I've never had a problem with any of the employees here. They are always warm and ready to serve. The collection is rather small, and ILL is inconvenient, it's true, but the *new director* is working hard to join a consortium. They have lots of programs, including book club and summer reading program for adults as well as for children. And they're receptive to ideas about how to serve patrons' needs and about which new books to buy. I, personally, love that they have kept older books, especially children's, as I'm catching up on what I should have read when I was a child (but couldn't, because my small town library was *tiny* compared to this one). read more

I am writing this on behalf of my sister. She wasn't a big fan of this library to begin with but today she left so upset that she felt sick. My sister said that she and her kids were the ONLY patrons in the whole library. They were sitting on the large floor carpet (furnished by said library) playing jumbo Jenga game (furnished by said library) and two of her kids decided they wanted to get out the huge chess board/set (furnished by said library). The kids laid it out and set up all the pieces when a librarian (an old rude lady) came over and started fussing at them. They weren't loud or running or making messes or playing rough. Literally they were just sitting playing games. She said, "I like to keep a path clear here to the bathrooms." So my sister moved the large chess board over a bit so someone didn't have to step over the kids or have to go three steps around the table out of their way to the bathroom. The librarian just stood there staring at them looking annoyed. Then she started saying the path had to be big enough for a wheelchair to get through. So my sister slid the board over AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. (It was touching a large connect four set, which was touching the game cabinet, which was touching a wall.... They couldn't go any further.) I mean...I could see the fuss if they were sitting directly in the doorway but they were in the middle of a completely empty library sitting on the rug THE LIBRARY put down (in the direct path to the bathrooms). Nonetheless... Again, the Librarian just stood staring at them all annoyed. Then she began talking about how there needed to be a path for wheelchairs and the emergency exit at the back of library. Again, my sister was like, "There is no one else in the whole library. We are the only ones here. If someone comes in and needed to get by us we would move out of the way." The librarian then started in on them saying, "How would you like it if you needed to go to the bathroom but had to wait for someone to move out of the way." Again she just stares at them waiting for them to move and starts up about wheelchairs again. Again, my sister said, "NOBODY is here!? Nobody is here in a wheelchair!" Then the Librariam started in saying, "Well we have designated handicapped parking spots even if there isn't anyone using them... FINALLY when my sister couldn't take being harassed any longer she was like, "Okay okay WE are going. Apparently WE are in the way." So they cleaned up and left. She doesn't know if she will return. She left so upset, she felt ill. My question is: if the library has large, over-sized floor games... WHERE are they supposed to be played? What if there were 10 people all wanting to play them at the same time and completely crowded the rug area? Did this lady just have an issue with my sister or just people in general? It's people like this librarian that make people NOT want to come. Oh an in addition, my sister said that you have to PAY for a library card. She couldn't remember if it's $20 or $40. (My husband and I have lived all over the country and we have never had to pay for a library card... let alone have to pay for one and be harassed while enjoying the library.) It made me sad that my sister had to feel this way. Our library in Texas is SO friendly, welcoming and we've NEVER even had a librarian give us the side eye. Maybe this cranky librarian needs to retire. read more

I love Rolla library it is quiet and there's no talking at all no one uses their cell phone no kids are running around yelling the book selection is good. The staff are helpful and willing to help they go out of their way to help. Rolla Library is a great Library read more

This library is frustratingly awful. The books are old, torn, and rarely replaced. Interlibrary loan takes a month or more. As mentioned in another review, the librarians (with a few exceptions) are loud, rude, the environment uncomfortable, and the entire experience makes you want to move out of Rolla just to find a decent library, or do what I'm considering, travel 90 miles to Columbia library, which is far better. read more

I'm visiting Rolla to do a short project. Whenever I move to a new town/city, the first place I check out is the public library. Since I'm paying taxes locally, I'd like to take advantage of all the resources the local library offers. Years ago, however, I stopped spending time in public libraries. They've become far too noisy--from inconsiderate patrons talking on their cell phones or chattering with each other in person to kids screaming and running around, the library is no longer a haven of quiet reflection or a peaceful place where you can study or just enjoy ... reading. But I do pop into libraries to borrow books, CDs, and DVDs. RPL doesn't have a large holding, but Rolla is a tiny town. To be fair, I've lived in even smaller rural towns (like Deming, WA--not even a real "town") with vastly superior library holdings, but at least Rolla HAS a library. The Internet speed, however, is abysmal. No getting work done there via wifi. I also tried to use the interlibrary loan option. Beware that Rolla's ILL can take a very long time. And, I'm sad to report, months later, most of my interlibrary loans have come back UNFILLABLE. In the many years I've been using ILL across the entire USA, including in smaller towns than Rolla, I've never before had a library call me on multiple ILLs for simple, common paperbacks to tell me they're unfillable. This has caused me to downgrade my review from 3-stars to 2-stars since, if you don't have a particularly robust collection yourself, local taxpayers should have reliable access to literature held at other facilities. And every time I filled out an ILL at RPL--every time--the staff lectured me about the costs of ILL. I get it. It costs to do an ILL and you'll charge me if I don't pick up my book. Hmmm. I wonder if RPL purposely doesn't put through ILLs to preempt placers failing to pick up our books. At least RPL inspired me to finally get an Amazon Kindle account. :) read more

If only I could give zero stars I would. This library is lacking in every way possible. They have more VCR tapes than DVD's and the selection they do have is inadequate. Basically if someone donates a dated, unpopular video they will put it on their shelves and that's as far as it goes. Their book selection is an unfunny joke. The librarians are rude and condescending and always act like you are inconveniencing them when you ask them for assistance. They waste more time explaining how hard they work as librarians than actually working. They allow loud talking. The librarians all talk loudly about frivolous things not relevant to the library at all. But if you receive a phone call or make one and you are whispering, they drop from the ceiling to yell at you and tell you that you can't talk. Rules are enforced randomly. It's impossible to study there as they allow patrons to run around, talk loudly, yell and make all kinds of noise. As a Rolla resident you are far better off going to the university library at S and T where you can borrow books, movies, music and more and the selection is excellent. Curtis Laws Wilson library is clean, modern, and a great place to use their computers and Wi-Fi which is in contrast to the old, dirty, inadequate surroundings of the Rolla Public Library. (NO hot water in the one bathroom even.) Rolla Public Library employees have no customer service skills, do no know how to talk to people, lack etiquette and a work ethic. I never give bad reviews but Rolla Public Library is so awful that I've made an exception. I've been a library patron in different towns and cites in the U.S. and the Rolla Public Library is by far the worst. It is unfortunate because Rolla desperately needs a decent library as it's a service to the community. read more