My afternoon "office" for a few hours, I spent my time here pounding out emails and (quietly) dialed in to a Zoom bridge or two. A comfortable work space in the corner where my laptops and phone plugged in and charged. The library is quite large and spacious. Lots of interesting spaces, tons of stacks of books, I thought the shelf of role playing game kits was a unique offering. You do not need to be a local resident in order to use the library, only to borrow materials. [Review 20560 overall - 98 in Indiana - 1541 of 2023.] read more

See all

SO I was nervous to go to this location which was so silly in hindsight (to go to the downtown location) because I'm spoiled by the Southside location by my house. Extensive water damage has closed the Southern location till at least June 2024 so here I was looking for kids' North Dakota books for a school report. Not only did I find an extensive amount of books for my son, I got him some graphic novels, some launchpads, some free seeds from the seed library and a free subscription to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. I was also intrigued by the library of mysterious things upstairs. The ambience was clean, well thought out, and the staff was superb. I will be back without hesitation. I heard there is a drive-through to drop stuff off for parents with young kids. I have noticed there were a ton of parents and small children there for various groups. Looks promising! read more

This library has a fabulous children's section, for a few reason. 1. They have toys and games and puzzles, and they're all at the back of the library, away from the entrance. And there is a semi-circle of chairs surrounding the toys/games/puzzles, so you can sit and watch your child play, all the while making sure he also doesn't escape. Because children like to escape. 2. They will let you borrow toys! They have big mesh bags full of baby and toddler toys that you can check out like books. I'm assuming they clean them when they get checked back in. 3. There's a room for nursing mamas. I know, I know: You can nurse wherever you want now. However, there are some moms who don't enjoy nursing in public, and there are some babies who get really distracted when they nurse in public, so having a dedicated room to go to that's quiet and private is a boon. Hooray for this library for providing it. We didn't get past the children's wing, so I don't know much about the rest of the library (sorry). But if you have kids, and you're in Bloomington, you should visit this library. It's also close to Indiana University, so there are lots of shops and restaurants within walking distance. read more

The MCPL definitely deserves 5 stars and has always served as a B-town staple. I love that there's a drive through during normal times. It makes navigating multiple kids, nap time, and everyday chaos so much easier. Currently the drive through is closed bc our COVID numbers are dangerous. The MCPL has found an easy way to protect their staff and customers by creating an appointment based pickup system. It's easy - 1) you place your items on hold 2) you'll get an email when your hold requests become available 3) you book an appointment at a day/time of your convenience 4) park your car in the lot and enter the lobby through there. The holds are placed alphabetically and you take your items only (they ask you not to touch anything that's not for you). Masks are required and they have disposable ones in ziplock baggies if you need. I love that they've found a way to keep books and other library items accessible through it all. They have some of the best selection I've seen (for kids and adults alike), along with always stellar customer service. They even have crafting kits you can request! And toys you can get on loan (not sure if that one's possible during COVID but it sure is great during normal times). Super love this library and very thankful for it. read more

Love the quiet reading room on the second floor. Lots of spaces to sit while reading or working on your computer.

Friendly staff and the library has multiple floors with so much books to read! They also pretty much don't have a late fee.

Full of natural light. Perfect atmosphere to curl up and read. Or connect to free wifi and get some work done. Most libraries seem stuffy, but this library is airy and centrally located. Right on Kirkwood, I consider it the heart of Bloomington. My favorite place to sit is on the second floor. The windows overlook the intersection of Kirkwood and Grant. If you like to journal and people watch, this is a quiet place to do just that. Compared to the Indianapolis Public Library, Monroe County libraries have a larger selection of music (that I'm interested in). There are other unique offerings here, too. Patrons can rent film equipment and create a show or program for Community Access Television (http://catstv.net/about.php). Patrons also have access to computers, language classes, Lynda.com software tutorials, and more. On the first floor, there's a huge auditorium where local events can be held. My only complaint is parking. The lot is small, and street parking is hard to come by in downtown Bloomington. So, put your walkin' boots on. Come check out books, movies, and music to your hearts content. read more

See all

I'm not a Bloomington native, but have lived in the area for over 20 years at this point. In many areas, I will always have a fondness for the town I grew up in, which had a tremendous library. That being said, I cannot say enough good things about MCPL. Glancing at some of the other positive reviews, I think people have offered up a variety of reasons about what makes this place so great. The children's section is very large, and has a great variety of books and videos. The overall video selection is very good for both adult and child sections, although some movies or shows that are located in the childrens section could easily be located with the adult movies as "family friendly". The music selection is very good also. What is particularly appealing to me is how forward thinking they are with technology. There are quite a few public access computers if you do not have access to the internet. For those having a hard time, this can be a great resource. They are also teamed up with Hoopla and Freegal. If you have a library card, you can rent videos for free on Hoopla (and there are some great finds in there!) and you can download up to 5 tracks of audio a week on Freegal. The library is open and spacious, and I noticed it has a room set aside specifically for quiet reading. There is a "friends of the library" bookstore that sells used books 3 days a week, I think. As if that weren't enough, the bookmobile makes regular rounds, and I think you can find the locations of "Little Libraries" through their site also. If you haven't been in a while and just need a movie to watch or some new tunes to stuff in your ears, you must come in. Item return is super easy and instant. You can also look for items online and place holds on them. They'll notify you when it's being held and you can come in and pick it up. If you happen to get there before it's been shelved, they'll help you track it down. Easy 5 stars for this place. Go! read more

Great place. Love the children's area! So many books and activities to choose. My son really likes the train table and the enclosed children area. They have a small puppet theatre, a magnetic letter wall, a big kitchen, a craft table, and a gated baby area. We love looking through all the books and renting educational iPads. They also have shelves full of tactile toys for rent ranging from infant-toddler. The staff are so knowledgeable and always willing to suggest similar books of interest. They host numerous activities for all ages everyday in which the community can partake. Best part? NO late fees for children's rentals. They are currently providing a reading program for children, teens and adults to earn points towards donations, prizes and community businesses. I think it's wonderful they are encouraging literacy for children and adults alike. This is truly a valuable asset for the community with supporting education at an early age. I just wish there was more parking. read more

Monroe County Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Abundant resources for children, countless books, amazing collection of movies. Grateful for public service and resources offered for children of all ages, and the adults (big kids at heart). read more

Monroe County Public Library - Children's books section and that is was just one part of the building! - Libraries Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

See all

My family doesnt have cable or network programming, so the Monroe County Library has been an excellent resource for us. They have a great selection of DVD's for kids and adults alike, and they have saved us an enormous amount of money, being able to forgo Redbox, movie rental stores, or having to purchase DVD's to watch. read more

I love the sense of community in the public library. It is refreshing to see people from all walks of life gather together in one place. For that reason, I prefer it over the university libraries. The collection is incredibly well-stocked. My friend, who works for the animation industry, was particularly impressed with the graphic novel section. I was able to re-read many of my childhood books, and am able to keep up-to-date with what is popular for kids now. The movies and cd collection are likewise impressive, with many foreign titles in addition to western ones. I was able to garner a lot of life advice to various questions and problems from the extensive nonfiction section. The Friends of the Library bookstore offers amazing deals on gently-used books, cds, vhs tapes, LPs, and sheet music. I highly recommend a visit if you are looking for new reading material. Lastly, the staff is very helpful and courteous whenever I interact with them. When I had a library fee for water and mold damage on a book that had that damage before I checked it out, the worker I spoke with was very understanding of my situation. Whenever I am away from Bloomington for an extended period of time, I always miss the Monroe County Public Library and its welcoming atmosphere. read more

The lady that works here at the research information desk with glasses is extremely unprofessional and rude. I have never used their printer here and she spoke very loudly about how I shouldn't press the buttons. All she did was point to what I was supposed to be using without offering any assistance on how to use their printer. read more

I grew up in the library and spent countless hours reading books, exploring, listening to records, watching puppet shows, participating in Kids Alive, watching films and interacting with the librarians. What an asset to the Bloomington community and my childhood. Thank you MCPL. read more

I love this library and all the resources you have access to as a library-card holder. Big complaint is parking. If you are going to have a small parking lot like you do, then it should be limited to an hour or two so everyone can have a chance to park. Other then that lot, there are only metered spots and most of them are always taken due to the other businesses. read more

With time to kill while visiting Bloomington and two children on Spring Break, this library was quickly found. It made two hours on a rainy day pass with ease. Lots of natural light, imaginative games and toys, a well planned toddler area, clean facilities, free parking and BOOKS! Free, fabulous and appreciated. read more

Have you any idea how good our public library is? If you are a reader you probably do. I have lived with some fine libraries (e.g. Cincinnati) and in places without good libraries (e.g. Zimbabwe) and I cherish ours. They have excellent online tools. They have efficient transfers out to the Ellettsville branch. Staff are unfailingly pleasant. Code cards make for quick and easy check out. Their drive through drop off (or pick up reserves) is a breeze.The outside is beautiful and contributes positively to the street. The inside is spacious, open and pleasant with meeting rooms and amenities and nice places to sit and read. The location is so central it astounds. Their parking lot is small but with the whole of the downtown for parking or (heaven forfend) one could walk a little ways to reach it. And the collection very seldom disappoints me. Yes, they may not have every single book by some author I am reading (or listening) through but it is a fine collection. My failures are usually something obscure or of small general interest to the wide reading world. (I am not being snobby, sometimes one gets into a very narrow private rabbit hole.) We should all be dancing for joy that we have such a fine library. read more

MCPL has an amazing selection of books, movies, and CDs! I was surprised moving to Bloomington from a larger city how extensive their collection is. They've acquired several books that I've suggested for purchase. Their online hold/reserve/renewal system is helpful and easy to use. They have a nice reading room area where I sometimes just grab a magazine and read while looking out onto Kirkwood Ave. If you're into bestsellers, the bestseller express is a great way to read one without waiting months to get it on reserve. The library is a Bloomington treasure! read more

Excellent local library! Their collection of books is amazing, my previous local library simply does not compare. They have a pretty expansive music collection if you're interested in checking out CDs. Did I mention movies? They've got tons! They also have newly released films! Their children's area is fantastic too - music, movies, and books all in one place. You can browse their items/availability and get on wait lists for anything you want but is currently checked out - and you can do this from the comfort of your home with your online library account! They'll notify you once an item is returned and held for you so you'll know when to pick it up. They organize all the holds alphabetically on shelves dedicated to held items. Every interaction I have had with staff was been phenomenal! They're so friendly and helpful. If you aren't feeling up like interacting though, you don't have to! Once you have your library card you can make use of one of their several self check-out stations. read more

Best library ever. I have never been unable to find what I'm looking for here. Very nice selection of horticulture books:-)

What a fantastic library! I am eternally grateful for this tremendous community resource. Staff are knowledgable and helpful.