Battle Creek's other library branch, this is quite the amazing structure. High exposed wood beams…read morebaffle the noise and the sound so that you can quietly sit, study, read and enjoy the library. Organized stacks of fiction and non-fiction and reference materials. Two dozen or so workstations available. Several study tables with power outlets. An excellent wifi system. Plenty of parking. Late hours in the week and weekend hours. You BC people are fortunate to have this superior resource. [Review 11098 overall, 871 of 2019.]

From the owner: Willard Library is one of the oldest libraries in Michigan, with a long history of providing the…read moreBattle Creek community with all the resources necessary to expand minds and enhance lives. Not only do we offer the staples that all libraries were built on-books, periodicals, and other print materials-we also provide much more for every member of our community, young and old.

Open until 9pm Monday through Thursday and with some decent weekend hours too, this library…read moreprovides a tremendous service to the Battle Creek community. Lots of seating inside, some of which have access to power outlets. All are in range of their unfiltered and speedy wifi. Cleanly labeled and organized stacks of fiction and non-fiction plus reference materials and periodicals. I thought the "librarian recommended" sections of books was very nice. I spent an hour here writing Yelp reviews in between work time and dinner time. It was very good. Their next-door parking lot offers four hours of free parking! [Review 11058 overall, 831 of 2019.]

From the owner: Specializing in: - Libraries…read more- Schools

I love visiting libraries in other cities, and finally got to check out the downtown Central branch…read moreof KPL recently. This library seems pretty big and they had a lot of cool things to check out right on the main floor. I was interested in the book shop, which is in the lower level. They have a ton of books for sale! It was a bit crowded and a little hectic in the book shop room, but it's good to know it exists. We wandered around for a bit and I saw tons of new books, a huge DVD/Blu-Ray collection, a nice teen area, and plenty of computers. The layout seemed a bit random but I wasn't really looking for anything specific. Kalamazoo is lucky to have this nice library!

Super excellent public library here in downtown Kalamazoo. Laid out on multiple levels with decent…read moreseating, many workstation carrels, tons and tons of lending materials. Not just books but CDs and DVDs and other media. The library is modern, fancy and very beautiful. Free public wifi does require accepting terms but it worked anonymously and very well. Staff was helpful and friendly. An awesome resource for Kalamazooians. [Review 11222 overall, 998 of 2019.]

Take note: The library is temporarily relocated while a major remodel is being completed on the…read moreoriginal building. The new location is at 5528 Portage Rd., and it is officially open as of yesterday, Thursday, May 27. The library has wauved fines during the pandemic, in part because the materials have to be quarantined before they can be checked back in. Please consider wearing a mask at the library, even if you're vaccinated, because so many elderly and immunocompromised patrons rely on the library services and are at extremely high risk of COVID co-morbidities.

What an incredible resource for parents in this area! This was my first visit to the Portage…read morelibrary, and I was super impressed. My 4 and 5 year old could have stayed hours longer. Tons of toys and books in an imaginative, brightly-colored space. Couldn't have asked for more. We've only scratched the surface of what is offered here. We'll be back.

Over an hour here, though I did have to plug in my headphones. The library is an after-school…read moredestination for a few of the local kiddies and they like to play video games. They don't quite have "library voices" but it wasn't too bad and they are, after all, kids. So some noise and talking is excused. The library is quite large with workstations, study carrels, lots of comfy seating and a number of stacks loaded with fiction, non-fiction, periodicals and reference. Wifi worked very well. Oh, and a bathroom that was clean. [Review 11089 overall, 862 of 2019.]

The library is just amazing. I go weekly, for books and take my granddaughter for the play area and…read moremany activities. They have something for everyone. The play activities are so well planned she begs to go. I have taken Tai Chi and also heard talks by local TV personalities there. The tech support staff are life savers. I have been to both open sessions and private help, with every form of technology. They sponsor classes for technology also that has helped me become proficient with iPads, Macs, PCs and more. It is such a resource for the community and the staff are the nicest.

Always fun and educational things going on. Kid friendly. Always clean. Has Wi-Fi. Grate book…read moreselection.

After 2 weeks of no internet access (out in the quasi-wilderness, sorta), it was an absolute joy to…read morevisit this cute public library and inject myself intravenously w/ internet goodness. I accompanied a friend who lives in Battle Creek (she's a former resident of Augusta, MI), and she recommended this library because they are not as fussy with the time limits and you do not need a library card to use the internet. All very useful things, especially if you are visiting from out of town! Top-notch! *located about a 20 minute drive from either Battle Creek or Kzoo, to my understanding. *They are not open on Sundays, fyi.

I love this gem of a used bookstore, tucked into the lower level of the main Kalamazoo Public…read moreLibrary building downtown. There is both an elevator and stairs to get downstairs to it (also housed on the lower level: YA, music, videos, and more). The shop is only open a few hours a week, so be sure to check the times before you head there (unless you are already picking up your books, in which case, you will have built a stop here into your KPL journey). It is entirely staffed by volunteers (THANK YOU!). There is usually a cart of books on sale near the front, as well as DVDs for a dollar or two. You'll find just about EVERY genre here, even if it is only a book or two. There are always a lot of cookbooks (YAHOO!), YA, kids, fiction, poetry, music, etc. There's a Michigan section (always good for finding gifts), as well as plenty of NF offerings. Some coffee table books are more expensive, but generally a book won't run you more than a dollar or two. The prices are clearly marked on the back. If you are kicking it old school, they have both cassette and cds for sale. If you are musician, you're probably already in the know to check the small section that has sheet music and piano music books. A few times a year they have a big outdoor sale under tents in the back parking lot. The price to fill a bag is really inexpensive. We love this little bookstore, and the kind people that run it. It's a gem in our community. Re: Disability parking: There is ONE spot right out in front of the library. It is often taken by someone without a plate or placard. The library is not in charge of this situation, nor can they call ticketing to help (I asked). I have asked the city many times for more handicap parking spaces downtown, as of yet to no avail.

The Friends of the Library is a great little bookstore in the basement of the central branch of the…read moreKalamazoo Public Library. Most people don't know it exists unless they are regulars at the library, but it deserves its' own recognition. The store is stocked with public donations and overflow books from the library's shelves, so the selection will vary wildly all the time. They recently had a huge portion of their shelf space devoted to books about trains that were given by a donor's estate. Virtually no new releases, obviously, but there is almost some gem on the shelves and at a fantastic price. Twice a year they run a sale that overflows either onto the sidewalk or onto the library rotunda. This is usually a madhouse because of the pricing - 10 cents per book or $2.00 for a bag full of books. Well worth checking out. This place is also a great volunteer opportunity for book lovers!

I recently received my Master's degree, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without Allegan…read moreLibrary. Each time my WIFI connection acted up or my laptop crashed, I went to the library and completed all my assignments there. Sometimes I would spend hours taking tests or doing research, extending my computer time over and over, because nobody else was waiting. This, of course, was all free of charge. The staff is very friendly and helpful compared to many libraries in larger cities. I came from a big city in Florida where the libraries had armed guards and time was limited to 1 hour of computer use per day.Compared to that, here I had a different experience. Lia Kea

I am so very excited about the new library!! This is an expansion of the historic Carnegie library,…read morewhich is still there right next door, and will be remodeled. Located on Allegan's riverfront, the library stuns from both sides. From across the river, it looks like an origami book. From the road, it is also gorgeous, with broad windows, and stairs and a beautiful accessibility ramp. Head inside, and you'll never want to leave. Besides the aforementioned windows, there are gorgeous lamps that look like book pages, plenty of space for the stacks, quiet study centers, a media lab, a teen space, and my favorite part, comfy seating all along the riverfront windows. Wow! Downstairs (pass a wall of copper fish, quite appropriate for a waterfront location) will be a robotics lab and a friends of the library bookstore (yay!). When finished, the historic Carnegie building will house staff offices and an expanded children's section. I worked at the old library from middle school until summers in college. There was never enough space, even way back then. The staff workroom was cramped, and the rest of the library felt that way, too. I never could have imagined this beautifully designed, light-filled, welcoming to all ages space. Bravo, and thank you, Allegan, for investing in such an important community resource.