This is a very large library, I love their large study rooms. I've been to other libraries that…read morehave a few study rooms, this one has. I think nine of them plus conference rooms that you can request or reserve. They have a very large children section, a separate teen area, and I love that they always have out recommendations of books or movies, and it usually follows a theme. The parking lot is well maintained too, but I wish there were more lights at night.

The Palm Beach Gardens branch Library is a very large, spacious County library--and nicely laid…read moreout. After passing through the bathroom/book check-in entryway area and through the security panels, an inviting middle walkway lined with dvds invites one to browse. Modern comfortable seating - living-room style - provides an inviting space to chill and peruse one's findings. There is a 'local authors' section next to the security panels when you walk in, a nice touch. There is a room just for teenagers and young adult fiction; I would have loved this room if it had existed when I was a teenager! It includes tables and computers. Awesome for teens to have a 'safe' space away from adults and small children. The children's area is quite spacious, with a large entryway and open corridors between sections. The area is placed far from the regular library-goers so that children might squeal without disturbing too many patrons. It also features: lots of lights entering from windows, whimsical wooden bookcases and chairs, and a family bathroom (complete with child-size toilet and sink). The leather seating is pretty worn out, but otherwise the space is well-kept. The parking lot features a ton of parking spaces and a drive-through book drop-off.

The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach is the oldest public library in Palm Beach County,…read moreFlorida. The roots of the library are in a free reading room in the Congregational Church at the corner of Datura and Olive Streets that was offered by the City of West Palm Beach in 1895. In 1899 a $100 donation was given by Henry Flagler and with the reading room book collection, the library opened in a houseboat donated to the Palm Beach Literary Society by Commodore Charles John Clarke. The City's first permanent library was in a Spanish style building that faced the Intracoastal Waterway. It was dedicated to the men and women who served in WWI. In the 1960's, a new City library designed by architect Norman Robson opened. In 2009 the library moved from the water to its current location on Clematis where it is part of the $30 million City Center Complex. Today the library is focused on providing its half a million visitors a year programs, services, collections, and technology. There is so much to love about this library. The lobby has public art pieces. The first floor has an extensive book collection and a café serving coffee, shakes, smoothies, and pastries. The second floor has a children's room, computers, music, and movies. It was surprising to discover that in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Clematis Street is a historic institution that has been offering free education for over a over a century.

I have never felt so humiliated, intimidated, and unwelcome in a public library. My experience with…read moreSupervisor Bethany Hankin was one of the most degrading customer service interactions I have ever experienced, and it left me questioning whether I was treated this way because I am a Black woman. As a nursing student preparing for the NCLEX, I drove to this library specifically to study in a quiet environment. Instead of leaving feeling supported by a public institution, I left feeling emotionally shaken, embarrassed, and deeply hurt. The issue began because library staff made an error when booking my study room. Rather than acknowledging or attempting to resolve the mistake professionally, Bethany immediately approached me with hostility and aggression. I remained calm and respectfully tried to explain the situation, yet she spoke to me in a confrontational manner, discussed me within earshot of other patrons, and publicly embarrassed me over an error that was not mine. The most disturbing part of this interaction was Bethany's decision to threaten to call security on me while I was calmly trying to explain what had happened. At no point was I disruptive, threatening, or disrespectful. Being threatened with security simply for attempting to resolve a staff mistake was frightening, humiliating, and completely unnecessary. As a Black professional, I cannot ignore how this interaction made me feel. I left believing that I was treated differently because of my race. Whether intentional or not, the hostility, intimidation, and lack of respect I experienced were unlike anything I have encountered in a customer service setting. A supervisor should lead with professionalism, empathy, and conflict resolution--not intimidation, public humiliation, and escalation. Bethany's conduct reflected a complete failure in customer service and de-escalation. Her behavior was not only unprofessional but also damaging to the welcoming environment that every public library should provide. Because of this experience, I will never return to this library. I sincerely hope library administration conducts a thorough investigation, reviews any available security footage, speaks with witnesses and staff members, and provides Bethany with substantial coaching in customer service, de-escalation, implicit bias, and respectful communication. No patron should ever leave a public library feeling degraded, singled out, or afraid simply because they tried to discuss a mistake made by staff. This experience is something I will not soon forget, and I hope the library takes meaningful action to ensure no one else is made to feel the way I did.

Staff is always friendly and helpful! Amazing variety of…read morebooks and magazines to please all tastes. Each visit is enjoyable! Clean Bathrooms.

It's been a long time since I have been to this library. I remember coming here when I was a kid,…read moreso it should tell you how long it's been around. My kids wanted to go here since it's one of the bigger ones in the area and we have been there a couple times to browse the books. When you walk in, there's a variety of selections to choose from. There is computers in the middle for customers to use. There are also activity rooms on the way to the children's section. The children's section has computers for use and it's smaller than the other libraries. The staff has always been helpful and we were able to find books and DVDs that we want to borrow. The library could use an update though since it's been around for a long time. Even though it's about a half hour away for me, I don't mind making the drive to go there.

I recently attended an adult Intro to Crocheting class at this library branch. I came to this…read morelocation specifically for this class, which I signed up for online as soon as the class opened up! Thank you to the awesome librarian who created this opportunity. She was so patient and kind, limiting the class to a very small number in order to give 1:1 attention to each and every attendee. I knew there would be no better place than to truly learn than in a library environment. I love our library system, and I am so grateful for this programming! The classes offer so many different types of things, and learning to hand crochet (and knit, also on my list) has been something I have wanted to learn for so, so long. I have tried before and failed, and trying to learn by book and video has just not worked for me. This in-person class allowed me to fail repeatedly until I got the basic first step. Success! Thank you again to our kind leader who only just started crocheting in the past year but loved it so much she wanted to share. This kind of intro really helped me to embrace her instruction, and her demeanor and attitude was just so wonderful - thank you so much! She also hosts a regular crocheting circle and other levels of learning at this branch. After my class, I wandered into the main section and checked out a couple of cookbooks. Thank you thank you thank you to librarians everywhere.

It smells like feet in here. Other than that, no complaints. The one staff member I interacted with…read morewas very nice.

The best place in Palm Beach County to enjoy nightlife, green market on Saturdays, wellness events…read moreon weekends, or just a simple stroll on the waterfront. Clematis Street is the cultural hub of the area with things going on every week. CityPlace is a few blocks south, NORA district is a few blocks north, Northwood Village is a few blocks north, and you've got Palm Beach across the bridge.

USA Today calls Thursday evening from 6:00 until 9 o'clock the best outdoor concert series…read more Tonight we enjoyed David Michael & Twisted Cypress on Clematis at night. It is going strong here with a lot of seating, food vendors & a live band at the waterfront. The colorful Adirondack chairs were inviting & the music was great. WPB.org/events posts all of the bands performing here.

This garden area is free which is hard to come by these days, and offers a bunch of different…read moretables or secluded spaces to read a book or have lunch during a workday. It looks like they sometimes host events here based on the people I see and the scupltures are very cool. Community groups like this who all maintain a nice area for the public are becoming increasingly important, and the balance here was just right. It wasn't overloaded with things yet there were pleasant surprises around each corner. Will definitely be back!

We absolutely love coming here for story times on Monday!! The lawn is super spacious for a lot of…read morefamilies to enjoy and allow the kids to run around freely. Beautiful sculptures all around to enjoy after story time! For my mommas I definitely recommend coming here on Mondays or Thursday mornings for story time!!

I grew up coming to the library for tutoring for SATs in high school since it's right across from…read morethe high school. And most recently on one of my trips I came here to do some work. They have a few private rooms that you can take test in or take meetings in in. I was able to get a private room while I was here, but it did take a while because all of them were occupied, but we finally said something to one of the workers and he was able to help us get a room really quickly. It seems like an interesting set up where some people just stay in there for a very long time watching shows or something. So we were grateful that we were able to get a room. They also had a free seed Library that you could get seats from so I took a few and I'm so excited that some of them are already growing in my garden. Definitely a great library just to do some work and get stuff done.

This is a great little library! Friendly staff, central location…read more Not as small as the Tequesta branch, but definitely smaller than Palm Beach Gardens. The children's section is nicely laid out and a decent size, with plenty of windows and light, and a large, adjacent activity room. I've enjoyed the children's classes I've attended; I can't believe how many they have scheduled for this fall! Everything is cozy and easy to find, with computer areas tucked away in the back. The used book area is a cozy corner where treasures can be found; I've picked up author-signed books and coffee table art books here.