This library is really quite beautiful. It's large and grand, reminiscent of the Carnegie…read morelibraries, though this is not one of them--the building at their current location is actually only about 45 years old. When you walk in, one of the first things you'll see is the independently operated cafe. Really handy to have at the library, but just check their hours as they don't run concurrently with the library itself. We headed down to the children's section which is on the lower level. It is a really comfortable space for kids and parents; they a rather large toy section with a play flower shop, kitchen, and lots of bins full of toys. The tables had some other activities like little puzzle books or coloring stations. They had bins of books that weren't shelved with the rest of them, but rather organized in the bins by alphabet blocks for easy access to look at with the kids. And there was lots of seating for parents to relax and watch their children. I don't check on the Batavia library since I don't live in the area, but when we were at the cafe waiting I saw on their media screen some of the events they host flash by and they looked interesting. They have in person and virtual events, it seems, which I love for its convenience, accessibility, and inclusiveness. The outside of the library has over a dozen outdoor tables, so grab something at the cafe and enjoy!

I've been visiting this library since 2008 when my husband and I first met. We were living with a…read morefriend in Batavia for a short time, and we would come here to get some space. One of my favorite features of this library is the fireplace and the windows surrounding it. It's my favorite place to chill, read, crochet/knit, just feel like I'm in another place. Since I've been married and had kids, we've taken our kids here multiple times too. They really enjoy the downstairs children's area. There's a lot of activities to do down there and things to play with. They also have a good selection of children's books, DVDs, children's programs during the day, and lots of places to sit. Most of the people working here are very kind and helpful. There is one woman who works at the information desk in the back of the adult section between the main part of the library and the fireplace room I was talking about earlier. She has a strange attitude. I was sitting by the fireplace and it wasn't on and the room was very cold. I went and asked if they could turn it on. She says to me, "Well, we only turn it on when it's cold outside." But then she reluctantly got up and went to turn it on. It was blazing for a second, then went out. She was already back in her seat at her desk ignoring everyone. I didn't understand why she was working here because she seemed so bitter about helping the community at the info desk. ‍ other than that, it's a great place to hang out!

I am not a cardholder (library hop to change my scenery), so my review is only on ambiance. I…read moreabsolutely adore the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor; the sunlight while studying keeps me sane. The 'cafe' downstairs is a bit tinier than I would like. And I was a bit disappointed that a majority of the library is the second floor, with the first being the cafe, front desk, a little lounging corner, and a kid's space in an entirely different room. So, a majority of noise and people were upstairs, making it a little difficult to concentrate but with some nice headphones you're all good!

Adorable library in a quaint, historic town. I love the architecture of the building from the…read moreoutside. The inside is also very tidy with a nice selection of items.

I love libraries and St. Charles has a great library. The librarians downstairs are kind and…read morepatient with the little ones. They have lots of fun (and free!) programs for the kids. Summer book reading club is our favorite. Our oldest loves to go to the Lego build times. Feeding their creativity is a strength of the library. I'm an eBook reader and I've been satisfied with their OverDrive collection. And they've increased the check out time to 21 days! And the biggest change we've appreciated as a family is auto-renew. If a book is due but nobody has a hold on it, it will check it back out to you. If you haven't had the chance to use their services besides book check out, you're missing out on some great programs!

St. Charles library appears clean and organized. I was looking for books on the human body for…read moreelementary age children and most of the books are gender-affirming and not science-based on biology. Many books show explicit cartoon illlustrations of same-sex couples in bed together, including descriptions of oral sex and masturbation. This is not age-appropriate for young children. We will not be visiting St. Charles library anymore.

Only rating based on the kids level, but we enjoyed this library! Ample seating with a diverse toy…read moreselection. It was really nice. We went in the morning and it was starting to get crowded by 10:30 ish.

The library is a big building in a nice location. The staff there - not much at all. When being…read morein the computer area on the second floor, a few teens were being loud and playing mind craft. The staff did nothing. A person's phone went off and this woman with long hair, bangs. glasses and an RBF gets him for the phone not being silent. Such rudeness and hypocrisy on their part! If you're going to get on someone for making noise, how about the teenagers talking and playing on the PC?! The lady was one of the rudest librarians I've seen.

One of my favorite hiding spots when I want to refresh and indulge in a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy…read morea new story. Sugar Grove had built this beautiful new library with a huge expansion, great for more books! This new space blows the old space WAY out of the water and I couldn't be more excited. Not only does this new location have much more to offer, but also has a cute little cafe that serves delicious drinks and treats. They also offer group and individual study spaces, meeting rooms that can be rented for small events, many comfy lounging chairs, a large computer room, a teen zone space, and large section for children. My favorite part of the library, aside from the books, is how involved the library is with the community. They host many family friendly events, movie nights, author signings and talks, offer computer and other hands on classes, and much more! For example, if you have a fine, they offer a food drive for exchange of debt on your account. The librarians are incredibly sweet, helpful, and have great taste in movies and books if you ever need a suggestion. My only complaint, which I wouldn't even really call it a complaint, more of a expectation that let me down is the structure of the building gives the illusion that the library has 2 floors, when really it has high ceilings with one floor. Don't get me wrong, I love the layout and the beauty of the this library, just wish that there was a second floor which would mean more books! How can you go wrong with more books.

The building is incredible, I kind of wish it was my house. They have an amazing space with a lot…read moreof potential. The library is all one level, all open design. The storytime room is so cute! It has a giant chick mural, and almost every storytime involves a craft. They have a nice area designated just for teens. You can't walk in without three people greeting you. The collection is a little dated, but they're working on it. I expect very good things from here in times to come.

Beautiful, stately library with wonderful staff! Such a gorgeous building and right in the heart of…read moreDeKalb.

A HUGE thank you to Leah, Amy, Lynnanne and of course Susan. These ladies are fantastic, friendly,…read morehelpful and knowledgeable. They make going to the library a great experience.

YOOOoooooo why am I getting overdue emails?!!! I only haven't returned a dvd and book for like 2…read moreweeks? What gives in this day and age of NO FINES?!!! What me worry????!!!! I"m keeping this ish till next YEAR!!!!! lol. They got rid of the bums here somehow. Long live the bums, but where they went nobody knows?!!! Maybe they're living in your house right now!!!! LOOK OUT NO MORE EMAILS! Lemme keep my books I didn't finish yet

This is actually a really nice library. Staff is always friendly and helpful, I feel they have a…read moregreat selection of books. Overall, I think this library is a great addition to the community. I will say this, the library is a place that welcomes all and while that is beautiful it does attract a couple of interesting characters. But, everyone tends to mind their business and keep themselves occupied. I do feel safe at this library. They use to have security guards at the entrance however, the last few visits I have not seen any. I can confidently say though that this library takes the safety of the community very seriously. I did have a scary encounter here back in the summer. I was getting some work done when the PA system came on and told everyone to evacuate the building immediately. Obviously, I don't take these things lightly and with the worst case scenario running through my mind I collected my things and left ASAP! As I was leaving police were already surrounding the building. The evacuation was calm and orderly. After going home and doing some research it turns out someone did put in a threat towards the library. Seeing how the situation was handled really affirmed my confidence in the competency of this library. I'm giving four stars because on a more recent visit I had a hard time finding a table to sit that had working outlets. Don't get me wrong, I walked past many tables with built-in outlets but every time I tried to plug in my laptop it unfortunately didn't work. I did finally find one all the way towards the back and was able to get some work done! It really is a grand library! It would be perfect if they ensured all offered amenities were always working properly. Other than that, I do love this library!

We used to absolutely love this library, but the children's section has gone downhill so much. They…read morehave switched the way that they organize all the children's books by random categories and most of them don't even make sense.. The biggest problem is when you ask for help from any of the children's librarians they want to push you to use the computer and they don't want to help you at all find books anymore. When I was in the library yesterday, another mother was complaining with me how it's so incredibly difficult to find books anymore that they prefer to go to Batavia or Sugar Grove . I can no longer recommend this library for children's books anymore ,

Such a nice library with friendly staff and very easy parking. I enjoyed my visit here!read more

How many times do I have to fill out the same paperwork for my spouses account? How many new people…read moredo I get to look at me as though I'm being shifty? What have I not done that I need to do to borrow books?

The ladies were so friendly with helping me get my taxes out. I had to fax quite a few things at…read morethe last minute. They're so kind. So glad to have it in my Del Webb neighborhood.

Small and newer community library branch of the main GB library in Elgin-located within a…read moremulti-purpose complex. They have a few study rooms, a small selection of books (mostly children's and teen books) and a decent sized kids area. Definitely a nice change of pace to visit a smaller scale library because it keeps the crowds away.