I didn't like this library at all . I frequent a lot of libraries around here and this one , I'm sure is historic but very outdated. It appears that they may be under renovations . But there's not much space for privacy besides the rooms that you have to make a reservation for . It is so cold inside. read more

John F. Germany Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I found this library very nice. Comfortable inside with not a lot of homeless people living about. Interesting non-fiction section with plenty of books with old magazines and old book reviews. Parking is not too easy and can be kind of expensive. read more

I love coming across a great library with something for the whole family! As soon as I walked in, I noticed a cute little bookstore to the left, and just around the corner was a fantastic kids' section filled with books and activities for them to explore. I especially loved that they had a Black History Month display with crossword puzzles and a Valentine's Day coloring activity for the kids--it's the little details like that that make a space feel welcoming. One of the cutest things was the puppet stand, where kids can let their imaginations run wild. I'm definitely bringing my daughter back this weekend to check it out! She's only a year and a half, but you never know what experiences will spark something new for her. I also took advantage of the private rooms for some quiet work time. You can reserve them for up to two hours, and if no one is waiting, you can extend your time, which is super convenient. I did notice that the bathrooms were locked, likely due to the large homeless population in the area, but I really respect that the library still welcomes them in to read, charge their devices, and enjoy the cool air. The space was very clean, and I can't wait to come back! Just a heads-up--it's downtown, so there's no free parking, but it's definitely worth the visit. read more

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John F. Germany Public Library is awesome. Multi floors and running air conditioning are a few of the things I love about this Library. I believe this is the largest library here in Tampa therefore the selection is the most expansive. The staff is very knowledgeable, friendly & always available to assist. The biggest hindrance is parking as there is not any free parking available. read more

John F. Germany Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I had to meet a UT student for tutoring. I had never been here before and was curious how it would be. The building is large, clean, and is right across the street from a parking garage. There are multiple floors with different sections. The staff member was very courteous and helpful with questions I had. They have quiet study areas that you can use for 2 hrs. There is also free wifi which is nice. What's cool is that there is a covered walkway to the garage. Cons No free parking. (The Poe garage across the street is $1.20 /hr. Cash or card accepted) There are a lot of homeless folks outside and inside. Be careful. read more

Over the past couple of years, I tend to gravitate towards library e-books that work on my kindle. However, I prepared for an upcoming trip by getting physical books which required me to pick them up from my local library. I was pleasantly surprised by the late hours they offer, making it super convenient to drop by on an evening walk after work. I walked in and picked up my books on the shelf and was sent on my way, but not before I had the chance to walk upstairs and get a great view of the entire library. It's an open concept that showcases how spacious this library location is (especially considering we are smack dab in the middle of downtown Tampa). There are a good amount of tables available for those looking for a quiet place to study or read without paying for an overpriced coffee in downtown Tampa. read more

Hillsborough library system is one of the best in US. They paid attention to local need. Sometime they are hosting the music concert, book reading. The J F Germany is one of the beautiful Hillsborough county libraries with the water fountain entrance. This is a 140,000 square feet library hold the Tampa genealogy collection. They also have two story of book. I normally not walk to the back separate building on the second floor. It has a bridge connect to the parking and to the performance art center. The most impressive is the movie, music CD renting for free. You can check out the Sundance festival awarded movie to oriental martial art movie. We have enjoyed many nights with their movies and they are freeeeeeeee!!!!!!! You also can get HBO miniseries and they have those collections like games of throne. At the back of the library, there is a acoustic stage hold for Tampa Volunteer Orchestra. You can check their schedule when they performed here. I would suggest visit them after six because the street parking then is freeeeeeee!!! They have 4 weeknights open late to 9 or 8 pm. Visit our library and it is your tax money. Make a good use. read more

John F. Germany Public Library - Movie Music Concert - Libraries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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So perfect and quiet. I always find parking and the staff is nice. Great options to chose where to sit, whether it's a table, a desk, or a small corner. Walking distance from a bunch of places to eat downtown is a plus. read more

This is a beautiful library! I am new to the area so I decided to scooter my way over and check out the city a bit. But, I learned that they are open until 9:00pm Monday-Thursday and there is a lot nearby that doesn't charge after 6:00pm! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because their selection seemed somewhat limited. read more

This library reminds me of my ex....library we left in Central MD, Ellicott City. Multi-leveled, cultural, full of orderly books and underappreciated because no one seems to read anymore. Love the garden, the building, the availability of books and helpful staff. And! That Tampa bud inside for 'gram pics is really awesome. Keep it up. read more

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I love libraries and this one is great for kids! There is a huge kids building with easy access from the Polk garage. Park and follow the signs to the sky bridge and you'll enter the building dedicated to all things kids. There is a toddler room by a play train that has Legos and tables. Reading areas have tables with different building toys under each one in an organized bin. Computer rooms for older kids and rows and rows of books for all ages. It's extremely easy to get a library card. Start the process online and you'll be assigned a number. Arrive at the desk and show your ID. You'll receive a cute card with a key ring card and a bookmark. There are tons of classes available for both kids and adults at all the county library locations varying from 3d printing, super hero making, Tai Chi to sewing. You can also check out passes to several local attractions - Glazers children's museum, Ybor and Plant rail road museums, etc. The passes are good for seven days. Just make sure they aren't checked out before you plan your trip. read more

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Yes, I could have stayed at the Starbucks or even hung out in my hotel room and studied, but heading to the library seemed like the right way to get this done. While they do have plenty of great wifi and on a weekend, there were enough empty tables that I didn't have to share, but power outlets were few and far between. So I stayed for about 90 minutes, when my laptop's battery ran out. Nice, quiet library. Huge periodicals section. One police officer on the first floor at the door, another upstairs. Trouble, much? read more

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The John F. Germany Public Library is the reference hub and resource center for all citizens of Hillsborough County, and the flagship library of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. The library is 140,000 square feet, filling two separate buildings, and covering a full city block at the intersection of N. Ashley Drive and Cass Street. There is a PAY-to-park City parking lot right near by with a covered walkway connecting the parking garage to the library and the Straz Center. The library's namesake, John F. Germany, was formerly a well-known Circuit Court Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Tampa. He helped secure legislation establishing the University of South Florida and became a founding partner in Holland & Knight, one of the nation's largest law firms. Mr. Germany helped to fund and build the Tampa Public Library. The 100,000 square foot library was opened to the public in 1968, and a 50,000 square foot annex was added in 1976. The library has changed a lot since my first visit, but this technological wonder of today still offers a phenomenal resource for Florida history, maps, genealogical records, Government files, and small business needs. At one time this library was filled to the rafters with books, magazines, newspapers, maps, and charts. Nowadays, the majority of this information is accessed online through the library's many different computer terminals. The reference librarians are fantastic, and they will go out of their way to help you locate the appropriate resource to document a particular fact. I should know, since my sister is a reference librarian in upstate NY, and I depend upon her help on a regular basis. In this particular case, I was looking for some information about stormwater flooding in South Tampa, and the librarian was able to pull up several resources for me to review. Unfortunately the East wing of the library has become the daily resting place of many of Tampa's homeless, and as a result, many of the tables and chairs have become their territory. It can smell like a locker room on the main reading floors. Many of the computer terminals are occupied by people checking their personal email or reading online news. It can be tough to find an open seat, or an open computer terminal -- especially if it's raining outside. Nonetheless, this is a very good resource for the citizens of Hillsborough County, and my suggestion is to make friends with one of the reference librarians as they can help you locate the needed information, and even secure a private desk with a computer terminal to conduct your research. Free WiFi throughout the library too! read more

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This is a very nice and large library in downtown Tampa on Ashley Street. They do art exhibitions. Have books. Computers. Study spaces. Comic books. You can print documents (with a lil help from the librarians) and do research. A great downtown resource. read more

John F. Germany Public Library - Returning a library book after 8 years. Naughty naughty. But better late than never - Libraries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I spoke to Jax (hopefully I spelled that correctly). She was very nice and extremely helpful and explained the book donation process. I drive downtown and met a gentleman who helped me unload and count over 250 books we donated. He was great! We discussed the reason for the donation and he provided kind words and encouragement. I truly appreciate the staff I worked with during this process. Excellent customer service is hard to find these days. Keep up the great work! read more

Just WOW! I recently got a tour of the Hive last Friday (thanks to Homebrew Hillsborough) and the way they have disrupted themselves within the library space is incredible. Never before have I seen such a high tech library! While I'm fond of the old historical style antique libraries, the amenities here blew my mind. There's so much you can do with your free library card: read ebooks, watch tv/movie shows, order books (for free!), use special software and much more. Plus when you come to the Hive on floor 3, you get your own 4 hours with a 3D printer (with your library card of course), lots of ample space for work, snack machine and more! They have a audio/video recording studio, robotics practice space and sewing classes too. It's a great resort for someone who's looking to being entrepreneurial on a low cost. Come into the Hive and buzz around! Beeeeeeeeee read more

John F. Germany Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Do you know on the third floor West Wing of the Tampa downtown public library, there's a facility called The Hive. It contents recording studio, 3D printing lab, art and craft lab, robotic field and computer lab. We were there for a 3D printing workshop. The knowledgeable and friendly guide Chris showed us how the 3 D printing work and gave us a quick lesson on the software for 3D printing. It was so educational. The Hive provides free workshop , class and events throughout the month. Please check the event page on the public library website. The library card holders are welcomed to use the facility free . I was told the facility get more busy during the summer time because the students are out of school. Check out this really cool place. read more

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Giant library. Books. Movies. Periodicals. Quiet study space. Plus, plus, plus...I could go on for forever! Free card to check out pretty much anything you want, complete with an excellent system online for you to place holds, view your account, link to digital book site (Overdrive). The public library system actually TEXTS ME when one of my holds has arrived and when the books checked out are due. I love technology & these people have figured out how to use it efficiently! Self checkout is brilliant as well. LOVE. read more

It is totally against my nature to ever speak out against a library but this one was a total waste of space and a major disappointment. I felt like I was walking into a tomb because it was so quiet and uncomfortable. There are like zero books there too. Even though there are multiple floors, there are no stories (haha, that one is for the readers). The people working there just stared at me as I looked around hoping to find a colorful and happenin' kid's section. No one offered to help me and, spoiler alert, no kid's section. I made a special trip to this gargantuan downtown library thinking it would be a mecca of all things literary, community, and free and boy was it not. Sure, there was a good amount of homeless people but they weren't reading. I think people come here to use the computers and stare at each other. read more

I love the John F. Germany library! When I was a student at The University of Tampa I used to walk to the library all the time. I love the stairs and tunnels leading to the library. The library is huge and offers a great selection of books, dvds, and cds. As a poor college student it was great to check out a cd or dvd for free! The library's website (http://www.hcplc.org) is very organized. On the website you can reserve new books, dvds, and cds and have the items shipped to the Hillsborough County library of your choice. The wait list can be long for high in demand items, but when you're on a budget the wait is worth it. A lot of the newer library books and media never makes it to the shelves of the library because they are constantly being passed from customer to customer. The only downfall of this location is having to pay to park downtown. read more

HUGE library with a ton of selection of books. Seriously, so many. I wish you didn't have to pay to park since that can be pretty annoying because I don't think you have to pay to park at any other library, but this one is downtown so that's why. All in all just a really peaceful place. I signed up for my library card here and it was super easy. Can't wait to check out the other libraries around the area! read more

Extensive library with great selection, including a foreign language collection. Seems to be a great resource for community offerings Uniformed police office at the front door. read more

I have nothing but good to say about this place. The staff are kind, friendly, and helpful. Great 'new books' area. Seating is abundant and comfortable. The security officers are very respectful to all patrons and are much appreciated by everyone. As for persons who are homeless in the library, the vast majority of these fellow citizens are rightfully using this public resource just as currently housed persons do. They have every right to be there. I have found most persons (housed and unhoused) to be polite and respectful. Because many folks are there regularly, I've even developed some friendships. Don't miss this gem of a library! read more

literally the worst experience I have had in a library. I went to the children's area with my two kids and a friend. we hav been to several libraries that have some great STEM activities, play areas, and educational activities to boost creativity. this was a completely dead library and zero children in the children's designated section. I soon found out why. in a 1.5 hour time span I was interrupted 15 times by 4 different staff, chastising me for my children. i was not allowed to move a tabl so I could see my children, I was yelled at for rearranging books, children playing too loud, children cannot jump on the padded baby gym equipment. we were not permitted to make noise and children had to sit quietly. I understand in adult areas, but you should not have a Children's section of the kids are not permitted to be children. the staff was rude. I talked to the supervisor and we will not be back. read more

I have been to university libraries as well as public libraries and this one sits pretty far near the bottom of the list. The actual resources available are good, however the space is neither inviting nor conducive to productivity. The outdated book shelves, questionable carpet and meh study spaces (almost no outlets, uncomfortable chairs) aren't all that inviting. The visitors seemed to consist of mostly homeless people (there's nothing wrong with that, as is the case with lots of public libraries) but it seems that such a beautiful place should attract all citizens and visitors of the Tampa area. A revamp of the inside, reading/work spaces that take advantage of the beautiful downtown the building sits among could do wonders for the visitors. A noticeable change in the environment could easily turn this place into a top notch library! read more

I'm sure I should't be comparing this Tampa institution to the vast & amazing libaries I had back in Pasadena & Berkeley, CA, but I can't help it. They were so much... better! Yes, JFG is large & has a good computer area. This is definitely a good thing. But something about is just... missing. It has no personality. It's not as big as the Pasadena Central or Downtown Berkeley libraries (to say nothing of UC Berkeley's stacks, but that's not a fair comparison by any means). What about reading areas? Some cushy chairs wouldn't hurt. It's decent, I guess, but its odd location -- which is especially difficult to access with all of the construction going on downtown -- definitely detracts from its value in my eyes. read more

Want a really quiet place to study? Ask for a study room at the information desk! You have 2 hours of uninterrupted silence in your own little space. This is a nice library for studying but you will come in contact with homeless showering/washing up in the restroom. Not a big deal, but if you're not ready for that ummm....yeah. read more

Nice big space with plenty of spots to get away and read quietly. Free wifi. This is the main downtown Hillsborough County library so of course it is huge. Close to the Straz Center and Children's Museum. read more

For a library going through some changes, including entire departments being moved, this library felt really well maintained. There were clear breaks between the different areas of the library, and it was super quiet like most libraries are. There was this area upstairs that had all these old books with records of the town and house properties. A very library like library. You can go here to find books, reference material, movies, and other library type items. read more

The downtown Library has a lot of great things going for it: Size, collections, art gallery & large reading room + the annex. The building itself is vintage 60s with the floating second floor and grand two story windows. The later annex, with its energy sucking glass tube connector, is far less successful. Sadly, due to water concerns, the reflecting pools and fountains out front have been filled in. I really hate when cities kill perfectly good fountains. read more

I wish I could give this place zero stars. I've never in my life been to a library with armed guards and more homeless people than a shelter. We couldn't turn a corner without seeing one. We couldn't access a desk or computer spaces because they were all there spread out and most of them sleeping. Never ever going back to that place. It's a disgrace that the city allows this to go on. A library is a place you should be able to bring your children without having to explain what the drunk or high guy is doing or why that man is sleeping with his gallon of orange juice next to him (and I wouldn't doubt it had vodka or some sort of alcohol.) read more

Very good staff, wonderful collection of books, the children area is really great. BUT! This is in fact a refugee for homeless people. Most of them are dirty and they are sick, coughing and smelling... I understand how unfriendly it sounds, but believe me, this is not a good company for your children!!! Do you want your children stay in the same place with diseased people?? Do you want them go in the same bathroom? And if you are adult, do you still want to share your education area with smelly guys?? Dear Hillsborough County, try to solve your problem with homeless people not via the public library service! Find another place for those who need a shelter in Tampa city. read more

My only complaint is parking. Other than that they have a massive selection of books and everything is free and there are plenty of areas to study. read more

Just want to warn everyone that I was there with my two daughters this afternoon. While I was sitting in one of the chairs some guy walks up to me and asks me inappropriate questions and video taping as he was doing it. I asked him to turn off the camera and he would not. I spoke with the cop on duty and he spoke with the guy but didn't make him leave. If you go there please be aware of this person. read more

I grew up in Tampa on Davis Island and used the Ashley Street library throughout high school. I still live in Tampa but travel extensively and I can't make it to the library as often as I would like and so download the ebooks even though I prefer a hard copy book. I am SO very grateful not only for this service but I also appreciate the emailed event reminders. I wish that I could participate in more. What an incredible community and human resource this library has become. read more

This library is amazingly gigantic and has more than enough computers for the visitors. The service with this librarians is also on par, but don't ask them if you can have more computer time because they look pretty...haha read more

Being the main library here in Tampa, it is the largest. Therefore the selection is also the most expansive. The staff is knowledgeable and always available to assist. The only challenge with this location is that since it is downtown, there is not any free parking. read more

I don't make much use of city libraries (as a researcher, I use my university's research library), but after fondly remembering the Chicago Public Library, I decided to try Tampa's John F. Germany Library. My first impression was mostly informed by the foul smell; whether this smell can be attributed to the obviously neglected structure or the large group of homeless people using the library (of which I've no doubt there's a history of such accepted and anticipated practice) is uncertain. The space was dingy and clearly patronized by people who were using it to either be indoors or access sub-par, city-offered resources (computers, etc). It in no way embodied the atmosphere of a traditional library outside of its denotative function as a space that offers certain resources for use by the public. Furthermore, the small space that is actually the "library" is quite noisy, and, outside of the smell and population, I would not stay merely because it failed to offer a quiet area. I think the city should be embarrassed, especially considering the Glazer Children's Museum next door, which clearly garners more monetary attention. But, unfortunately, I think this library is a testament to the general intellectual vapidness of the area, and it's clearly not something Tampa culturally values. read more

I came here because my 5 year old had a "research project" to do at school and they were supposed to go to the library and get a book for it. Her school came on a field trip previously, so she asked me to bring her back. This place is pretty big with lots of books. It is quiet, as a library should be, and the children's section had a lot of books that drew her interest. There are lots of comfy chairs to relax and read in, as well as tables and chairs for "serious" work and or research. There are also computers for internet surfing/games/etc. The librarians are very friendly and helpful, and were great in assisting me in getting a library card. I like the electronic/self check in & out and found it very easy to use. And because my daughter had to potty, just like all kids do as soon as they get somewhere other than their house, we saw the men's room and found it to be quite clean. There was plenty of parking in the big lot across the street that is shared between the Children's Museum, theatre, and here, and the bridge gets you across the street safely. Both trips were limited to the children's section, so perhaps next time I'll go see the grown ups part and update this review. My little girl however, is a fan! read more

Only one of the reviewers seems to have gone to the 3rd floor of the West Bldg at the John F. Germany Library - where there's a 10,000 sq. ft. makerspace called The HIVE, that includes a recording and media studio, an art center with sewing machines, sergers and art supplies, hands on workshops with 3D printers and a desktop CNC, a robotics center, flex meeting space, and collaborative work areas. The traditional library spaces are fine, too, with helpful staff, good books and resources, and a genealogy center on the 2nd floor. This is as full service as it gets, all for the price of a library card! read more