Libraries should be built like this. Beautiful architecture, event rooms for community outreach, outdoor spaces, and plenty of natural light make this library very appealing! The renovation in 2011 has transformed the original library into a modern-day archaeological masterpiece! What's Inside: A friendly staff, always available to help. Kids section. Teen section. Young adult section. Large selection of DVDs. Audio book section. Plenty of public computers. Private study rooms. Howard County Historical Society Center. (2nd Floor) Vending machines and snack area. (1st Floor) Two large event rooms. Community garden. Outdoor rooftop garden. Water stations. Plenty of hand sanitizer stations. Teen game breaks and snack breaks. Self-checkout stations. Compact car parking. Reserved family parking spaces. EV charging stations. Farmers Market ( spring, summer, and fall) Public restrooms on both floors. Handicap accessible. Elevator. Monthly community events. Homework help. Wireless printing. And more!!! Visit http://hclibrary.org for more information. read more

Development Assitant Pros:Helping the little kids out with giving them books or beach balls and see their little smiles.Very sunny windows which light up the library with every teen geeks dream to read their latest books:)I love how this library gives back to the community and is supportive to helping others.They have wide ranges of all types of classes and library collections!:)Beautiful office Iareas/bathrooms to proactively.Marvelous Teen Instructors who guide you really well and very cooperative with communication.I love helping the kid adminstors with craft activities and help in the kiddos section.The manager seems very sweet;very welcoming. Cons:Tried to emailing for a schedule followup and haven't received my schedule.Also received a email that they weren't accepting applications for volunteers until September it felt subtitling was a little mean it was perceieved as.Also being a new volunteer you can be very nervous and with some of the team not seeming like they want new volunteers their make you feel unwelcome there.When you really don't wanna lose you're volunteering position this can be very upsetting and make someone really sad;feel unwelcome. read more

Howard County Library System - Spazzin Library - Libraries Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

very good library. a bit noisy because i came during summer and there were activity for the kids. i love the tons of natural light and they had mini snacks for everyone. they had kona ice outside bc it was rlly hot which was nice. it is an inclusive environment. very good very good good atmosphere. just wish it could b a tad bit quieter or maybe access to the study rooms is more accessible bc i didn't know how to book a room or anything like that. read more

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Forever A friend a amazing family The teen instructors are the king and queens of being librarians Always gonna attend tons of classes and collecting books from this wonderful library read more

Love this location espeically for the little ones ! Always a pleasure attending classes at this branch

The library has been relocated to the new building for a few years now, I think, and I really truly love the new building. It's big and beautiful and SO FANCEH! (And it's LEED certified - the treehugger in me is so happy.) First of all, there's an automated drive-through book drop, so you don't have to even get out of your car to return your books anymore. You pull up and drop in your books, which are scanned as they are returned so that someone can check the book out IMMEDIATELY after you've dropped it off. You then get a little ticket/receipt and you're on your way. Easy. It's so beautiful I'm not even sure where to begin. There's a pretty water fixture, big clean bathrooms, two floors full of wonderful books! There is space for studying, with many outlets made available at most of the tables so that you can bring your laptop, charge your cellphone, what have you, and ULTRA quiet rooms to work in also (since we're all being quiet in the library anyway, right? :P) The selection is great and you can even check yourself out, I'm pretty sure, although I haven't tried those machines yet because I'm an old lady and technology sometimes scares me. There's a historical center upstairs, a cafe downstairs, solar panels, little lights in the ground that lead to the children's section (!! so cute), outdoor tables & seating, and apparently there's even a cute outdoor garden/classroom? EDIT: There is also a farmer's market in the adjacent parking lot on Wednesdays from 2-6 PM. How great is that?? :D This place is simply amazing. I am the kind of nerd who would GLADLY spend her free time here. It's beautiful and big and full of so many wonderful things! IT IS A MUST VISIT and all Howard County residents should be taking advantage of this space if they can. read more

This is my favorite HoCo library!! I live near East Columbia and Central branches too, but choose Miller 95% of the time because its the newest, and just contemporary and spacious inside! Pros!!!... lots of windows, good amount of small 2 person tables and 4 person tables. There's multiple study rooms (not 100% sound proof) that requires 2 or more people... Lot more newer DVDs it seems at this location?? Plus, there's a great cafe room near the front entrance, in case you wanna eat a packed lunch, or talk a bit with the friend above a whisper level. Also! When it's warm weather, you can read books at the tables outside. It's become a little more crowded lately due to everyone loving the place... mornings are easier to find empty tables... and expect it to get busier later in the day (due to the kids, teens, adults getting out of school and off work). read more

Awesome Library! Huge and Big! Good selections on movies and books! The staff are nice and friendly! Free Wi-Fi..!! Don't have to worry about The DVD and BOOKS are still on your account. you scan it yourself and don't have worry about if the DVD or BOOKS are still on your account. Wish they have this every library because one my staff told me that I have never return a DVD and make pay the fee for that. ( Central Library).. So be carefully at that place!! Also if you have a big line, you can check yourself out to save time if you are hurry so you don't have to wait in line. read more

This library is on St. John's Lane, so it's close to Snow Cafe, Honey Pig, Caffe Bene, Tosokchon, and Kung Fu Bubble Tea. Just fyi. It's loaded with modern technology. My first time here, which was also my first time stepping into a public library for awhile, I felt like I was coming out of the dark ages. You could actually scan books and borrow them! Wow. The first floor is mostly children and youth, and media. There's an extensive DVD and CD selection. The snack room tends to be noisier--a Chinese man was watching soap operas at full volume on his laptop and no one was stopping him. There is a quiet study room near the children's area right before the stairs, and behind the staircase there are a few tables too. When you go upstairs, there are tables & chairs lining the windows, and 2 main quiet study rooms. There's a bathroom downstairs, and a bathroom upstairs. Plenty of computers are available for personal use and for looking up books. It tends to be quite busy on Saturdays. read more

This place has really stepped it up. Since the renovation, I can honestly say that I like it here. I wouldn't have said that just a short while ago when the old building was still in use. 2 story building with private study rooms (must be reserved) and quiet rooms (do not need to be reserved). The design of the building is pretty nice, and there are even outdoor seating areas on the 2nd floor. Oh! And you can bring in drinks here as long as you have a drink with a secure top. This is nice :) My only gripe about the place is the lack of seating in general. There needs to be many more tables and chairs for the amount of people who visit this library. I think that another floor simply dedicated to study and reading areas would have been awesome. There are a good selection of books, and it looks like HCPL has opened up this branch with mostly, if not all, new books. Funny... The Central Branch doesn't seem so nice anymore after this place opened up... :) read more

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I wish I could give HCLS more than 5 stars. The amount of resources they provide is beyond any public library I've ever been to. They have an awesome request system and relevant classes all year-round for kids and adults! They also provide excellent e-resources for online books, language learning, and online class 100% free. HCLS is honestly my favorite part about living in Howard County. read more

I have been coming here often since starting graduate school. I am really impressed how clean and beautiful this building is. It is almost as good as my college library, which was always crowded and never had enough seating. I love their selections of books and that their desks all are hooked up to the outlets. My laptop only lasts 4 hours without a charge. I wish they had longer hours on the weekends, but that is about my only gripe. read more

Beautiful building! There are plenty of study spots, including beautiful outdoor seating. I'm a life-long library lover (and a fan of alliteration), and I love this library. The staff is incredibly helpful, and they have an expansive collection of books. Also, I often get audiobooks here, and they have a pretty good collection. There's also an app you can get (Overdrive) that allows you to download books to your phone/device from the Maryland Library's collection (to answer your question- yes, they have Harry Potter). read more

As I was driving by the library, I got this elegant feeling I was in for a surprise. And a surprise it was, the inside of this magnificent building is to rival that of the Taj Mahal, this building is great, it is big and full of books and the knowledge that is transferred here, it seems as though everyone who walks through these doors are blessed. All I truly have to say about his place is that, I wish I had a library like this when I was growing up, This place is great to study and a wonderful place to spend your time, Next to Barnes and nobles of course read more

The munchkin and I dropped in here a few weeks ago to see the Jr. First Lego League expo they were holding in one the the library annexes. I have to say this is a pretty stunning library. Totally first rate, from their selection of brand new books, their computers, their chilled out comfy corners to read in, and the super helpful staff. The building is pretty darn nice for a library too. A square brick building this ain't. The next time you feel like complaining that your Howard County taxes are too high just head out to this branch of the library. You'll be able to see where your money is being spent. Totally worth it. read more

The Miller Branch was my childhood library and it served me well through the picture book stage to the being an obnoxious teenager "studying" with friends and being shushed stage. I recently checked out the new building and it's wild; nicest public library I've ever been to. Can't wait to have kids and take them here, although it seems as crowded as the mall during the holidays. The selection is great, found everything I was looking for and made some mental notes for the future when I have more time to read. read more

This library is HUGE!! It has a separate computer cafe (serving snacks, etc), a language center, a glass computer section, 2 floors, reservable study rooms.... the WORKS. Plus, there's a sweet park outside w/ tons of parking. It's on road that is quiet, so I call it my little secret. When the power was out, I lived in here. read more

Excellent library and a great place to study or to relax. Their materials are up-to-date and the staff are friendly. This is one of my two favorite libraries... and I've had extensive solo study sessions at many locations. My only suggestion is that they replace the tables in the quiet (study) rooms with cubicles. That way more people can study and read without disturbances. read more

This is definitely one of the well equipped libraries in HoCo but I can't stand the fact that there are a million and one kids here everywhere every weekend when you're trying to get some work done. It's annoying sometimes because obviously kids are hyperactive so I just wish they were areas children are allowed in and areas that they're not. Also there isn't a lot of space for people to actually sit and do their work on the 2nd floor. You'll often find people hovering over you waiting for you to leave and that is quite distracting. Won't be returning anymore. read more

Another rude librarian experience at Miller Library. Was quietly working with a student and a librarian came over to scold me. No reprimands for a fellow patron talking on his cell phone with his date. The librarians at Miller need to get off their high horse and actually promote the civil learning environment they claim to celebrate. Don't go to Miller if you want to be treated with respect. read more

Really, really, really amazing. Every now and again I get annoyed at the cost of living in Howard County. But then I go to the local library and I realize that I am spoiled beyond ever leaving. A huge array of offerings, clean, wonderful staff, great website that allows you to reserve materials AND stagger how they come in so that they don't all come in at once. Self check out if the lines are long, a Farmer's Market on Wednesday, the list goes on and on. I come here weekly and I love it so much. read more

I like that library, a lot of good books and nice staff

This is my favorite local library. The whole library system in Howard County is a well oiled machine. Yet this building is outstanding. They have a beautiful garden attached. I work around the corner and when it doesn't rain I've started eating my lunch there. It's really zen! The site also has a ton of classes and programs. I got a free compositing bin and education about it as well as access to book clubs, first aid classes and other useful informational events. I use websites like buzzfeed and goodreads to find books that interest me, unfortunately it also interests a lot of other people so after a post the books become high demand. I use the library's website to get on the wait list to reserve books. All the libraries are connected so I can reserve a book to be picked up at this library or the location closer to my house. This location does have a good amount of kids running around (again because of all the community events they sponsor), but I've never found them to be too wild. I don't have kids myself so I can be pretty sensitive to the noise level they get to but honestly it's not as bad as the one review noted. Plus the staff is on point with keeping everything under control. Their resources are also very current, from books to DVD's and audio. I feel really privileged to live in a community with such an outstanding resource hub dedicated to giving enriching programs back to the area. read more

This is my favorite library branch of all time, mostly because it's pretty new (built 2012), has plenty of natural light and seating areas, not to mention the rows of public computers. There's also an outdoor seating area upstairs, near the green roof, which I think is a really cool feature. There's also a small garden area outside, along with a pond/fountain. My only complaint with this library is that it gets pretty crowded on weekends and you end up having to park pretty far from the building. read more

The nicest library I have been in - a palace of libraries! They could place some of the seating a little more strategically. The walking is far for people with mobility issues. read more

This is my favorite Howard County Library. Staff is great and the building is all new which makes it like storing books in a new car. Love new car smell. read more

Hands down the best library! Huge selection. Plenty of space and natural lighting. Kids programs are phenomenal. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Absolutely the best library I have ever been to! The staff is so friendly and welcoming. And HELPFUL! We took our nieces to play, read, and see "Polar Express" thanks to the Friends of the Library group. It was wonderful! Everything was so well organized, clean and what a pleasure to take children somewhere where they can play and learn! Thank you so much for all you did to make our afternoon with our precious nieces so fun and memorable! read more

The design and layout of this library is absolutely beautiful. It is my favorite library in Howard County. I come here to study since its close to my home. However lately while coming I've had issues with the staff. They're not very friendly and stuck up (in my opinion). I've left early a few times because they seem to have left a bad impression. Unfortunately the beauty of the library can't hide a sour atmosphere. read more

This is the best howard county library! It is perfect for college students, graduate students, and students in general who want to do serious studying. The quiet rooms are great for focusing and there are private rooms for group study so as to not disturb others on the floor from studying. The library is not loud and most people are respectful of others around them. I have been coming here since I started college at UMBC. If I am at home I come to this library even though its not as close as the central branch. I found that the central branch is too loud and the people there are rude. At this branch, the staff, the customers, and everyone are really nice. If your time is up in the study room (reserve only for 2 hours) there is no conflict when the new people come to claim their study room (just like in college). My only con is that I do wish there was more tables on both floors for studying. I cannot end this review without mentioning how beautiful the building is and clean! The staff are kind and usually ask you to clean up your crumbs/eat the food in the VERY NICE cafeteria space on the first floor with lots of tables. I have sometimes studied in that cafeteria but it does get loud as people are in there to converse and eat. There is a gorgeous outdoor seating area on the second floor which is perfect for a nice sunny day. read more

the staff here has a serious attitude problem, especially this guy named craig. i understand you hate your job because you work at a library for a living. but before you want to yell at people for using a study room, at least make the rooms soundproof. that's all i gotta say read more