If you have a Wheaton address but live in "unincorporated Wheaton," this library is the worst…read moreexperience. It is a beautiful library, but unless you have a library card, you are treated with so much contempt. Want to purchase a library card? Get ready to spend a crazy amount of money. They claim the amount is based on the property taxes you would have paid, but I have always found the quote to be much higher. Also, if you rent but the building you rent from is in "incorporated" Wheaton, you don't pay property taxes, but you do get a library card. The librarians are generally irritated if you ask them simple questions, such as "how do I reserve a room" or "where can I print?" This week, I saw a woman ask to reserve a room and she didn't know that you need to leave an ID because the librarian didn't tell her, then the librarian got upset when the woman didn't hand over her drivers license right away. The library is supposed to be a community place. I just don't understand how it is full of unkind people.

I miss this wonderful library and its wonderful layout, selections, and hours. Especially being…read moreopen Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. I do not have anything as great near me in Florida and am even considering relocating to an area where the community values access to public libraries such as this one.

Maybe 1 or 2 months ago I informed this library that a section where the private booths are…read morelocated, the electrical outlets did not seem to work because the desk lights, even when plugged in, did not work and there was no electrical power supplied to those or the outlets. This was the first time I had gone to this section for more privacy in the library. So I returned a few weeks later and noticed that the library had corrected the problem and I was able to study quietly in this section and may have come back to that area again with no issues. However recently when I returned to the area, some of the under desk lights were unplugged and the cord was too short to reach the outlet. I was able to plug my surge protector to supply power for my computer & bluetooth transmitter. While I was quietly watching the news or something on TV I was streaming, some librarian rudely came over to interrupt me making accusations that I had too many electrical devices or something & questioning me of causing a short circuit of the area based on the first time I was in the area to report that there was no electricity to that section. So basically though the first time I was in the area to discover that even their under desk lamps did not work and I had not set up there to plug in any devices, & that area truly had an electrical circuit outage of their own fault or negligence, she decides to questionme for that all because I reported the issue to them a month ago that maybe they were not supplying power to that area, maybe a circuit breaker had tripped for that area. Maybe this library has problems with people of color and chooses to profile them & question those people for their own problems with their facilities. This is the first library that has taken the time to approach me to question me for something I initially reported as an issue with their facilities. I highly do NOT recommend this library and if you discover anything broken or any faults there, do not inform them because they will come back to you later to you or imply that you could have been the cause of that problem in their library & not want to take responsibility. They will probably use some profiling of individuals (person of color) to lay blame to something that was their fault over a month ago as well & will come back to you if you revisit the library to ask you if you were the possible cause of the initial problem you pointed out to them & had nothing to do with initially. They seem to remember or watch certain people. Other problems with the library is that it is too cramped. The study areas and tables are too narrow or the passage ways are too narrow to squeeze through especially if others are sitting or studying in those areas to get from the open area librarian desk section to the area to the south east I believe... the section where I used to set up with the semicircle desk/table. The library has never or had approached me when I would study and set up there. They had a problem in the other section that I reported an electrical outage in the northeast part. and it was their fault for not supplying electricity to that section over a month ago. Another problem with this old library is it does not seem to have adequate electrical outlets for one to do significant work and keep connected and your devices charged adequately without one have to bring their own surge protection. Maybe due to their outdated electrical system could be the reason why they were paranoid of someone shorting out their system for no reason. They need to modernize more and there are much better libraries that have better technology than this 1. They will not question the person or what happened with the electrical outage prior to since there was a problem prior to it being addressed. Maybe someone else caused this issue before it was addressed or pointed out over a month ago. They even seemed unaware to the issue initially. Then when you return, they will question if you may have been the cause of the issue even if things are working fine with the electrical outlets. It just did not make any logical sense to be approached this time about this & it was probably some profiling being done by the library. One can only conclude that this library did not want me there despite visiting it several times with no issues prior to informing them of their electrical problem & a few times afterward. This library seems unwelcoming at this point. So beware.avoid. Last year, I used to set up in another section bringing my devices,& surge protectors & I had never been approached by any librarian of any concern of their electrical issues or outage. Only after trying to help them with a problem on the other side do they have an issue with me or questioning me of something.. No good deed goes unpunished is truly true. This is one library to avoid. There are other, more spacious libraries & that are more modern that this one in an antiquated old building probably using socket fuses.

First time coming to this library to study. Such a beautiful 2 floor library; not too big inside…read more Impossible to get lost. The first floor is children's section, second floor is for teens/adults. There are plenty of study rooms to rent out.

I wish I could give the Wade Center 10 stars on Yelp! It's an over-the-top experience to visit and…read moreget a full tour if you're a CS Lewis and/or JRR Tolkien fan! This museum and library is located right on the Wheaton College campus. Currently (September 2022), a meditation garden is being landscaped outside of the back exit, the design of which is inspired by "The Hobbit." My hubby and I have taken so many out-of-town guests here, and recently some local relatives who had never been! Each time I join a tour, I learn something new. The tour guides and staff are so learned!

I heard about this place through Roadside America and am so glad I went. It was amazing to see…read moreTolkien's desk (on which The Hobbit and parts of the Silmarillion were written), C.S. Lewis's desk, and his wardrobe... yes, THAT wardrobe. The staff are so friendly and were kind enough to take pictures of me with the objects. No admission cost!

A phenomenal place! The outdoor garden, labyrinth, and Mother Mary statue is heartwarming.read more

Open minded philosophy without dogma at a natural, scenic location and beautiful, unimposing…read morebuilding. As a life-long atheist, I feel most welcome here and finally joined as a member with no contradiction in belief. There's a certain solace and calmness about the place. The idea that this organization does not hold that only they are right, but rather welcomes all viewpoints of life and the universe is what attracted me. What a consolation in a world of religious self-righteousness.

Very good community college library with excellent librarians. Lots of periodicals, all sorts of…read moremedia, comfortable place to read. Also, good WiFi good place to get work done. Nice and spacious, sunny, free parking.

What a fantastic library! I love coming here, especially at the more quiet times. Tons of space,…read morejust a great facility. And no staff is prejudice here, that's a ridiculous statement from someone who themselves is likely prejudice. But you do certainly have some rude and clueless students who are noisy and don't care about others around them, and the staff is not always on top of that. They should have a staff member do a regular walk around the library to make sure people are being quiet. BUT you can call the front desk and describe who and where it is happening and they will come and stop it, Always fun to see some careless student get scolded by a staff member, it's great! :-)

Large and very nice library. As the parking is near the Metra, I recommend allowing yourself extra…read moretime to find parking if attending an event here. The parking fills up fast. They offer various community programs. Clean library and clean bathrooms.

For our family, winters are for library-hopping because it's warm and educational. Downers Grove…read morePublic Library is conveniently located in the downtown area so one can simply spend an hour or two at the library and then take a quick stroll to the nearby restaurants for a lunch or dinner. The library is clean, spacious, and well-lit. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. We would normally stay for about two hours so our girls could choose books to be read to and spend quality time with the extensive play sets. To name a few, they have a wholesome section of outfits/roles for pretend play, a huge café with pretend food, light board, train set, and puzzles.

This library is absolutely so cute for little ones in the children's area. It is very clean, and…read morethe staff is nice! Inside the children's section offers baby station area, laundry and washer area, and dinosaurs & educational toys. I will come again since I live 15 minutes away I don't mind the drive.

The building isn't particularly warm or inviting, but it is clean, accessible, and easy to…read morenavigate, as it's quite a small space. I was welcomed by staff and greeted as I went to the desk to purchase a used hardcover for $1, a good deal. I appreciate the phone chargers and all-gender restrooms. There are a lot of community education materials displayed, and free publications. Lilacia Park surrounds the library and is lovely to stroll around after a visit to the library.

I enjoyed my visit to this library with my sister. The kids' zone is such a cozy and fun space,…read morebright, and colorful. All details that make it feel special for children. You can tell it was designed with families in mind. They have a great selection of books for all ages, so it's easy to find something kids will actually get excited about. I also loved that they offer board games, it's a nice touch and makes it more than just a place to read. It's somewhere kids can relax, play, and spend quality time together. The decoration really stands out too. It's cheerful and welcoming without feeling overwhelming, which makes the whole space feel comfortable and inviting. We'll be coming back!

They have great events throughout the year. The first event I am attending this year is called…read more Girls of the 50s.

Came here for story time for the young one - cute space, well organized and staff are quite…read morefriendly. This review mostly pertains to stuff probably for younger kids however we enjoyed ourselves immensely. We went to the play area in the back before story time where they have Legos, a play area that includes cooking and fake food, lots of word books and cushy stools for kids to lay around and jump on. There's also electronic interactive tablet type things against the walls that I saw kids playing with which looked cool as well. We did the story time and it was quite interactive, the leader was super engaged, kind to the kids, really tried to get all the kids involved. Story time seems to be open for any age but it is recommended that you register online as there is a wait list before the event. When you register online, it asks for how many people in your party, just count the kids do not count the adults. That's the pro tip we were given once we arrived by the staff lol. I loved our experience and will be back for more story time (for my daughter not for me hahaha although I did enjoy the story and dances as well).

Good solution for virus control, all visitors have to wear mask and free mask available if you do…read morenot have. and limit time inside. feel safe