Great location & selection of books. Super friendly & helpful staff. Really nice, welcoming…read moreenvironment. I look forward to my weekly trip.

vancouver public library is a wealth of information and resources for the community, housed in a…read morestriking building designed to resemble a modern day coliseum. the library provides accessible services to help ensure everyone can use the space comfortably, along with social services and community support resources. it also regularly features events such as talks, workshops, and activities for different age groups. the architecture is organized across several levels. the lower level is currently under construction. level 2 contains the main entrance, information desk, children's collection, library card services, and borrowing services. level 3 focuses on digital creativity, featuring the inspiration lab. this space provides free access to soundproof recording studios, including three sound booths for small groups and the larger terry mcbride recording studio for video and photography. to use these, you can book a session online up to two weeks in advance with your library card, allowing for a maximum of three hours per day. level 4 has collections related to business, cookbooks, esl, and fashion. level 5 is a quiet floor with newspapers and magazines available. level 6 holds dvds, music cds, and spoken word materials. level 7 includes special collections and human resources. level 8 features meeting rooms, a reading room, an eating area, temporary exhibit space, the family theatre, and several outdoor patios for fresh air while you work. level 9 includes additional meeting rooms and a very nice rooftop garden that serves as a great escape with a panoramic view of the city skyline. this green space is even equipped with solar panels that help power the ninth floor. beyond books, the library hosts a musical instrument lending library. you can borrow a variety of instruments free of charge for up to three weeks, including acoustic and electric guitars, violins, ukuleles, and keyboards. to borrow one, simply check the library catalogue to see if it is available and visit the service desk at the central library. inside the building, there are also several convenient services and businesses, including a td machine, blenz coffee, a convenience store, gift store, dental clinic, bike shop, and onigiri ya. together, these resources make the library a welcoming and useful place to study, learn, and spend time.

If I lived here, I'd go to the library at least twice a week (unlike now, where I only check out…read moreebooks online, and go in once every two years when they make me verify my residency). What an incredible resource for the citizens of Vancouver! We had a long layover so we explored every single floor of this library. There were so many computer stations if you needed to do work online, but also so many little nooks with comfy seating to settle down in with a good book. The rooftop had an incredible view of downtown Vancouver, and the atrium was nice and warm. There was currently an "electronic concert" going on where there were chairs set up so people could listen to recordings played over the speakers in the atrium. I thought it was a really neat way to get the community together to listen, discuss, and engage with one another.

From a design perspective, this library is quite pretty…read more What to do with a toddler, bring them around in morning for singing and storytime. Every day differs and for different ages. That was really helpful for us to entertain the kid. The area is quite large with stuffed animals and lots of books at children height.

Free Wi-Fi! By using…read morethe internet at the library, I was able to easily check my emails and do research on what to do in and around Whistler. I saved money and avoided paying the daily internet usage fees back at the hotel. Who knew a library would be so useful in a place like Whistler!

Really enjoyed visiting this library! As a guest at the Civic Hotel across the way, I wanted a…read morequick place to study for my licensing exam and decided to make the short walk over. The library itself, is quite beautiful inside with lots of natural light pouring into the unique architecture. Just had to walk around a while to enjoy the picturesque building. The library staff was friendly and very helpful in helping me with all of my questions. Lots of desk/table space and electrical outlets everywhere. Overall a great library to visit.

I live in downtown Vancouver and use this Library often because it often has books which I can't…read morefind in Vancouver. Love the interior design and spacious lay out. The main complaints I have are two. First I was stopped by an Indian Security and he asked if I had a mask. I was wearing a face covering and he said it was UNAPPROVED. Approved by whom? By what? I don't like this blue masks which are laced with carcinogenic ingredients and my own cloth material covering is clean and I don't want to breathe in anything that is harmful. He insisted I used the mask he gave me. Nothing but playing power trip. NOT IMPRESSED. I got an email notification about a video to pick up but when I showed up it was no where be found on the shelf under the initial of my last name. While I did get help from one of the counter staff and I told her perhaps someone just took the video and watched it inside the Library etc. This happens a lot in Vancouver Main Library as well. No, she offered to cancel my video and then put me back on ordering. But she did not place me on the next in the queue but back at the end of the waiting list. I waited weeks for this title now have to wait again. Poor management. Trust me IF I can find the same item in downtown I wouldn't bother to have to take 2 buses to Surrey!

Every tiny island should have a tiny little library. This one isn't as tiny as you would suspect,…read morebut it's just oozing with charm. I think my favorite part, truthfully, is the grounds. There's a flower-filled park and walkway from the road to the west, and a delightfully landscaped upper area surrounding the library itself. They also have a magazine dropoff so you can get rid of your old magazines here, which is kinda handy as well. It looks like there's a really good kid's section of books and plenty of books to fill the needs of the island, and I rather like the architecture of the building. Note that COVID has caused quite the commotion in the world of libraries, so you should probably call ahead to see if they have reopened, and what the protocol might be to get a book if you want one. I also am not sure about the requirements to check out books and get a membership.

The Orcas Island Library is amazing! It has a great selection for such a little library and I have…read morespent countless hours here reading since I was 10. They also sell blue Orcas Island Library mugs which are handmade exclusively for the library and are microwave and dishwasher safe. I own three.

Spectacular theological holdings at Regent College's Allison library. This is one of Canada's best…read moretheological libraries. The library was renovated in 2007, and is a peaceful, light-filled space, with two reflecting pools. Includes art by calligrapher Timothy Botts and local Vancouver artist David Robinson. Also holds special collections in Puritan writings and Jacques Ellul. Well worth a visit!

Great place, clean, quiet, handy, easy to find and plenty of free parking. My husband likes books…read moreand love to go spend a couple of hours there. Lots of windows, overseeing the park

Great resources, clean library and helpful staffs…read more Large library so there is a lot of study space and it is (usually) very quiet in terms of noise. Free fast wi-fi and they also have many computer terminals you can use if you don't have a laptop or tablet. My favorite thing about the library is that is is centrally located in North Burnaby next to a swimming pool/fitness centre, a running track and lots of food. Makes for a great study session and efficient day! Librarians are friendly and will help you find whatever you are looking for. If they don't have a book on the shelves you can always request from another library and they ship the book for you. Lots of free parking as well :)

From all the libraries that I visited, the place is top notch. I couldn't find anything wrong…read more Fun events and well organized. I doesn't look run down at all.

Library is awesome, a great place to meet with friends. The only issue is that kids are so loud and…read morejust play games on the computers.

Enter from street level to get to the library on the second floor. Even though the library is small…read more(you can stand on one side and see the other side), it feels spacious with bright lighting and large windows for a view in the cozy fireplace corner. There are a couple quiet study rooms at either end that can feel a little claustrophobic, but they serve their purpose. I've never had an issue finding a place to sit, even if it's in the kids books area. The library is conveniently located in a complex with grocery stores, restaurants, and even Starbucks across the street for a change in ambiance.

Overall, I like this library. My favorite thing about here is that they have big tables for group…read morestudies, and usually it's pretty quite, especially during work hours. It's super easy to find parkings here too. But I noticed that after 3:30pm, it gets a bit noisy, especially around the big table areas (even though the sign says it's a silent zone). Many private tutors occupy those big tables to tutor highschoolers. There's a silent zone area at the back too, and it has AC.