We have passed by this branch library on Lantana Road many times and decided to stop in to check it…read moreout. The branch is large inside and has a large parking lot outside with many limited mobility spots. Good to see so many people taking advantage of the services, both young and old. There is even a Creative studio with all the equipment needed to create your own pod cast or other visual production. The only negative was in the print media (Newspaper) section. Several publications were missing sections or even whole days in the middle of a week.

We'd been driving by this library for a few years and finally decided to stop in and see it in…read moreperson. There are always a lot of cars parked out front so it's obviously busy, busy. This is a relatively new library for Lantana. It was opened in 1923 but according to all reports it took a bit for it to be built -- construction delays, etc. It replaced their former library which was located in a bank building. This place is large! It is packed with books and tapes, etc. There's a long bank of computers in cubicles that can be used. And most of them on a mid-week mid-day time were occupied. There are private nooks and seating areas throughout. A reference section. A children's section. And most impressively, a recording room where you could do podcasts or filming of some sort. When we came by, there was a line of folks to get into the auditorium/meeting room. I'm not sure what was going on there, but they do have many programs and activities for families, children, etc. Overall, it was spacious, clean, and well-organized. It could be a bit overwhelming for some people. But it is easy to see why it is well patronized by the locals.

The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach is the oldest public library in Palm Beach County,…read moreFlorida. The roots of the library are in a free reading room in the Congregational Church at the corner of Datura and Olive Streets that was offered by the City of West Palm Beach in 1895. In 1899 a $100 donation was given by Henry Flagler and with the reading room book collection, the library opened in a houseboat donated to the Palm Beach Literary Society by Commodore Charles John Clarke. The City's first permanent library was in a Spanish style building that faced the Intracoastal Waterway. It was dedicated to the men and women who served in WWI. In the 1960's, a new City library designed by architect Norman Robson opened. In 2009 the library moved from the water to its current location on Clematis where it is part of the $30 million City Center Complex. Today the library is focused on providing its half a million visitors a year programs, services, collections, and technology. There is so much to love about this library. The lobby has public art pieces. The first floor has an extensive book collection and a café serving coffee, shakes, smoothies, and pastries. The second floor has a children's room, computers, music, and movies. It was surprising to discover that in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Clematis Street is a historic institution that has been offering free education for over a over a century.

I have never felt so humiliated, intimidated, and unwelcome in a public library. My experience with…read moreSupervisor Bethany Hankin was one of the most degrading customer service interactions I have ever experienced, and it left me questioning whether I was treated this way because I am a Black woman. As a nursing student preparing for the NCLEX, I drove to this library specifically to study in a quiet environment. Instead of leaving feeling supported by a public institution, I left feeling emotionally shaken, embarrassed, and deeply hurt. The issue began because library staff made an error when booking my study room. Rather than acknowledging or attempting to resolve the mistake professionally, Bethany immediately approached me with hostility and aggression. I remained calm and respectfully tried to explain the situation, yet she spoke to me in a confrontational manner, discussed me within earshot of other patrons, and publicly embarrassed me over an error that was not mine. The most disturbing part of this interaction was Bethany's decision to threaten to call security on me while I was calmly trying to explain what had happened. At no point was I disruptive, threatening, or disrespectful. Being threatened with security simply for attempting to resolve a staff mistake was frightening, humiliating, and completely unnecessary. As a Black professional, I cannot ignore how this interaction made me feel. I left believing that I was treated differently because of my race. Whether intentional or not, the hostility, intimidation, and lack of respect I experienced were unlike anything I have encountered in a customer service setting. A supervisor should lead with professionalism, empathy, and conflict resolution--not intimidation, public humiliation, and escalation. Bethany's conduct reflected a complete failure in customer service and de-escalation. Her behavior was not only unprofessional but also damaging to the welcoming environment that every public library should provide. Because of this experience, I will never return to this library. I sincerely hope library administration conducts a thorough investigation, reviews any available security footage, speaks with witnesses and staff members, and provides Bethany with substantial coaching in customer service, de-escalation, implicit bias, and respectful communication. No patron should ever leave a public library feeling degraded, singled out, or afraid simply because they tried to discuss a mistake made by staff. This experience is something I will not soon forget, and I hope the library takes meaningful action to ensure no one else is made to feel the way I did.

Staff is always friendly and helpful! Amazing variety of…read morebooks and magazines to please all tastes. Each visit is enjoyable! Clean Bathrooms.

It's been a long time since I have been to this library. I remember coming here when I was a kid,…read moreso it should tell you how long it's been around. My kids wanted to go here since it's one of the bigger ones in the area and we have been there a couple times to browse the books. When you walk in, there's a variety of selections to choose from. There is computers in the middle for customers to use. There are also activity rooms on the way to the children's section. The children's section has computers for use and it's smaller than the other libraries. The staff has always been helpful and we were able to find books and DVDs that we want to borrow. The library could use an update though since it's been around for a long time. Even though it's about a half hour away for me, I don't mind making the drive to go there.

Convenient, well stocked and pleasant employees. I enjoy the…read moreability to search and save books on line. I highly recommend them to anyone that enjoys being surrounded by words and stories in a serene environment.

It's been a long while since I was in a public library, but this location was so nice! The staff…read morewas very helpful. The library itself was large and very clean. I came in to get a library card as I just recently moved to WPB. I was immediately helped and had my new card within just a few minutes. I was provided all the information to access the online library portion which is why I really wanted to get a card. Im definitely intrigued enough to come back for a physical copy of a book to check out!

I've never been inside this branch, I just drop off books in front. Today I walked inside &…read moreexplored. The library is larger than it looks & is busy on a Tuesday morning.

It's a smaller library. They only have three study rooms. There is one printer. The staff is super…read morefriendly and helped walk me through how to print off some pages that I forgot to print off at home. I stopped here on the way to a client and they were just wonderful helping me get everything situated. It costs I think 35 cents per page, but worth it when it's in a pinch. The kids section is right in front and apparently they give out snacks after school. Or at least that's what I heard, I don't know if that was just during the summer or throughout the school year also.

Lovely big new library. First floor has a really big children section with plenty of dvds and books…read moreto read. Computers to use to research or play games Second floor has the adult section. Plenty of classes that you can take starting 3d printing etc Very clean and specious. Librarian are very helpful

I recently started looking into libraries in the area so I can take my daughter to enjoy some…read morebooks. This location is absolutely perfect ! It was redone not too long ago and it shows. It's spectacular!!! The outdoor area is huge, with an amphitheater and huge grassy section. While this isn't exactly part of the library, it's a nice addition because you can take a stroll around the park when you're done. The actual library itself is in great shape. It looks brand new, it's spacious, and has two floors. I really like that the children's floor is nestled in the corner on the bottom floor because I don't feel bad when my daughter decides to get a little loud. The entire children's area is carpeted, they have a little train track rug, and even some toys available. They also have computers, a study hall area, and much more! While I haven't checked out the adult section yet, I do enjoy the kids section and highly recommend to anyone looking for some new books!

I've been to this library several times since it's my voting location but I have never registered…read morefor a library card - today was that day. Everyone there was welcoming and helpful. I got my card and instructions for borrowing e-books, audiobooks and movies. I walked through the library and was rather shocked to see that they are still on the Dewey decimal system - - being in academia, I'm used to the Library of Congress system. I thought Dewey was no longer used! The parking lot is large so parking was not an issue but I was surprised to see just how many people were in the stacks perusing books. I'm glad to see that the library (brick and mortar) is still alive and well.

I visited this library branch to attend a speaker presentation. The building was clean, there was…read moreplenty of parking, and it was easy to find. The large conference room was nicely air-conditioned, which was especially appreciated on a hot Florida day. I've actually been here before for another event, and it's a great venue for community programs and presentations. If you're attending an event here, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it, and the ample parking is definitely a plus.

It is a very old library that was built in 1941. There are a lot of books about Florida culture,…read morefiction and non fiction plus books in other languages. There are nice people who are there to assist you.

Cute old building, helpful staff, with business support amenities like faxing and…read morecopying. A fine asset in the community

I recently attended an adult Intro to Crocheting class at this library branch. I came to this…read morelocation specifically for this class, which I signed up for online as soon as the class opened up! Thank you to the awesome librarian who created this opportunity. She was so patient and kind, limiting the class to a very small number in order to give 1:1 attention to each and every attendee. I knew there would be no better place than to truly learn than in a library environment. I love our library system, and I am so grateful for this programming! The classes offer so many different types of things, and learning to hand crochet (and knit, also on my list) has been something I have wanted to learn for so, so long. I have tried before and failed, and trying to learn by book and video has just not worked for me. This in-person class allowed me to fail repeatedly until I got the basic first step. Success! Thank you again to our kind leader who only just started crocheting in the past year but loved it so much she wanted to share. This kind of intro really helped me to embrace her instruction, and her demeanor and attitude was just so wonderful - thank you so much! She also hosts a regular crocheting circle and other levels of learning at this branch. After my class, I wandered into the main section and checked out a couple of cookbooks. Thank you thank you thank you to librarians everywhere.

It smells like feet in here. Other than that, no complaints. The one staff member I interacted with…read morewas very nice.