I came here to study for a bit after dropping my son off at camp. We do not live in Olympia so this was my first time here. I almost let the negative reviews steer me away from coming and even tried a local college library first before arriving there to find it closed. I decided to come by to this branch and see what it was like for myself. It was clean, quiet and not overcrowded. I didn't ask for assistance myself but witnessed many people getting help from staff. Yes, there were some people who appeared to be homeless but they all seemed to be sitting in isolated corners just reading. I didn't notice any foul odors other than the general wet dog smell that places like this have when it has been raining & it was raining moderately when I arrived. They appeared to have a large selection of zines and other local literature and many offerings for teens. Everything looked well organized. I'm glad it was open and able to accommodate me. read more

Ever wonder what happened to all those punky, independent riot grrls from Olympia's glory days? They're librarians now. They mostly sit around looking at computer screens and gossiping. Sometimes they host boring events featuring Oly dorks like Calvin Johnson or whoever, and very few people actually attend. The place itself is filthy and a bit small for a city library. Homeless people seem to be welcome judging by the state of the bathrooms and various areas of encampment. The staff doesn't want to be "uncool" by asking anyone to leave, because, revolution? read more

Things are a bit different during covid. I miss being able to roam the aisles and browse magazines. However, I am just glad that the library is open again for take out. Usually I browse the catalog online and request that the books be on hold for pick up here. In 2020 we were able to walk up to the library, have the clerk scan our library card, and then they would check out the books for us. Now due to restrictions, you must call their number for curbside pick up. Other than not being able to leisurely look at the books and magazines, the basic borrowing process is essentially the same and actually quite convenient. Thanks to all the workers here for keeping the library alive! I don't know what I would do if I can't read books, especially during a time like this! read more

Great place to visit. Bring your kids for the story time. Adults you can enjoy an unlimited selection. It's one the last great American institutions you can enjoy. read more

Olympia Timberland Library - Graphic novels DVDs Magazines - Libraries Near Me - Olympia, Washington

First, the positives. Mike, the man who opened my library account for me was great. He was very helpful and resourceful. There was another young lady who politely showed me where to find language learning resources. Both were very friendly and helpful. Library is well-organized and items are fairly easy to find. The selection isn't the best I've seen, but it works well enough and you should be able to find anything you want to read/research. The cons: My husband and I were in there trying to give a client her online test on the computer. Since this is the first time we tested clients this way, we weren't sure how to do go about it so we went to the computer desk. We dealt with a young man who was quite rude. He told us, in a very testy way, that we needed to let him know in advance if we were going to do this and that he was making an exception for us. He then stared at us as if he expected some type of applause or something. And then he sighed, as if the whole experience was just so exhausting. Very snotty, rude and condescending. The library is full of really sketchy looking people; a few looked like they were high and there were a lot of homeless people just laying about. We felt very uncomfortable and unsafe. I'm not sure why the library allows these people to just hang out. Last but not least, I went outside to wait in my car because I felt uncomfortable in the library. I was parked in a disabled spot in front because I have physical disabilities and have a disabled placard which was displayed on my rearview mirror. Someone whom I believe was a security person stood in front of my car, glaring at me, for about ten whole minutes..as if I weren't supposed to be there. He never said anything, but he just stood there, directly in front of my car, looking at me. All in all, I won't be back to this branch. read more

I can print (within reason) as much as I want for free? Use the interwebs for free? Take out books (and return them in a timely manner) for FREE? Use a comprehensive genealogy program, language study program, or download music legally for FREE?! I love my local library. :3 Parking isn't usually too terribly difficult, most people are in and out- there are spots you can only be for 5-15 minutes, ones for 2 hours, etc. There's a bike rack, and a bus stop. This place is super walkable to downtown, too. read more

Homelessness is a complicated very difficult issue. Unfortunately when the library is open people use the space for shelter not learning/educating/research. It's time to act! People that are down on their luck need to find help getting back on their feet jobs/home/education! The mentally ill/drug addicted need to be in institutions! This town has accommodated this community too long. I grew up in this town. I can't even walk around the lake without being accosted by people yelling or walking with knives in their hands. It's no longer safe here. Time for change. read more

The Olympia Timberland Library is absolutely one of the most amazing and crucial resources of this fine town. Information should be free to the people! Knowledge is power! You can hang out all day and it's totally free! The check-out times are adequate. The fines are truly minimal (15 cents a day! what a steal!) Most of the staff goes above and beyond in their every word and deed, providing small kindnesses and excellent recommendations. They have dvds, vhs, and cds as well, so maybe you can dump your cable company & netflix subscriptions. One day, I was moving to yet another apartment. I realized I owned too many books. I consider up to 10 boxes of books a "small collection," so you know I had a serious problem if I was confessing I had too many. I looked at my budget and realized I was spending - literally - hundreds of dollars a month on books. Books that I loved and treasured, and then set aside and never read again. Well, I sold all the books I could bear to live without, and traded my book budget in for a library card. I've been reading more, fresher material, books that were often too expensive for me to buy, the books that *never* went on sale, and my book passion went from extremely expensive to voraciously insatiable within a month. I read so much more now that I can request everything to my local library. I do weekly or sometimes twice weekly pick-ups and drop-offs. The whole thing has brought a level of bliss to my life that I didn't even realize I was missing. read more

I have been in here a few times, I will admit mostly for non-library shanangins. It is a small library but I'm sure you can find what you need. They have a lot of different events here. Recently I came for a concert. No joke, they put on a free concert in the library after hours. It was amazing, to think a library would allow people to crowd surf and rock out. Props to them. So make sure to check out the events section of the library website, so you don't miss the next cool thing happening here. On another note, Don't park here for too long or if not actually going to the library they will tow you.I know many of people have tried to do it rather than paying for parking downtown. Seriously Olympia street parking is cheap so don't risk being towed by the librarian! read more

Nice library. I often reserve my books through their online reservation system, and then I get an email when the books are ready for pick-up. Pretty darn simple. I'll continue going here. read more

Olympia Timberland Regional Library This location is all right. I'd place it between a 'I've experienced better' and 'a-ok' depending on the day. I've never had issues with the homeless population here. Perhaps they were other places during my visits. They get an additional star for their parking lot and proximity to downtown. 3.5 average. For the most part the staff is friendly and helpful. I've never had a hard time finding a book after having a staff member point me in the right direction. This location has a better selection of children's bilingual and books written in languages other than English such as Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Spanish. My husband is trying to teach our children Spanish. This library has been a great resource for him. The Lacey branch usually has more cookbooks I would use. Sometimes I luck out and find a good one here. The hobby section is hit or miss. The fact this location waved my overdue fees during the last winter storm earns them a solid 4. I'll definitely return. Let's hope I don't accumulate a pile of overdue fees because of snow this year! read more

Nice clean library with high ceilings. It is well organized with a friendly staff. definitely a fan of this library. read more

Olympia Timberland Library - Libraries Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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I think this is a great library. Its in a safe area and it is very nice inside. It could be a little bigger and it needs a little remodeling. For the most part its a great place. The culmination of centuries of advances in the printing press, moveable type, paper, ink, publishing, and distribution, combined with an ever growing information-oriented middle class, increased commercial activity and consumption, new radical ideas, massive population growth and higher literacy rates forged the public library into the form that it is today. Public access to books is not new. Romans made scrolls in dry rooms available to patrons of the baths, and tried with some success to establish libraries within the empire. In the middle of the 19th century, the push for truly public libraries, paid for by taxes and run by the state gained force. Matthew Battles states that: It was in these years of class conflict and economic terror that the public library movement swept through Britain, as the nation's progressive elite recognized that the light of cultural and intellectual energy was lacking in the lives of commoners.[2] Public libraries were often started with a donation, or were bequeathed to parishes, churches, schools or towns. These social and institutional libraries formed the base of many academic and public library collections of today. Entrance to the National Library in Tehran, Iran The establishment of circulating libraries in the 18th century, by booksellers and publishers provided a means of gaining profit and creating social centers within the community. The circulating libraries not only provided a place to sell books, but also a place to lend books for a price. These circulating libraries provided a variety of materials including the increasingly popular novels. Although the circulating libraries filled an important role in society, members of the middle and upper classes often looked down upon these libraries that regularly sold material from their collections and provided materials that were less sophisticated. Circulating libraries also charged a subscription fee, however the fees were set to entice their patrons, providing subscriptions on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis, without expecting the subscribers to purchase a share in the circulating library.[citation needed] Circulating libraries were not exclusively lending institutions and often provided a place for other forms of commercial activity, which may or may not be related to print. This was necessary because the circulating libraries did not generate enough funds through subscription fees collected from its borrowers. As a commerce venture, it was important to consider the contributing factors such as other goods or services available to the subscribers.[4] The Malatestiana Library (Italian: Biblioteca Malatestiana), also known as the Malatesta Novello Library, is a public library dating from 1452 in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna (Italy). It was the first European civic library,[5] i.e. belonging to the Commune and open to everybody. It was commissioned by the Lord of Cesena, Malatesta Novello. The works were directed by Matteo Nuti of Fano (a scholar of Leon Battista Alberti) and lasted from 1447 to 1452. Thomas Bodley founded the Bodleian Library in 1602 as an early public library. Main article: History of libraries An early library that allowed access to the public was that of the Kalendars or Kalendaries, a brotherhood of clergy and laity who were attached to the Church of All-Hallowen or All Saints in Bristol, England. Records show that in 1464, provision was made for a library to be erected in the house of the Kalendars, and reference is made to a deed of that date by which it was "appointed that all who wish to enter for the sake of instruction shall have 'free access and recess' at certain times".[citation needed] In the early years of the 17th century, many famous collegiate and town libraries were founded in England. Norwich City library was established in 1608[6] (six years after Thomas Bodley founded the Bodleian Library, which was open to the "whole republic of the learned") and Chetham's Library in Manchester, which claims to be the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, opened in 1653.[7] Enlightenment era libraries[edit] Claude Sallier, the French philologist and churchman, operated an early form of public library in the town of Saulieu from 1737 to 1750. He wished to make culture and learning accessible to all people. The Załuski Library (Polish: Biblioteka Załuskich, Latin: Bibliotheca Zalusciana) was built in Warsaw 1747-1795 by Józef Andrzej Załuski and his brother, Andrzej Stanisław Załuski, both Roman Catholic bishops. The library was open to the public and indeed was the first Polish public library, the biggest in Poland and one of the earliest public libraries in Europe.[8] read more

Its the library! How can you not love the library? Free access to books, magazines, DVDs, Cds, ebooks, audio books, the internet, etc. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Yes, it is a little dumpy, but it is because it gets so much use. There are homeless people that frequent it, but thats what happens when you slash social services and there is no where else for them to go. My fav is to get online and log in to my account, request books, and wait til they are ready for pick up - I rarely stay there browsing - I do it all online! read more

This place is a dump compared to the Tumwater branch. This library is a decent size, but I can NEVER EVER seem to get on any of the computers. They are always full at all times of the day. Plus the people that come here are in desperate need of deodorant and a shower. The stinky people give this place this weird funky smell that makes me nauseous. I have all of my pick-ups send to another branch and avoid this place like the plague. The only redeeming quality is the ease of parking, and the decent selection of books. read more

They hold some decent events here after hours. I've been to a couple ukulele performances and book readings, and have definitely enjoyed them. Check out their schedule! read more

This library has friendly helpful staff and you can use computers print 50 pages free a week can't find what you want search it on the website and place it on hold. They have many book,cd, movies book in tape. There is also a section you can buy books for cheap around $1-2 great place to go study they have area to use your own laptop. You can't print from your computer yet. One downfall they should set up like evergreen college has. They have events and workshops, great kids section. read more

I visit the library quite often, and it's a pleasure to do so. The staff is very helpful and knowledgable. There's a good variety of materials. The building is always presentable. The puzzle idea is awesome. What a great way to meet new people. That being said, it's a little stuffy inside. I wish there was a bit more air circulating to keep the air a bit more fresh inside. Not trying to be mean or anything, but just trying to be honesty. Also I've noticed that dogs frequent the library. I understand that some people have service animals. Though I'm not an expert at spotting them, the ones I have seen do not appear to be service animals, but rather accessories or companions. I notice that no one at the desk ever asks if the animal is a service animal, or what there function is. There is a good chance I wouldn't notice because the animals are always well behaved, but I am highly allergic to dogs and there have been times I have been short of breath and had to leave. I would hope that I wouldn't have to be on a high dosage of allergy medicine just to use the library. read more

This place is great. It has only gotten better there, over the years. The Staff is beyond excellent Despite digitizing of the print world, where book & video stores are going out of business, left and right, OTL continues to hold their own. Still popular as ever. read more

I'm from a small town whose own library recently closed from lack of funding and use, and which recently reopened but is still hurting for people. It's not that there aren't a lot of readers in Grants Pass, the library just seems to be missing a certain atmosphere. You can imagine when I walked into OTL I was amazed. People and children were everywhere enjoying themselves. I felt welcome and not scrutinized by the type of librarians who treat every patron as a potential thief. This library is an excellent resource and has everything you need, it even has a section of newer computers for both catalogues and internet. It's a good place to study. They also have nice facilities and a few bulletin boards you can place ads for classes, things you're selling, or basically anything else. You should definietely stop by and take a look. read more

Smells so bad. Lots of homeless gather here. Last week paramedics had to haul someone out. Yesterday I was almost hit by a car, and that same car hit a parked car with a person in it. I'm going to start using a new library to study at. read more

The library was decent but they have timed parking. I was using a desk at the library and doing work on my own computer. I was about to leave and got a call about an emergency at home. A guy came up to my car waiting for me to get off the phone. He could see it was an important call by my panicked reaction but interrupted me to ask if I was leaving the spot. I was sitting there ready to leave when I got the call. I didn't want to drive and talk so I was sitting there on the phone discussing an important matter with my family but he made me leave the spot because it said four hour parking. The parking lot was empty and he could see I was going to leave but it had to be right THEN! This was unbelievable to me. So, you can use the library but know that you have to move your car from the times parking. read more

The library itself is fabulous but the people using it: don't use deodorant, don't know how to be quiet and tweakers are running rampant. I pity the staff. read more

The story time is fantastic for the kids but I am disappointed they don't continue it during the summer months. I wish they were open on Sundays and had longer hours. The selection is small. I wished they did librarian recommended books as a feature at this library. Some of the staff is friendly and others are not as helpful. It can be a bit hit or miss with the staff on shift and the book selection rotated in. read more