comfy chairs to skim books or read zines, friendly and helpful staff, book clubs, rotating book displays, huge media collection, seed library and library of things to borrow. They can get books you request in a pretty timely matter, are linked to other libraries to fill requests for popular or difficult to find titles. I visit at least a couple times a month and am in two book clubs. They also host making events and artists. Can't say enough good things. Love this place. read more

I'm always on the hunt for new study spots in Southfield Michigan and I'm so grateful to have stumbled upon the Ferndale Public Library! What I really love about this library is that it's an a suer convenient location that is waking distance from a lot of great bakeries and restaurants in Ferndale. The library itself is quiet but not to a deafening degree. There's some light chatter and it gets a lot of sunlight which is also a plus. The staff is super friendly and there are plenty of computers and seating available. They also have a kids corner with books, games, and other activities to keep kids occupied. I also love that there's a lot of different seating options with spacious countertops for work and individual seating if you want to study alone. Highly recommend getting some work done here or just stopping by to dig into a good book ! read more

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Love the Ferndale library! They are the best. Always a cozy place to study or read, helpful librarians. Lots of varied seating for many different needs. read more

What a beautiful place to sit and read. This is my first time visiting this library. So many books to check out and so little time. Lol. Friendly staff. Beautiful beautiful surroundings. Family friendly. read more

Seeing the staff change??? Bring back the older kinder staff as they provided friendly patient inspiring service The staff member with the blue hair rages at people he's done it several times. He's young angry has no respect for older people at all. We here him when he's sitting at the middle desk fanning himself he talks about needing his Adderall pills! He once again raged at a homeless older man who just wanted a copy that's it I'm done at Ferndale Library. How did we end up with a militant impatient staff in a very liberal Ferndale town is beyond me Going to find a friendlier library read more

Cute library with very nice people working! I stopped in because I was in the area with some time to kill but had forgotten my book. I saw they had a copy and came in to read it. Walking in, I realized it was very small, but with cute displays and a few private rooms. I did a little work first and the tables were a good size and getting on the internet was not a hassle - just connect! That was very much appreciated. When I sat down with my book, there were soft seats near a fireplace and that was a nice, cozy surprise too. After a while, I wanted to grab a bite and wanted to take the book with me, and they had reciprocal borrowing with Detroit Public Library cards. After a quick set-up, I was on my way. Later I returned the book at the book drop on my way back to my car. That's the one thing I didn't like - that you have to pay to park, unless you can snatch one of the fifteen-minute spots. But I guess in this area it would be hard to avoid or enforce free parking for library only. Overall, very pleased with how much this library helped me not waste time and I'll probably be back next time I have to wait for something! read more

I love this library! It is large and well organized. They have an easy to use catalog system and employees who are friendly and helpful if you have any trouble. They have computers and printers to use (10 cents a page, I think). There is an outdoor seating area that is lovely and there are lots of events and programs to get involved in. They also have movies and cds. read more

Nice, clean, quiet library with friendly librarians. I'm always surprised by how many interesting events the library offers. There are movie get-togethers, book clubs, game days, and informational talks. I was even lucky enough to stop by on a bake sale day! Paid parking lot, but there are a few short-term first-come, first-serve spots if you're just picking up or dropping off a book. read more

I actually live in Oak Park but due to the wonderfulness of the library system I go here all the time. This library isn't as big as some of the others but appears to have what I want and I can get what I like quickly due to the layout of the library. It is open, lots of recent fiction "up front." The staff is friendly, polite, and helpful. The only bad is not being able to use free slots in the back if they are full and having to pay to park. Fortunately it's Ferndale and parking is not too expensive. I know I will continue to come here ! read more

I LOVE the Ferndale library, it's like a second home. The staff are amazing, the selection is great. They have great relationships with other Michigan libraries, so they can get you just about anything if for some reason it's not on their shelves. They also offer some online platforms that they parter with, including shows and movies, if books aren't your thing. Highly recommend! read more

I wish more citizens would use public libraries, because I can see them sadly fading away in the near future. This library has a very friendly and helpful staff which I am thankful for because not all Librarians are "people persons". There many parts and values that this library offers, but the three main areas are........a computer/internet section.....a DVD/CD collection.......and of course shelved books. I am giving it 5 Stars because this free public building offers so much to the Citizens of Ferndale. Note: you can reserve books and media online. Thumbs Up !!! read more

The Ferndale Library just got a facelift- and it's great! The new library has an atrium and community gathering room in the front - tons of public access computers - meeting and study rooms - quiet reading/studying areas (one with a fireplace even) -comfy chairs to curl up with a book - wireless throughout - and a new and improved children's area. The new building is "green" too! This library isn't large enough to have everything you might be looking for - but they are part of the Library Collective where you can get books from other local libraries shipped to the Ferndale library (This works pretty quickly, I can tell you from experience). I was excited to get my new library card, and have been putting the online system to order books/CD's from other places to work lately ;) I'm looking forward to the various community events that they have planned. Well done Ferndale! The new library is a place to be proud of. :) read more

Thank goodness for the Ferndale Public Library. I came here regularly to rent movies and get books when we first moved to Michigan and I knew not a soul. I felt like the library folks at the desk were my first friends. They were still in their temporary space up East 9 Mile, waiting for their building to be renovated. And in my mind the wait was worth it. I really like the new building (or newly renovated old building). There is a good selection of movies and music. There is a really great kids space in the back with lots of kids stuff and books for toddlers through young adult. The selection of books at the library itself is not huge - I was disappointed that the science fiction section was missing some of the more standard texts... and when I donated most of my own collection, was disappointed that they were not put on the shelves, but sold through the Friends of the Library store. Ferndale Library is a part of the Online Library and Michigan E Library so if there is a book you are looking for, it is probably somewhere in the system. Anytime I get a book recommendation, I check whether or not it is the system and promptly order it. Wait a couple of days, and I can pick it up at my local library. That to me is the best best part of this. I love going there to work - there is wifi, lots of space, comfy chairs and meeting rooms. The temperature is always perfect, no matter what it is like outside. The staff is always lovely to interact with and now that I have a kid who is reading, they are great with her too although she can't get a library card until she is 5. We go often, and are thrilled it is here. My only critique is that it is not open on Sundays. Especially during the winter when it is so hard to occupy a kid (and this adult). read more

I confess myself to be a bibliophile, and a spoiled one at that, thanks to a history of very good relationships with outstanding hometown bibliotheques. I knew Ferndale possessed many other good qualities when I moved here, but I was abandoning a beloved community institution in the Chicago burbs and worried about my aching book heart. Would FPL mend my the wounds? So far, I must say I am pleased with the city's library. A charming, modern building on Nine Mile across from my favourite haunts -- Torino Espresso Bar, Go! Comedy, and the WAB -- has all the charm of a small-city/town institution with the amenities I came to expect. Its renovation does wonders to create a bright, airy environment filled with many books. Computers are spread out and more plug-ins than you can shake a stick at invite you to bring along your laptop or tablet to get some work done. The free wi-fi satisfies my research urges while writing in a corner, and access is easier said than done. FPL gets props for having a wide open community room facing Nine Mile. Dividers can easily make one room into two or more, and the tables on wheels are infinitely configurable. Events hosted by the community can benefit from copious staff support and technological wing-dings which matter: projections, mobile chairs, and easy access. Kids have their own niche and a reading room invites an oasis from the usual hush down to an extra insulated whisper. The foyer is isolated from the rest of the library by swishing doors so conversations can be conducted without interrupting other patrons, a welcome reality in a cold winter climate and an increasingly connected world. Staff here are hardworking, amiable, and exactly what I want in a library: there when I need them. They have provided help on a few occasions, and their outreach for community events is always prompt. I've had no reason to complain. My only frustration comes from the paid parking if I'm going to be longer than 15 minutes, thus unable to use the free spots. I understand the revenue improves the city and prevents people from using up the limited spaces in their lot whole visiting the downtown core. On the plus side, their parking meters now accept barcode scan payment so you can avoid carrying around $25 in quarters. FPL's only areas for improvement are pretty open, and probably symptomatic of me coming from much larger systems. I would like to see them offer more ebooks on loan for those of us with Kindle or Nook e-readers. Many libraries have started offering ebook readers on weekly loan, and that would be a heck of a plus. I find their website difficult to navigate for basic information, like how to apply for a library card, compared to other library sites. I'm not as fond of the interface for the catalog, but I understand that's what many of the SE MI network uses. Being closed on a Sunday, one day when I can consistently get in, is also a pain in the butt but a reality for library funding. All in all, what a lovely asset to the community. read more

One the first things I did upon moving to Ferndale was to obtain a library card. How could I not? Convenient location? Check. Roomy renovated digs with nice seating, free wifi and access to computers? Check. Friendly and knowledgable staff? Check. Easy to peruse website? Check! Part of the SE Michigan library network? Check! Whittling down my reading list has never been easier. *rubs hands together* Finding a place to park is usually not a problem, thanks to their free 15 minute parking spaces. Extremely handy, especially if you're the beneficiary of good timing. :) What really sets this library apart from others, however, is the First Stop Fridays series: a local band showcase on the first Friday of every month from 7-9pm. A lot of musical talent sways within Ferndale's fronds, and I dig hearing bands in unusual places. As alternative performance spaces go, the library a very strong contender. The spacious, high ceiling-ed room is surprisingly intimate and gives good sound. Chairs can be set up, but nooks and crannies can also be found if peeps (ahem: me) want to make themselves comfy on the floor instead. What a treasured community resource. I hope it continues to thrive. read more

I used to love coming here. Until the new director was hired a while ago. She's rude and practically unwilling to help in ANY WAY. While yes they have modern technology and a great environment I just stopped going because of the director which is sad because they do have a great selection of books and movies. On a side note which has nothing to do with the rude director, their dvds have been messing with our Blu-ray players. I actually had to replace one because the dvd that I rented made this horrible noise and then the machine died. So no I won't be renting dvds from there anymore. Plus I feel unwelcome there from how that woman has treated me. read more

This place has been my salvation. First off the re-design is fantastic. Well planned out with conference rooms and a front lobby with tables and chairs. A perfect place to do some surfing on the free wi-fi and hold a business call without disturbing patrons in the main reading section. I have to admit that I mainly rent dvd's and cd's here, since I get my reading quota met at school...but during my breaks I have rented some fun books here. Being a starving student it allows me to have some great free entertainment since all my $$ goes to basics. As I mentioned there is free wifi and plenty of community computers. The new space is open and clean and well lit. There is a quiet room for those who are sensitive to their personal reading time. And a lot of comfy chairs to sit in. The staff is top notch and are always friendly. I have held many conversations with them and they all seem super cool. As a plus they also offer two free 15 minute parking space if you just need to run in for a quick return/checkout. They are across the street from a nice coffee bar as well, which always makes the trip nice. I recommend it for anyone. read more

I absolutely love my Ferndale Public Library! The staff is always friendly and helpful. The library is always clean. I can order books to be delivered for check out from other participating libraries, and this oddly also includes many libraries that I cannot get books from work through MELCat (Michigan Electronic Library Catalogue)... they also sponsor/host other activities such as children's events and book clubs, a sewing circle, craft day. I can't say enough positive things about this library! read more

Great place to take kids. They kid section has a lot of books and interactive games. The adult side is also great full of many options. It is vert pretty inside as well. read more

I love being able to go online, put something on hold on the library website's mass catalog of collective stuff, get an email, and then go pick it up. They also have a unique batch of new release books, as well as great indie music and film. Great place for what some would think obsolete. Yes, libraries are still around for a reason and we should still be utilitzing them! read more

Similar to another poster on this site, when I moved into my new community, I went and got a library card. I was pleasantly surprised when I went into the Ferndale Public Library. Nice opened areas, good wifi, and library staff that, for the most part, are friendly and amicable. Why not five stars you ask? (1) Around 3:00PM Monday through Friday, a very loud, disruptive, vulgar group of junior high/high school kids come into the library. I can hear them in the back part of the library, or for that matter, throughout the library. I remembered when a brave mother went up to the students, imploring them to keep the noise down, asking "where are your school books? Why aren't you studying? Your behavior is going to ruin it for everybody." I approached her afterwards and commended her on her comments. Did the offenders get the message? No. They kept up their disturbing behavior. While the library staff more than once approached them regarding the behavior, these kids just make this location their two-three hour gathering spot doing absolutely nothing productive. Hopefully the library can correct this. (2) Loud and rude conversations, i.e., cellphones, speaking to each other inside the library, etc. I thought libraries were suppose to be QUIET places for reading, studying, i.e., learning communities. On more than one occasion I have requested that people lower their voices. This is particularly true when I have headphones on and I can still hear them. Again the library staff does its best to monitor this behavior, but recently it seems to be getting worse. Hopefully people will become more considerate and realize that libraries are QUIET places. read more