For being the main branch of the Upper Arlington Public Library system, this place could surely use a facelift. There is plenty of space on the inside, but everything is quite outdated. Another major downside is the noise level, which at times can be pretty loud as everything kind of echos throughout. There is a very small quiet space on the far east side of the building but with mainly reading chairs, not an ideal place to work if you need a table. If you intend to get some work done here, make sure you have noise cancelling headphones. The perks are the location and a very large parking lot. read more

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Unpopular opinion time. I feel like this library should be much better than it is, considering how much community support it has (including a recently approved tax levy). I have never found the staff to be very friendly or helpful. No one has ever offered assistance to find anything and when I have asked questions, I felt like I was imposing. The majority of programming seems to be specifically for children. I commend them for that, but I would also love to see that same effort being put into adult and community program offerings. read more

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This library has an amazing park next to it. It allowed our kids to run some energy out before heading in. I loved that the kids section was around the side of the library to allow them to play and explore without being quiet. They had a fun kids play area with a little house, two wooden parked cars, and tons activity at the tables. The fine and gross motor skills were amazing. read more

Upper Arlington Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Upper Arlington, Ohio

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Beautiful library but the staff in the children's section ruin the experience. They sit there the entire time and smirk at each other when toddlers are "yelling " (really just giggling and playing) then they come over to remind the 2-3 year olds that they are too loud. Toddlers being at the library is a good thing but they give off the vibe that they are a nuisance. read more

My experience was with the Passport Processing service that they offer here. As I'm not a resident of Upper Arlington, I don't usually go to this library for book rentals, so I can't speak on that..I will say my interactions with clerks and librarians was very nice - they're happy to help you through your whole visit and seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs and the folks they interact with. Dale in Passport Processing was kind, friendly, on time, fastidious, and a great conversationalist. He triple checked documents for accuracy, going through them twice himself and then had a clerk look through things a final time to be certain everything was correct. He explained the fees, the general passport process, and provided resources for tracking. Expected processing times were clearly visible and were updated when and if wait times changed. Dale made a process that felt daunting and intimidating a breeze. I feel far more at ease after my appointment as opposed to before it. Not just because the task is done on my part, but because I know my personal identification will be handled with care and confidentiality. If you need to renew or obtain a passport, I would highly recommend going to work with Dale at the Upper Arlington Public Library. read more

Upper Arlington Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Upper Arlington, Ohio

I used to have cards for libraries all over the state. Nowadays one card often, through interlibrary loan agreements, works all over. I assume I went to this one back then, though it probably was in a different building because I do not recognize this. Big, bright, easy to navigate. Helpful, friendly staff. We were just in the children's section, and it was full of books plus had activities, play area, etc. Baby K loved it. Convenient location, easy parking, looks like a playground next door. A great library. read more

Just a library. The staff doesn't seem friendly at all. So I was in and out. You might have a different experience. Good luck

I have had the good fortune of enjoying public libraries around the country when I've traveled for extended periods for my work. There is no place in the US that has as great a public library system than UA. From Freegal and Hoopla to Overdrive and the Gale and EBSCOHOST databases, there is little hidden behind a paywall for most folks that you can't get to with your UA library card. They are very patron friendly, too. (I know, that's the least you should expect, but some very old posts here claim otherwise.) Enjoy! read more

It was my first time in since everything closed down. I had been using curbside pick up when that became available, and it is a service that is still offered right now, but you can also go in. There is a new welcome desk just past the returns area that is staffed. The Friends of the Library are now accepting donations and running their sales in the atrium again, as well. Some of the new features include a private nursing cubicle in the kids area. There is also a new set-up to the interior play area, which looks great and like a lot of fun for the kids. The staff is friendly and helpful, and you have the option of parking in the lot, drive through and curbside or walk up returns, as well. read more

In 2008, Upper Arlington Public Library was ranked third in the country (serving a population of 25,0000 or less) by the national library ranking organization. While third may sound fabulous, the UA Library has been ranked #1 at least three times in the past 5 or 6 years. At least another local library (Worthington) took over as top dog. The library system consists of the main library and two branches, one in south and one in north Arlington. The main library sprawls along Northam Park on Tremont Road, has very easy parking, as well as a lazy-person's drive through drop-off for books and videos. (You don't even have to get out of your car)! Having written a few books, I have spent countless hours holed up in this library doing research and found the librarians very helpful, extremely knowledgeable and well-read. Always very nice too. I do, however, find the library a bit noisy at times, making it tough to focus on serious work. Given its location between two elementary schools, children tend to converge on the computer room after school. Be warned the library buzzes with activity (to put it nicely) between the hours of 3 and 5 PM when school is in session. With that said, the library's holdings are extensive, ranging from books to music to DVDs. Circulation periods are generous, late fines are realistic, and if the library doesn't have something, they can usually get their hands on it. I speak from experience... You'll also find a broad selection of newspapers and magazines in the reference room on the lower level, where 30 computers have internet access and many have word processing capabilities. The computers are available to the public on a first-come-first serve basis, but time-limits are enforced when it is busy. The adult, youth and children's public programming is extensive, including book discussions and lectures on literature, crafts, music, art and historical tours. History buffs will appreciate being able to access old photos and documents held by by the Upper Arlington Historical Society through the library's webpage. Movies and Buckeye games are shown on the big screen in the library's small theatre. It is all of these 'extras' and special features that sets the Upper Arlington Library apart from the others. They earn their high ratings. read more

So... I walk in here and it's like "look at all these books! And movies! And they let me take them HOME?!??!!.... FOR FREE????" Obviously it's been a long time since I've been in a library other than the law library. UA Libraries are awesome. I can't believe such a relatively tiny suburb has three branches with such extensive services. When I walked in to find some study space earlier this summer, I was shocked to see how many people seemed to be teaming about. I was under the misconception that people didn't use libraries anymore, but the main branch was thriving. There also seemed to be a lot of events going on for all different age groups. An active community calendar was so refreshing to see. So, I signed up for a library card. I had one in the past (I'm just now moving back to UA after 9 years, but I grew up here), but this time it was all done from an automated computer portal. It was easy to use, and getting my card was speedy. A few days later, I had a handwritten note in the mail (postal mail!) from a librarian welcoming me to the library. How cute! They also send very helpful (and for me, necessary) reminder emails letting you know when things are coming due. I really can't say enough about UAPL. Also, audiobooks. They make driving long distances fun again. I'm hooked! Both the Tremont and Lane branches have HUGE selections. read more

My son and I use to spend every Saturday morning here up until we moved. I'm not going to spend a lot of time writing this review, but long story short- Two of my sons books from the library were mixed up in his own collection and came with us in the move. I contacted the library and they informed me my account had been sent to COLLECTIONS. Not to mention returning the books would not make a difference in the $100+ worth of fines.. Let me finish by saying it is obviously my Fault for not returning the books, but what kind of late policy is that? $100 in fines for children's books and an account in collections? No thanks, that's not a library. read more

This is a great place to visit for quiet space; plenty of places to sit. The staff LOVES to help people... I should know, I use to work here. This is also a great place to learn about new technology. The Media department has samples of tablets for you to play with and they will answer any questions. Also, if you brought in your own device, they would even help you with that. They are really nice. I was always surprised by this. The other staff love to help you find anything you might be searching for... you'd be surprised what they are asked to find. Hell, they might even help you find your lost keys. These people truly love to help the patrons. read more

(You can renew a book up to five times if no one has requested it. Awesome for a sporadic reader like myself.) I really like that the UA Library has two additional branch locations, so I can request a book and pick it up at the branch closest to my house. Book and A/V selection is really good here. I've also reserved audio books and they partner with Overdrive Media Console, so you can download audio books to your mobile device. There are plenty of PCs available for searching the catalog or the web. From what I've seen, there are a variety of activities for children and teens. They also offer film series for adults. This is a great library for UA residents, as it is within walking distance of several schools. read more

Best small library in the city. Unbelievable selection of materials. Free wi-fi. They've even added bluray to the DVD collection. I think the best thing about the library though is the helpful staff. They must have the best training program for staffers in the city. P.S. Friends of the Library book sales are the biggest in the city (and I've been to them all). read more

This is the best library in central Ohio. It beats out Columbus Main by its smaller more intimate size. They have lots of CDs, DVDs, books, and computers to use. ( back a decade ago when I had my computer on the fritz I relied on UA Library for all my computer needs, wants, addictions.) I love their basement. It is where the magazines are and I enjoy the quiet space allowed for catching up in best periodical writings. In fact, their is a Allen Ginsburg poem about how he would go to a library ( NY?) to catch up on magazine articles. He mentions it with great love for the space. I kind of feel the same way with UA's. read more

Brought my daughter to the Upper Arlington main branch on the 19th for the Doctor Who marathon at the Friends Theatre. Since it was our first visit to this library, we started exploring when she got a little squirmy (which, unfortunately for me, was only about 30 minutes into the showing). After some less than stellar experiences at some of the Columbus Metropolitan library branches on the west side of Columbus, I'm thrilled to have found this library! (Why didn't I come here before?!?) It's huge, considering that it's a relatively small suburb, and you can literally get lost in there for a while. (which we did - if you've never been here before, make sure you pay attention to the signs. There are lots of additional sections hidden around corners and past the meeting rooms.) Looking forward to the Friends of the Library book sale next month, but you can bet that my preschooler and I will be back before then. read more

The UA Public Library is well maintained and stocked with obscure titles. What other library in central Ohio offers Ted Leo CDs? As far as how it holds up against other local libraries: It's better than any individual Columbus Metro branch, except the main library of course. UA's holdings seem larger than those of the Grandview library. UA can't compete with Grandview's ease of use, though. They do have a very nice (and seemingly unending) book sale. It's a great place to grab an out-of-print edition, former bestseller or antique volume. The sale has quite a few CDs as well, though I've not spent as much time looking through those. They also have free Wi-Fi. I hear that the branches (Lane Ave. and Miller Park) are nice too. I hope to visit them soon. read more

UAPL is a great place! There are a lot of options of books and DVDs and if they don't have what you're looking for they are able to borrow from other branches very easily. The automatic renew is fabulous (for books that are not being requested) and the space is clean and very appropriate to study, both alone or in small groups. Finally, there are great options of activities for all ages and opportunities to volunteer. I'm glad we have this great and convenient place placed near us. read more

What a wonderful public library! It was quick and easy to sign up for a library card. The collection is extensive, especially considering the library's small size. One of UAPL's best resources is probably the least utilized - its online databases. By simply entering your library card number online, you can get full access to Consumer Reports! read more

Nice library for the city although the staff is sometimes surly and stuck up. Nice sized collection and has two branches spread throughout the city. Expansive reference floor. read more