I have had a wonderful experience with this library. I moved out here back in the beginning of…read more2025. It's beautiful, the staff has been kind and professional. The lady also suggested Libby app to listen to audio books for free becuase I told her I'm always multitasking and listening to audible. I don't understand why anyone would give this any less than five stars. People are ridiculous.

The Hoquiam Library is part of the same system as the one in Aberdeen, but its facility and staff…read moremake it much homier. Housed in a renovated Carnegie library building around the corner from where the bus stops, they even have an old grandfather clock and their underground parking beats Aberdeen's tiny outside area. The only downside is the main collection is on the second floor, while the bathrooms are in the basement. I also wish they weren't closed on Mondays. As in other Timberland libraries, the WiFi is good and they even allow limited free printing. Their interlibrary loan is also free and you can return materials to any Timberland branch.

This small library has a very friendly staff, a lot of programs and a dedicated group of volunteer…read moreFriends of the Library. Aberdeen does not have a bookstore to speak of (I suppose there's the Christian bookstore in the mall, but if you want fiction, it's either Wally World or the grocery store) and that is a real gap that the library helps to fill. While the catalog for the Aberdeen library isn't large, the Timberland Regional Library system is huge, spanning five or six (maybe seven, I'm losing track) counties, and it's based in Olympia. So there is a lot more in terms of resources than the city of Aberdeen itself could ever hope to pull together. And with computerized library holds for virtually all its media, you can get obscure titles relatively quickly. The library system only recently instated overdue fines. This has made them able to purchase an even wider selection of media because they don't have to buy large numbers of popular books, CDs and DVDs anymore (people wouldn't turn them in by the due date, which meant the library system would overpurchase popular items to compensate). I don't think a single person was bummed out by this, in fact, I (an occasional abuser of the system, but not out of control) thought it was a great idea. The library now has a security guy inside all the time, which may make you feel safer (there are lots of people who, oh, use a lot of services and don't really have another place to go during the day that hang out there). The bathrooms are clean and there's always plenty of parking. The Aberdeen TImberland library is a pretty solid cornerstone of our downtown, and so important for all it does for our town.

I agree with the two previous reviews, this library has always had some of the friendliest staff of…read moreany library I've been to in many, many years! And amazingly enough it's also one of the quietest! I was shocked to find a guy shooting dope in the restroom stall one day recently but hey, drug addicts need to feel secure too I suppose. I don't condone drug use, but it certainly beats having them do this crap out in the alley. The staff here will always greet you with a huge smile and be willing to go out of their way to help you find something or do anything else you might need help with. Heck, even the security guard lady is really friendly and sweet!

Awesome library! Great staff and great selection, they recently remodeled and have an awesome…read moreindoor playground and kids area!

Movies every Thursday at 3 PM - have a giant screen and awesome sound, practically all to yourself!…read more The locals don't know what they're missing.

When I had to spend several hours in Tumwater while my son took the SAT at the high school, I…read morethought the library would likely be a typical underfunded small town example, with one grumpy old librarian who has to do all the work, but hopefully open and usable to get some work done. I was surprised and pleased to find a very nice, obviously very well funded library. And I think there were at least six employees there. The one I asked about a reading area was cheerful and helpful. If anything, it's maybe even a bit better than the King County Library System I enjoy at home, and KCLS is widely recognized as world class. I had a very enjoyable, productive time there. If I could go there often, I would.

The whole Timberland Regional Library System is awesome and we are so lucky to have it in the South…read morePuget Sound. BUT by far, the Tumwater Library is the best of them all. The library is clean, quiet, and you don't have to plug your nose while browsing for books like you do at the downtown library (homeless people, God Bless Em, sleep and hang out there and the library smells very foul and I have seen two very physical fights on two different occasions with homeless people while I had my small children with me......we don't go there anymore - doesn't feel safe) I am sorry people are homeless, but it sucks that we can't even enjoy the library. Anyway, I digress.......Tumwater library has easy access, great parking, and the staff are all super attentive and very friendly and want to help you. I love this library!

I have always loved going to the library since I was a child. Many years later I still enjoy being…read moreable to work when I need a different space, check out books or sit and read when I want. You can also and enjoy local music . The library here in Ocean Park seems to be the focal point for many of the communities members and it is also a bit of a social hub in the community. . It's an excellent library, very clean. The staff is wonderful very knowledgeable.

Funny how we can overlook the simplest of institutions, the local library…read more The Timberland Library system is very much a 'big library' in 'little library' clothing. They sport a huge number of branches across the peninsula. Their library card is easy to get - apply on line for most uses, go 'full bore' by presenting proof of local residence (since we just moved here, an insurance billing statement with local address and my WDL picture ID sufficed) DVD's, books, Kindle and e-books, magazines, computers, Wi-Fi and even a limited amount of free printing (which renews weekly)! I used the printer for some color Christmas letters, worked very well! Staff was friendly and helpful. COVID protocols observed. Parking adequate. Since it's small, its might be hard to find a quiet spot, and I think some of the less fortunate use it to charge their cell phones and use the wi-fi here. Check it out! (library pun intended)

Came here for the introductory sewing class led by Naomi, and I have to say -- Naomi is an amazing…read moreinstructor. They were patient, willing to answer every question...and I had a lot of them! They never made anyone feel bad for asking. They also set up the Zoom camera really well so we could clearly see what they were doing on the sewing machine, even when their back was turned to the class. It was a unique setup I have not seen before, and honestly something other instructors, coaches, and teachers should consider using for live demonstrations. The front desk staff were incredibly kind, foo. They took the initiative to introduce themselves while i waited in line and made surey questions were answered right away. They never acted too busy to help, which made the whole experience feel welcoming. I would definitely come back -- even just to study. The library has beautiful artwork displayed throughout, and the space feels open without being overwhelming, especially with the many book shelves. Overall, a really well-run class in a really neat environment.

Can I give the library 4.5 stars??? 4 stars for the library itself, and then 5 great big golden…read moreglitter-covered stars for the employees. The building is super nice -- light, airy, welcoming. The book choices (I'm mostly a non-fiction reader) are ok. I like that I can make copies. But the people who work there are top-out-of-sight knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. I 'm so impressed with every one of them. Applause to these wonderful folks!

Small town library vibes. Road tripping and in need of internet access. And came across a library…read more Small parking lot and of course the much required immediate access to internet. And what a pleasant surprise to. A gorgeous building with tall ceilings and lots of natural light. Magazines to borrow and of course books. The librarians here were also super friendly about arriving sort of in a panic to get online. Immediately offering their conference room for my meeting. Thank you! And of course a clean bathroom. Excellent last minute pit stop for road tripping to the coast. SYOY!

Wow, so nice. I love to visit libraries, especially as I visit new towns. This one is old and yet…read morelooking so clean, updated, and welcoming. Great use of space with so many things to look at and yet not cluttered. Good variety of materials upstairs and down. The homemade quilts and even the wall calendar just add all that much more to the vibe here. The parking lot is small but plenty. And recently resurfaces with clear white lines so it is easy to park just right. The kids are a lot of the ground floor space. Fills with so many options which is helpful as kids can go through books quickly.

Rude librarian. I was going to renew my card today (since we live in Kalama, not Longview, we have…read moreto pay $50 for 6 months or $100 for a year) and I was willing to pay that... but once the librarian was so rude to me/had attitude, I decided not to. It cost $0 to be a nice human & that customer service turned me off to the library entirely.

We absolutely LOVE the Centralia Timberland Library and feel it's the best Timberland branch in the…read morearea! The staff are extremely friendly and helpful in whatever you might need - whether it finding a book, getting something put on hold, or answering general questions. They all are eager to help and support. There are thousands of books to browse through and check out. They really have a robust selection of all the genres that you would be looking for. Because they are a part of the Timberland Library group, it's easy to request a book at any of the many branches in the area and they'll get it delivered here. There is a smaller second floor that houses all of the teen and young adult books. There also is a teen only space up there for book groups and studying. I think it's great to have that genre of books all set up for them like that. In the whole library space, it really works. Best of all (at least for us), is the children's section! It's huge ... and it's walled off so the noise does not travel out to the rest of the library. :-) There is a ginormous selection of children's books and videos here. Additionally, there is play space that has lots of creative toys and traditional toys for the kids to play with. My boys love going here and spending time reading and playing. Plus, they have children's scavenger hunts around the entire library and offer stickers for the little ones who complete the hunt and/or clean up the toy space when they're done! The library also offers several classes or groups in various topics or arenas. Lego Club, Creator/Maker Space Club, Read Aloud/Storytimes, etc. Lots and lots to chose from. Regardless of your age or your book genre preference, the Centralia Timberland Library is the place to be! It is one of our GO-TO places in town!

With all the financial problems why are there people sitting around? Everytime I go in I only see…read morethe same older gentleman doing any work. The rest are sitting around talking to each other.

I came here to study for a bit after dropping my son off at camp. We do not live in Olympia so this…read morewas my first time here. I almost let the negative reviews steer me away from coming and even tried a local college library first before arriving there to find it closed. I decided to come by to this branch and see what it was like for myself. It was clean, quiet and not overcrowded. I didn't ask for assistance myself but witnessed many people getting help from staff. Yes, there were some people who appeared to be homeless but they all seemed to be sitting in isolated corners just reading. I didn't notice any foul odors other than the general wet dog smell that places like this have when it has been raining & it was raining moderately when I arrived. They appeared to have a large selection of zines and other local literature and many offerings for teens. Everything looked well organized. I'm glad it was open and able to accommodate me.

Ever wonder what happened to all those punky, independent riot grrls from Olympia's glory days?…read moreThey're librarians now. They mostly sit around looking at computer screens and gossiping. Sometimes they host boring events featuring Oly dorks like Calvin Johnson or whoever, and very few people actually attend. The place itself is filthy and a bit small for a city library. Homeless people seem to be welcome judging by the state of the bathrooms and various areas of encampment. The staff doesn't want to be "uncool" by asking anyone to leave, because, revolution?