Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County: Hyde Park

Nice staff, very helpful, but my bone to pick is the weird hours. I have several times called, checked the hours to make sure it was open, then driven over and gotten all the kids out of the car only to realize that for some reason the downstairs library is closed (I don’t check the other side. I assume they’re both closed). No rhyme or reason, no indication on the phone recording. So that’s pretty frustrating. But the kids love the fish so… There’s that.

The librarians here are so helpful in getting ideas for new books. They have even set up a whole section of Foreign Detective Mysteries for us mystery fanatics. The hours are so convenient and easy accessibility for parking.

We’ve been avid library users for decades and love the services and concept of public literacy for all. This location deserves better. This high volume location is shabby and in need of interior renovation. There aren’t nearly enough books or shelf space. There isn’t any public «third space» for community and civic dialogue. What’s up?
We’ve been patrons of San Francisco suburban libraries in similar communities (Menlo Park) with four times the space, study carrels, seating and books. Pony up Cincinnati. This is a reader’s town with serious bibliophiles. This library is embarrassing.
The staff, however, is amazing — friendly, resourceful, making the most of this paltry collection.

The Cincinnati Public Library system is top notch. If you don’t have a library card yet, GET ONE! It’s more than just free books… We use our library card to rent free movies, get access to MakerSpace downtown, etc. And it’s FREE. What are you waiting for?
Now, as far as the Hyde Park library is concerned, this is a very nice library. It’s in an old building, conveniently located next to Hyde Park Square on Erie. There’s parking in the back (another bonus for Hyde Park!), and the building is well taken care of. Everything is a little older, but since it’s larger than the Oakley library, we tend to visit this branch a lot. The building is two stories and has a separate area for kids downstairs, which is nice if you want to read/​work in silence without kids roaming around.

The best! Who doesn’t love the library? Cincinnati’s library system is top notch.

Even though this library was one of Cincinnati’s Carnegie libraries, a renovation in the 1960s stripped most of the old-​school architectural charm. What the HP branch lacks in building features it more than makes up for in its collection holdings. I had a bunch of authors kicking around in my head I was meaning to read, and found a book by nearly all of them on the shelves. This branch also has pretty good travel book and cookbook sections. A few tables for those who want to study or do work, and a few computers are available as well.

One of the best parts of moving to Cincinnati and Hamilton County has been my discovery of the public library system here. As Walter Cronkite said: «Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.» The Hamilton County Public Library system has won national awards and recognition for its outstanding programming and adaptive leadership that is building a full digital library alongside the traditional book library… And it’s all FREE.
Imagine it: books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, books you can read on your Kindle/​Nook/​e-​reader, computer labs, amazing research books (including genealogy), speakers, etc… all F-​R-​E-​E. Having lived in several different cities, I can say that the public library system in Cincinnati surpasses any of the other places I’ve lived. We are so lucky to have such a great public library system. If you’re not a (free) member, and you’re not taking advantage of this awesome system, you’re missing out! The citizens of Cincinnati and Hamilton County deserve a shout-​out as well for our financial support of this system through taxation.
Also, many of the public library buildings are architectural treasures in and of themselves if you’re into beautiful buildings.

This is a nice library. I’ve been making my way through all the libraries in town, and this one is definitely one to keep in mind.
It has two floors, the lower floor houses the children’s area, while the second floor has everything else. Luckily there are librarian desks on each floor for checking out or asking questions. The lower floor also features a one-​of-​a-​kind attraction in the form of a fish pond. Complete with goldfish and water features. Very cool!
This branch also has a lot of seating and tables as compared to most other branches. Unfortunately they are all grouped together in the center of the top floor. Not too great for privacy.
There isn’t a lot of parking available in the lot behind the building. I would say ~25 spots total. Still at least they have a lot, most stores in that area do not.
This is a very nice branch and I’m sure I will be back.

I LOVE libraries. They’ve got books. That you can read. And take home. For, like, free.
The Cincinnati library system is quite good. They’ve got just about anything you might want in the way of books, movies, and music. And, using their website, getting materials sent to your local branch and placed on hold for you is a breeze. Also, you can download e-​books and many really good audiobooks via the website right onto your computer.
One problem I have with PLCHC is that if there’s something you want that’s not in the system, unlike many other public libraries in Ohio, you cannot, as far as I know, request them to get an inter-​library loan from someplace else. This seems like something that, to be a real first-​rate library system, needs to be in place. I may be demanding too much, but I want my library to have access to everything. Literally.
As for the Hyde Park branch, it does the trick. It’s clean, and the staff is helpful. It’s refreshingly free of smelly guys shaving in the bathroom, which can be an issue at the main branch downtown. There’s not a huge selection available at your fingertips, so if you go in just to browse, you might be disappointed with what you find. They schedule activities for kids and adults throughout the month, but, in my experience, the activities for kids are usually a little on the lame side, unfortunately.