Since our new Westover Branch Library building opened on October 31, we’ve been settling in and making adjustments.
The new building has brought a lot of changes – along with the new layout and big windows, we’ve added self-service hold shelves and checkout, a single service desk, new meeting and study rooms, and more.
We’d love to know what you think about these changes, or anything else that you’ve noticed. Feel free to leave your comments or feedback below!
glad you kept the BIG windows since the old Library had that feature. self-service hold shelves and checkout were a GREAT idea and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Love the new Westover library! It is so bright and welcoming. We are here almost every week.
Love the brightness, the big windows. The flow around the checkout area is a little confusing—it's not clear where the librarians are checking out and where you can self-check or research, for that matter, and everyone ends up milling around trying to get out of each other's way.
I love the windows and light, and the self checkout is a great feature (although I agree that it is not at all clear how this flows, but I suspect that will improve as we all get more used to it), but it feels a little sterile and cavernous to me. I was hoping for a more inviting kid friendly space for the children's section, and instead, it feels very institutional and not terribly welcoming.
Self-service holds and self-checkout are VERY public. Patrons have lost their privacy as *anyone* in the vicinity can see what people are reading. I realize these allow staff cut-backs but at what price?
the new library is wonderful. thank you for such a great new space.I do think there should be more monitoring of people eating, drinking or using cell phones in the library.
In response to the comment above, drinking non-alcoholic beverages is permitted in all our libraries. Cell phone use is permitted in designated areas only. Eating is prohibited.Please speak with a staff person if you have an immediate question or concern about Library rules being enforced.We appreciate and benefit from your feedback. Thanks.
Overall, the new library has been a great improvement. Just a few suggestions:1. Please keep the drive-through book drop open during library hours. For patrons who are only returning books, it is much more convenient than parking and walking to the 24-hour book drop or returning books inside. It wouldn't take a lot a resources — just one staff member to empty the box before locking up for the night. 2. The back parking lot (near Madison and 18th) is sometimes full with the cars of non-library customers. Perhaps you could post signs limiting at least some of the parking to library users. 3. Please ask the county to let us use the door directly behind the circulation area to access the back parking lot. There is another door to that lot, but you have to take a longer, circuitous route past the meeting room and down a hallway to use it. 4. Please think about ways to make the children's area more inviting and comfortable. As the photo above indicates, a large section of it is just an empty, open area. Some libraries use visual displays, art work, large stuffed animals, kid-sized comfy chairs, etc. to enliven kids' areas and make reading and story times more fun. Thanks for reading!
Love the Westover Library, it is bright and welcoming. The chairs are comfortable to sit and read. Love it Love it!!
Would it be possible to rotate the shelves in the children's area 90 degrees so parents of more than one child can sit in the seating area along the large windows and easily keep an eye on their kids browsing in the stacks?
I think the space is wonderful and think all the natural light is a welcoming feature.
Love the large windows and spaciousness but we've lost some of the community feel. Could we have an area for posting community notices and art by local artists?
Seems to me the place could use more books.
Like the open windows and much-improved web access but I kind of miss the coziness of the old library building. I see they are going to demolish that structure. Pity. :*(
HATE IT! The new arrangement completely destroyed the community feel of the library==one never needs to talk speak with any of the library personnel. Not that I'd want to anymore. Self check out is fine but why not self date stamping since the desk people are so aggrieved when asked to stamp the books- "you get a receipt." Several of the new staff are not pleasant or welcoming. Forget trying to stop by on a weekday afternoon when the school buses line up and block/take up all the parking which isn't taken by parents waiting for their kids (not complaining about the kids/parents but rather about the not great parking set up.) There isn't enough shelf space for holds so there are carts. There's bits of trash all over because there's no trash can outside or even as you walk in the door. And so on.
There is not enough parking. If I remember correctly the earliest plans called for a garage underneath. The county should have kept that in the final plan. Whatever were they thinking, knowing the available parking had to be shared with the other programs at the site?
Overall, I'm pretty happy with the new branch – it's relaxing!I'm a bit baffled with having the children's section over in the Washington Blvd. end of the building, when it seems to make more sense to me to have it closer to the school wing.But it ain't bad at all!
I can't figure out where to park, especially at night when it's dark.The new building is beautiful and spacious.
It should be open on Sunday – It is a community library after all. . .GEEEZ
As one already said, the door by circulation that opens to the rear needs to be unlocked for use.The drive by book drop is such a great idea, but, whoever heard of having hours limiting a book drop? Who can remember the hours? If staffing is an issue, wouldn't this be a perfect volunteer job?And parking, oh my goodness…frankly my first three visits were so fraught with difficulty, I gave up. And, I had been so looking forward to it.
I second the recommendation to keep the drive-up book drop open during library hours. If you have a sleeping child in the car or can't find a place to park, the drive-up book drop is a huge convenience. The Falls Church Library keeps its book drop open during the day–why can't Westover?I also agree with the comments about needing to make the children's area more welcoming–it's nice that it's spacious but does seem sterile.
Thanks to the community and to the Westover staff for such a fine library. The new facilities are the best I have ever experienced. However, the continuity of the librarians' excellent service is what I value most.
I can't say enough how the access/parking situation needs to be improved. Why is the most distant door in the back the only one unlocked? It is so unfriendly to families of small children.Much less important, the way the adult videos are shelved is strange. Why are they stacked back to back, rather than with the spines showing? I never get them anymore, as I don't have the time to flip through all those mini-stacks.
I take my young children to a library to read books, not to play video games. The video game station is a casus belli for some families and a distraction for others.
Seems like a no-brainer to have the drive-through book return box open during library hours. Why wouldn't you do that?
Are the librarians reading these comments? It would be nice to know whether our concerns will be addressed. Thanks.
Yes, library staff do read patron comments. We greatly value them and use them for a variety of planning purposes even though it is not possible to respond individually to all suggestions.
Perhaps someone could insure that the only handicapped parking spaces close to a door-which are on the street to begin with – are not used as a place to put snow! The parking situation for the handicapped is already bad but now there's only one close place.
Overall, a very pleasant facility. Parking is confusing and better signs would be helpful. The kids area is pretty uninviting and the sightlines are a problem. Biggest problem is the new staff. They are unwelcoming and unaccomodating.
I have enjoyed the new library space so far! I love the big windows, the natural light, the various options for sitting/working & the self-service options that have been added.The one thing I'm not a fan of: the shelves for the movies/CDs are not very accessible. It would be much more helpful to have them on shelves where the titles can be viewed on the spines (instead of having to pull several out just to see what's behind them.)
My kids and I want to see more of Wanda, she's our favorite! She brings a smile to our faces everytime we meet! and where did Paula go? We really miss her! The library is ok, but it needs more books, more art, and something to dispell the sterility. The new chairs(with nylon straps) might have looked good in a catalog, but they are not comfortable or inviting. More books!
The kids reading area needs a big cozy alphabet rug like the old library downstairs had. I miss the old Westover Library,and its sights, and smells, and layout, terribly. Bye bye old library, you are gone but remain in our hearts forever!
We're glad you think so highly of Wanda – we're lucky to have her. Paula is still with the Library as well. She moved to Central Circulation in the Fall – come visit her and say hi!
and Tony! Where has helpful, terrific Tony been? please bring him back!
Please add more science fiction books, especially William Gibson and Phillip K. Dick. More Charles Bukowski novels and poetry would be great too!
I really enjoy the selection of childrens books, and the bright sunny windows. Initially, there were blocks for the kids to play with, but more recently, I have not seen them. I would love for the drop off window (at all libraries, actually) to be open during library hours, it certainly makes it easier to drop off books with toddler(s) in tow! THANKS!