Omg I am completely mortified. The library was full of homeless people and just a lot of weirdos…read more There was a lady in front of me cursing out loud at the desk I was sitting at. The ladies bathroom had a hole in the wall!!! And when I went outside to see wha room is next door it was the men's bathroom!!!!! I feel mortified and absolutely shocked. Libraries are supposed to be a place you can feel safe and take your kids. I would never bring anyone here. The librarians were just sitting there on their monitors. I felt so unsafe I immediately left and will not be going back.

Taking one star away from a full rating, as it was extremely tedious to sign up for a library card!…read moreI'm not sure if you can do it in-person, but I did it online on www.cityofpasadena.net/library But this was still a bit of a process. **Rating my experience with a toddler** This is our local library and I'm only familiar with the kids section. I would say that about 1/4 of the library is dedicated to kids, so a pretty good selection! There are reading areas, books are neatly organized by author, and I find the staff very friendly and helpful in finding books for us. You can also find books on their online catalog and place holds. When the book is available, they will send you an email and you have about a week to pick up the book. They also have story time in parks and frequent book sales. Plenty of guest parking. I never had to struggle finding a spot. The max number of books you can check out is 100, so we have a lot to go!

During heat waves like this week the library turned into cooling center had a room so the elderly…read moreand frail can go their about 2 days ago they had it open late so our elderly don't die from heat wave I think yesterday it was in the 90s and the other day it was like 100 so thank you crowell library keep in mind it's still technically winter and March so global warming maybe but this library is a life saver

During my visits to Crowell Public Library, I initially observed that the exterior architecture…read morecarries a historical charm and is visually appealing. However, beyond the building's design, my experiences within the library have been deeply concerning. Over multiple visits, I have encountered employees whose conduct has been inconsistent with professional standards. Staff behavior has, at times, been selective and antagonistic toward certain patrons, including both adults and children. On several occasions, this conduct has escalated into interactions that were verbally aggressive and physically intrusive in nature. Personally, I, along with my nephews, niece, and other family members, have experienced repeated instances of being singled out, harassed, and subjected to what can reasonably be described as hazing while attempting to use the library and its resources respectfully. These incidents have not been isolated, and I have documented several of them through recordings. The overall environment created by staff has, at times, felt restrictive and punitive rather than welcoming, which is not in alignment with the purpose of a public library. This pattern of behavior is unacceptable. Library staff and management are responsible for ensuring that all employees consistently uphold professional ethics, integrity, and appropriate standards of conduct--without exception or selective enforcement. I expect immediate review and corrective action to address these concerns and to ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all patrons.

Great Arcitecture! I…read morelove visiting older buildings with vintage architecture and I love visiting libraries. Visiting this Library was a great experience. The inside is vibrant, cozy, and clean. The Inside sports very high ceilings, wood floors, and beautiful stained glass windows. They have free Wi-Fi and offer cozy Nooks to read or do work. The ambience throws you back to a period that is reminiscent of times you read about in books during the early 1900s. We stopped by here twice and if I was in the area I would stop by again. They have their own parking lot and there's also street parking. The librarians were very friendly. I am a fan.

Really appreciate the wonderful professional courtesy by each staff member. Very helpful and…read morepleasant atmosphere. Including but not limited to helping my elderly mother enter through the back entrance.

Wow- is the building almost 100 years old? Built / opened in 1927, when walking into the building,…read moreit feels like you have stepped back in time. Many nearby libraries have undergone major renovations and if you are a fan of older buildings, this would be a place to visit. Within 10 or so steps you can easily find yourself on the next floor - there are 4 floors altogether and the main floor is the 2nd floor. (+) free 3 hour parking (+) reasonable amount of seating in certain areas. Not as much seating amongst books. (+) decent variety of magazines There seems to be constant complaints of the homeless population, but this is typical of any city library. As long as they are respectful, I am OK with that. I hate to rate a public resource low or average, but the experience was mediocre at best. The stairs are very industrial-like and loud and the carpet looks like it could be cleaned. With all the taxes the city of Pasadena collects, there should be more done to preserve its charm.

Three years for a retrofit?? Seriously hope tax dollars aren't going to this place considering they…read morehave been closed for 2 years and aren't scheduled to be open until end of 2023. When it was open the building was cool and a great place to study. Security guard was on a power trip and spent his time telling people to put their water bottles away instead of dealing with the homeless that were sleeping there or causing a ruckus. Why was this person not fired is beyond me. City of Pasadena needs new leadership if it takes 3 years for a retrofit. Ridiculous and poorly run--play it again sam welcome to LA --land of the incompetent.

I went to a seminar in the library's community room, and it was very informative. SBA spoke about…read morehelping families out with mitigation. The community room was a nice size with rows of tables and chairs. This library is historical in Altadena and has an old-school nostalgic vibe. Everyone was nice. It has easy parking and is great for finding items needed for research, etc.

Absolutely lovely library! It's deceptively huge - and surrounded by the most peaceful gardens and…read moregrounds - just lovely! They're currently showcasing a small exhibit of beautiful native California bee photos by local conservation photographer Krystle Hickman which was the reason for my visit. The exhibit is found in a small seating area in the center of the library. It's almost like a little outdoor courtyard in the middle of the library! Lots of natural light and plants surround cozy seats and the back wall is highlighting the bee photos - it's a very beautiful small gallery and I'm so glad I visited! Her work with the native California bees has been significant. I took a class with her at the LA Arboretum this year and learned SO much! So I was very excited to learn this library was promoting her work! There's plenty of parking in their large lot. They have a water conservation garden section outside with interesting info on plants and wildlife. They have a huge beautiful art piece near the door. You have to climb several small flights of stairs to enter this way - but there's a handicap entrance around the corner in the front. The inside is quiet and very welcoming with friendly, helpful staff. Definitely a great place to relax, read, and get work done.

Great children's programming and kind staff…read more We attended Bubbleology and it was a fun and educational program for both kids and adults. Library provides little floor pads for children sitting on the ground which is honestly such a luxury! The program finished early so even adults got to take turns standing inside a bubble! World's smallest parking lot. Don't even bother driving in to check for spots. Very hard to back out of because there's a large dumpster. Just get street parking in the surrounding residential area.

The library staff is incredibly kind and community focused at this library. For years, I have seen…read morethem interact very thoughtfully with special needs adults as well as school children from the school next door. Staff is a huge asset to the North Pasadena community. Thank you!

Such a poor selection of toddler books. Whoever curated this has no clue what books toddlers like…read moreor need. Also, the majority of them are hardcover with paper so the toddlers rip the pages. They should be board books, not paperbacks. There is always a wait for any book I've ever wanted. I asked if I could donate some toddler books and they said yes. When you donate a book, they sell it to make profit for the library... I told them they actually need some good books not a minimal amount of money that they're gonna get from selling mine. I'd rather them just keep the board books for toddlers, than sell them for a dollar to use that measly profit for something else in the library.

A great public library set inside a gorgeous park like setting. There's plenty of street parking…read morearound the building, and the librarian staff were all incredibly friendly and helpful. I stopped by for their holiday book sale and was impressed with the hundreds of great books across all genres for such low prices. The space is cozy, well maintained, and truly feels like a community spot. A gem of a library and absolutely worth visiting.

Super small but cool library in the Villa Parke Community center. It has a small computer lab, copy…read moremachines, a couple of desks and some new book releases too. Hacob and Renado are both very friendly and helpful. I imagine this to be a good place to do some reading, studying and research. Its on the second level and inside the community center. Being a bookworm, I naturally love this library.

Classic library. I am sure you could find all the books you want in this library! Worth to…read morespend a day here just to read and enjoy the building. Great for retired people to spend time here as well as students to find a place to study. It's near Pasadena old town so that you could go have lunch or dinner afterwards.

Incredibly helpful staff with lots of resources from seeds for you garden to book club packs and…read moremuch more

Come one, Come all…read more... Gotta love all kinds of libraries here around Pasadena City College, CA.....We gotta be so fortunate as current returning/existing students here having all these libraries!!!! Ain't complainin' one bit.... Surrounded by all these upscale looking libraries is just going to get my life's other focus back for now....where to go 'Tis the question!!!! I just got a free two-hour parking spot earlier today, but I'll be back for more pics. Nothing Bundt Pics again....later on the weekend.

I spent the day there with my sister who just turned 86. I hadn't been there since I was a young…read moregirl and didn't remember the challenging hills, probably because they weren't challenging to me then. Pushing my sister in a wheel chair was good exercise for me but thank goodness for the golf cart people who were so kind and gave us rides to wherever we wanted to go. We got to see much more than we would have without them. Our lunch was so tasty at the 1919 Cafe, and even enjoyed a glass of wine on the patio. It was a wonderful day. The Museum and gardens where beautiful and inspiring!

To be perfectly honest, if you were to ask me how to describe/explain what The Huntington has to…read moreoffer, I wouldn't even know where to start - quite literally. When I've told friends and family about this place, I've almost always been at a loss for words because there is just so much to detail. And yet, if/when they ask me if it's worth checking out, the answer comes out quick, clean, and clear - absolutely! Sitting on what is/was the Huntington family's estate, this place is very impressive. Within their expansive, palatial grounds, there's a library, multiple art galleries and museums, several botanical gardens, a conservatory, a research center, an educational center, a Japanese heritage house (Shoya House), a tea room, a Chinese restaurant, a milk tea shop, numerous smaller gardens, and so much more. What's more, each of those museums, galleries, and gardens are distinctly different from each other - galleries and exhibits featuring American, British/European, and Asian artwork, a Japanese garden, a Chinese garden, a desert garden, a rose garden, a bonsai garden, a California garden...and the list goes on. Despite having spent the better part of a day walking around and exploring the grounds, I'm pretty sure we only managed to get through roughly half of what there is to see here. Of the ones we did make it through, my favorites were the Chinese and Japanese gardens, as they felt the most tranquil and offered the most shade of all of the gardens we saw. Not to mention the fact that we ended up spending a lot of time here before and after stopping in for lunch at the Jade Court Cafe in the Chinese garden. Among the galleries, I also enjoyed walking through the Huntington's Art Gallery, which seemed to hold most of the oldest American and European pieces, as well as historical info about the Huntingtons themselves. Given how much there is to see here, The Huntington is worth the price of admission, even if it does appear to be a little hefty ($34 for adults, with discounted rates available for seniors, students, military, and kids). They do offer free admission on the first Thursday of each month as well, but you'll need to claim tickets in advance starting the Thursday before. Also, if you're short on time, the visitor center has a list of highlights and suggested itineraries, but you'll inevitably miss out on a lot to see. Whenever you do come here, though, even if it's just to go to their tea room, make sure to bring sunscreen and wear some comfortable shoes, as you'll end up doing plenty of walking outdoors. They do have a tram that circles loops around the grounds, but you'll still have to walk from the stop to wherever you want to go. Just make sure to stop and smell the many flowers along the way!