A friend and I attended the "Landscapes and Lemonade" event at the Schlafly branch of the St Louis Public Library (SLPL) this past weekend. These events fill quickly through their online events calendar form, so we were glad to have the opportunity to grab some spots. I was disappointed to see that not everyone who signed up attended because participation is so highly sought after. The event itself was nice and relaxing. We enjoyed the two hours of painting and hope to finish later with our own paints at home as it wasn't quite enough time to tackle the whole painting. This branch is not my favorite of the public library for a couple of reasons. 1) there is a lot of blank space in the library; it's not very cosy or inviting. 2) Parking is a BEAR. Until the city as a whole becomes more walkable/metro accessible, it's unreasonable to have a library with paid parking. It makes it much more difficult to choose to frequent this branch. read more

St. Louis Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Being a library patron has saved me so, so much money in the past two years. Seriously, if you haven't used a public library in a while hop back on the train. Books 5/5- WIDE selection with almost everything accessible. The city and county have merged their databases and i have rarely come across a book they don't have. You can place holds online and they will email you once ready. I pick this location as my home base because I frequent the CWE area often but you can pickup at any location. AND- they have broad selection of ebooks and audiobooks as well. All accessible through then libby app on your phone/ipad and even your kindle This location 3/5- parking is very inconvenient although they have a couple spots for pickup. This is also a loud location and often has disruptions so not the best place to study or settle down. Other 5/5- the staff is phenomenal, so kind. I have used their notary services several times and they are so helpful. Make sure to call ahead for the notary! read more

St. Louis Public Library - machine to check out - Libraries Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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So glad to have this library! Good selection even for a smaller library. I've needed help with a few things, and everyone is always friendly & helpful! Thanks for making an Iowa girl feel like a piece of home & community. read more

A visitor's dream library. I enjoy this up to date library. It's clean, has meeting rooms, quiet rooms and lots of computers to request. They also have laptops to request. Copy/fax machine Books, CDs, audiobooks, videos, video games, classes, exercise classes, dance classes, adult art projects, children's hour several art displays (local schools and artists) ...come on...it's wonderful! This library is located in the heart of the CWE (Central West End) and there are hotels, fine grocery stores and restaurants all in walking distance. Parking garage is attached (8-minute Grace period). When I've visited other city libraries they are generally old, spacious and you can get lost in them. Not this library. The librarians and IT assistants are there for you. They keep a close watch and there is security just in case. read more

I won't complain about the lack of parking because that comes with this location being in CWE. However, the people that work at this location are some of the most disgruntled and cantankerous in the St Louis Public Library system. You ask a question and the staff act like you asked them for their last quarter on earth. Thank goodness for the electronic library catalog, online renewing, and self-check out stations. I avoid this location unless I am in the area and need to check books back out after all my renewal periods have expired!! read more

This is the loudest freakin library I have ever been to. It's the closest one to where I live, and I really wish it were a better place to study in peace. Instead, there are always people talking loudly and having conversations at a normal/above normal level. It's not a great place to study if you're looking for somewhere quiet. Pros: large tables with outlets, open until 9pm read more

Despite being listed as a recycling drop-off site on Earth911.com, the librarian was kind enough to redirect to me to other drop-off sites around the neighborhood. She even took the time to give me detailed directions to each one! So, if you live around the CWE & need a place to drop off some recyclables... City of St. Louis, 1660 South Kingshighway Boulevard @ I-44, (Monday-Friday 7a.m. to 5p.m., Saturday 9a.m. to 5p.m.) - aluminum beverage and food cans - corrugated cardboard and chipboard/paperboard - glass, brown - glass, clear - glass, green - magazines - mixed office paper - newspaper - plastics #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #7 (not #6) - steel beverage and food cans - telephone books - cellular phones Saint Louis Public Library - Cabanne Branch (north side), 1106 Union Boulevard (at Cabanne Avenue), (24-hours-per-day, 7-days-per week) - commingled containers - commingled papers - cardboard - textiles read more

Great spacious facility with friendly workers and a wealth of new books. Love that you can print X number of pages for free, larger 11x17 format included. Especially love that the Schlafly branch is open on Sundays!!! My experience with the workers there was all positive, friendly, and helpful. The only downside to this site is that parking can be difficult. read more

I was in rural Missouri once when a man asked me where I lived. When I told him, "St Louis City", he chortled and said, "Har! I have no idea how you can live up there with ALL THAT." Well, obviously-kinda-racist-guy, I happen to love The City and I reallllly love "all that" that comes with living here. And the public library is a perfect example. As far as I'm concerned, this is a Come and Get Yourself Some Free Books Store. You sign up, and if you can't find the book you want at your branch, you just put a hold on it from the comfort of your own computer, and then they email you in a few days when it arrives. Seriously! You tell them the book you want, they deliver it to your branch, and like magic, it's waiting for you when you get there. This branch has the books out on a shelf with your name on it, and you check yourself out with their handy machines. Besides holding books online, their website also lets you renew books and they even have e-books you can download. This branch is open until 9PM on weeknights and is even open on Sunday. The staff is very friendly here, but you hardly need to speak with them, because everything is automated and easy to use. I haven't used their computers or copying services yet, but they always have open terminals and lots of comfy furniture for people who want to stay and read. I can't wait until the Central Branch reopens once they finish the remodeling. It's institutions like this that make living in a city like St Louis so awesome. read more

In the words of Jessica H: "Muhahahaha" I got away with 3 DVD's today because their computer system was down. Therefore, they had to check everything out on paper. Feels like I just got away with murder! read more

My sister introduced me to the Schlafly branch seven or eight years ago, and it has remained near and dear to my heart. It's where I got my STL library card and also where I introduced my boyfriend to the wonders of utilizing your local library. If you really want to read how much I rhapsodize about the library, you can check out my Central Branch review. The St. Louis library system is really awesome, in my opinion. Regarding this location, though. Pros: Lots of selection Friendly staff Lots of seating Good programs Huge section for nonprofits looking for grants; they have workshops for nonprofits also. Great hours Self Check-Out Pretty good noise control Cons: Parking. It just sucks. It's either park on the street and feed the meters or do the parking garage which is $1/hr. It's pretty dark inside. Only about 20 computers for public use. Call ahead. Xerox machines are 15 cents/copy. read more

I'm a huge fan of this library branch. I come here at least 2 times a week to study, study, study & I am hardly ever disappointed. I love the fact that I can walk here from my apartment, but if I had to drive here, the lack of parking would be pretty frustrating. There are two parking options: street/metered & the parking garage. The library hours are some of the best in the city (if not the best!). They're open late during the week and they're open on the weekends! The staff is helpful and my favorite security guard always does a good job of "shhh"ing the loud-talkers who are inevitably there. Free wifi, free printing, free computer use & they participate in interlibrary loan, which is great. I just search online for the book I want, put a hold on it, choose Schlafly for the pick-up location, and I'm emailed when it's ready & waiting for me (which normally doesn't take much time at all). I can return all my books to this library, no matter where I picked them up in the city and you can manage your account online (requests, holds, renewals, etc.) Oh and they keep the library nice and warm when it's cold out...definitely something I appreciate!! read more

"Let's go to the library!" You might be surprised to know that this exclamation was once said quite frequently when I lived in the CWE. I've been on record about how much I disliked living in the Central West End, but one positive aspect of my two years living in Snobsville USA was having the Schlafly branch of the St. Louis Public Library system. Not only does Schlafly have the best name of the branches, it offers a wealth of media for people in the CWE neighborhood. I used to wander this place several times a month. My favorite part of the location was the cds. They have a selection of artists that puts most record stores to shame. Now that times are tough, I don't get to run out and buy multiple albums a week. However, Schlafly carries several new cds. Up until our move last April, I was borrowing spring releases from that year, just released in the past few weeks. They are constantly updating their stock. For a while, I didn't have a printer. More precisely stated, I didn't have ink. Schlafly offers free printing to patrons, but at times it was a major inconvenience to print anything off. You can call in and reserve a computer, but quite often I had to wait for someone to leave or not show up to get a chance at the printers. That was a major issue, but the demand of computer time over there was so terribly high. As for the staff, I didn't always feel like they were the most helpful. The location has several self checkouts, but some of the cds that I would borrow needed to have the security strips swiped before I could leave. They would insist upon me doing the checkout myself and wouldn't do anything about the security strips until I had the door beep at me. It got to be a bit of a hassle. Also, it's a little embarassing to have the alarm go off when I'm trying to leave a quiet library. Nonetheless, I always appreciated having this branch and wish that I could be closer to it. One of the best branches in the St. Louis system! read more

Beautiful library branch. The selection in house tends to be more best-seller types, but that's why there's inter-library loan. They do have a surprisingly good foreign language section. But such a nice looking library and a great location! read more

Pros: 1. It's free.* 2. There's lots of variety** 3. Staff can be really friendly*** 4. But look- it's a library- appreciate it. 5. Print 200 pages a month for no charge. Cons: * Unless you go to the Schlafly branch by car, because it's nearly impossible to find a parking spot on the street, and there is a charge to use the attached lot; a day late on movies is $1 a piece- lives have been ruined by these steep fines; **Unless what you want is good, because that stuff is stolen by the third person who gets it. *** But many aren't. read more

I've gone to six different locations --- never had a bad experience. The staff is helpful. The selection is great (check on online and have books reserved and waiting for you at your convenience.) Love libraries. And I'm so glad StL treasures theirs. read more

Big fan of this place. Very clean and modern, in terms of the actual building and what's inside (books, computers, chairs). But, the best part is that they rent out games! Wii, PS3, and Xbox games can be checked out for a week at a time and can be renewed online multiple times. Seriously amazing. However, their online library catalog is a bit difficult to work with and has trouble finding what you want, especially if it's not a very specific search (for example, trying to find "Lost" DVDs). But, it's not too bad and only would make my rating a 4.5, which I rounded up to 5. read more

The hours are convenient and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Be sure to check out their ebook collection too! read more

The employees are friendly and usually very willing to help. I have been able to find a lot of good books also. You can also request books from other St. Louis Library location, they will deliver the book for free to a library of your choice. read more

I love my library. The only reason they don't get a full 5 is that some of the branches have some weird hours that I still can't get used to and end up at a library that is not open yet. That drives me bonkers. But, they get high marks because the staff are always friendly and since I remember to check the hours before I go, I usually don't end up with a wasted trip. Also, they will order a book for you if they don't carry it. I usually order my books online and go and pick them up when it is convenient. Then I never have to worry about searching for a book and it not being there. I like that a lot. read more

The entire SLPL system is fantastic. The website is well designed and easy to use. Log in and you can put any book on hold, renew items, and see how much you owe in fines. Give them your email address and you'll get a notice when books are close to due or a book you have on hold is in. The schlafly branch itself has a very small book collection, maybe 4 or 5 shelves of fiction. The main function of this branch is for use as a study/computer space. It's not a library where you can spend a lot of time exploring the collection, like I'm used to, which is disappointing. I have to browse for new books and authors on the internet instead of the library now. That being said it's a very nice building with very friendly, and sometimes too helpful, staff. If you put books on hold before coming in they're sitting on a shelf, you pick them up yourself, check them out, and can be on your way with a new stack of books within 5 minutes. Overall, I would recommend the entire SLPL system very highly. read more