Keshen Goodman Public Library

Nice library but, I find it very loud sometimes, the sometimes have dance classes going on in there or band playing in the library! Like its a library, it should be quiet!

This is my preferred branch for a reason!
I borrow ALOT of cooking and knitting books, when I say a lot I mean I have a stack 4 – 15 high on a regular basis!
Sometimes I don’t read them, but that’s the great thing about libraries!
Your not spending money to not read a book!
The location it’s self is great! Situated just before bayres lake, (or after depending where your coming from) the Canada games centre is across the street, it’s a big community hub! People of all ages are here!
Only thing I hate, is the high school kids who have decided this is their cafeteria… but that’s minor to the fact I get lost in the cookbook aisle for an hour!
(For a soon to be culinary student that’s not a bad thing)
I love this place, I love the self checkout, I love the hold shelving, I love the windows everywhere! I just love this library! Alderney is my second favourite. (Till the new one opens!)

Thanks to my spouse over the last year or so I’ve been reintroduced to my childhood love of libraries. I frankly can’t believe I ever stopped coming or why. We’ve explored lots of the Halifax Regional Library branches over the last year and my hands down favorite is the Keshen Goodman. I love the light and space of the building and how the library itself is designed.
I’ve been there lots of different times and it’s always got a steady group of people exploring the media selections, and taking a range of workshops offered. They have a little café in the back to the right of the check out desk which is handy. Because of the activity in this location it isn’t the usual ‘library quiet” so be prepared for that.
I love the wide range of selection for DVDs, music CDs and of course the books. I usually don’t have enough time to tackle a rapid read selection, but I love that the library makes new releases or popular selections available this way as well as on their holds list.
One last tip — if you happen to have just relocated to Halifax and you want to get a library card before you have local identification, it is possible. You just need to have a photo ID and a piece of mail addressed to you locally.

Of all the libraries in Halifax, Keshen is my favourite. It’s bright, it’s airy, and it’s got a killer selection of everything. Biographies? An entire shelf. Graphic novels? An entire shelf. Mysteries? Like, three entire shelves! It’s pretty rare I leave here without hugging an enormous armload of print.
One of the other reasons I love this library is that if I’m in the mood for something so trashy it should come in a paper bag, nobody needs to know I have it but me. That’s right, there are self-​check out stations! They make the most satisfying thud sound when they scan your books, and they make it easy for people who may be picking up sensitive material.
They also have a huge selection of DVDs, and even CDs here. Sometimes I find something here, but I have to ignore my inner librarian (LIBRARIES ARE FOR BOOKS ONLY) in order to check it out.
Five stars! Even if I embarrassingly mispronounce it as the «Kesha» library all the time.

I don’t generally visit this library since it’s quite far from home, but a couple years ago I frequented the Keshen Goodman every week for tutoring sessions. My experiences at this library have generally been disappointing for the following reasons:
— It is EXTREMELY loud. Despite the vastness of this building, you will be hard-​pressed to find a truly quiet area to read/​work/​study. My student and I often met just after school got out or after suppertime, and many extracurricular clubs seem to use the centrally located conference rooms at these times. The problem? The doors are wide open, meaning all can hear the excited shouting and clamoring of the club members. The café down the hall also contributes to the noise.
— Inadequate study areas. Some may disagree with me on this point, but I have never had an easy time finding a quiet, private area in this library.
— So-​so selection. This has undoubtedly changed in the past year (I hope).
With that being said, the architecture of the Keshan Goodman is interesting and does allow for a great deal of natural light. Perhaps I’ll drop by the next time I’m in the area to see whether conditions have improved.

I remember going to the old location of this library as a positive experience. Now it’s just an exercise in frustration.
The building itself could easily be mistaken for an airport were it on a highway. I’ve only been to this location perhaps twice in my life, even though I live a stone’s throw from it, simply because the Spring Garden location is a much more pleasant experience (old and cramped as that location may be).
It’s been a few years since I’ve used the computers to search for a book and was very dismayed to learn you now have to login just to find out if the library even has what you’re looking for. If you don’t have a library card or don’t have it with you, I guess you’re stuck waiting in line for human help.
I attempted to search on my own first. Finding the fiction section, which should be the most accessible section of any library, took some time. The sign above two aisles very clearly states «Fiction». It also states «Magazines.» Neither is in these aisles; they contain large-​print and audio books. Thanks for the helpful signs! Finally found the real fiction section but couldn’t find the books I wanted. Back to the computers where I fish out my library card and try to remember my PIN. Since you only have to scan your card to borrow a book, I’m not sure why the same technology isn’t available at the self-​help computers.
Anyhoo, my books were not available at this location (as in, they don’t carry them), and one book no library had. Thanks again!
Mike was in the magazine section … if only I could find it. Once again the sign proved useless. I scoured the place, found some magazines in the teen section and silently cursed myself for not bringing my cell so I could call him. So where are the (adult) magazines? Waaay in the back corner of the library, nowhere near the signage. Thanks but no thanks, Keshen Goodman! My most frustrating visit to a library ever, and my last visit to this one.

So often we disregard the resources offered in our community. I am reminded of that when I head to the Keshen Goodman Library. It’s clean, spacious and offers a café plus meeting rooms and a small theatre.

I love the library! It’s a haven of books — I’m hard pressed not to come home with enough books to start my own library!
Sadly, three instances have happened with this exact location that stress me out so very much. I really don’t like confrontation for many personal reasons, but I’ll stop blathering and get to the point here:
#1. I brought a cookbook home with me, and when I opened it the pages were all smelly and kind of sticky! Obvious water damage, that had long since dried. I didn’t think anything of it, until I went to return it and they wanted me to pay $ 40! That would be totally reasonable, I can see how it appeared to be us if no one had logged the water damage before, but when my boyfriend went to explain that it was like that when we took it — they didn’t believe him, cut him off, and explained how he could pay for it. So I took over the conversation and convinced them it wasn’t us, so they let it go «this time». I honestly understand the logic behind all of it, I do, I guess what upset me was that at the end of the conversation, the person still didn’t believe us and I felt super guilty for that, even though I didn’t do anything. I have a deep respect for the library and all books — and again, I totally understand how they came to the conclusion, I just wish we could have walked away feeling trusted instead of like book criminals haha.
#2 & #3. Twice we have returned books and they still show up as overdue online. aka not scanned in when we return them. Bonus happy points because they DO find the books on the shelves when we call, but we’ve only had the library card for 3 months and 3 things have happened already that make me kind of wary to go to the library! Well, not to go there, but wary to take out books because I’m not sure what will happen next.
This isn’t meant as a scathing review — just sharing my experiences and being as honest as I can!
That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the library — I LOVE the library, I just wish it was a little more conflict-​free. :)

This library is my home away from home — what is there not to like about this place — the staff is very friendly — I love their computer system for reserving books and recently my daughter has been taking the Paws to Read program offered here where she gets to read to a dog and further enhance her love of reading and books. This place is beyond fantastic folks and we are lucky to have it in Clayton Park.

This place is like heaven to me. The entire space is airy, light and completely calming.
I love to spend some time browsing the books and movies, and often relax at a table or chair for a bit before I depart. I’ve recently adopted the main work tables as a great studying location!
My only complaint are that the school-​year sunday hours are short — only 2 to 5 pm.

Always very clean and helpful staff. Best library in the city!

The Keshen Goodman library is absolutely amazing. Lots of natural light, windowseats built along the entire front of the building and a hefty inventory of all sorts of books to steal your time.
The Keshen Goodman library is located adjacent to the new Mainland Commons sports structure. There is ample parking and self-​scan checkouts, all of which combine to make your time as enjoyable and productive as possible. Metro Transit also has bus stops just outside on both sides of the street, so commuting sans car is a breeze.
This library branch also sponsors evening seminars and public-​interest talks; check out the website for details on upcoming events.

I have to say, when I first went looking for this Library I drove right past it. You would not think this was a library. The structure is amazing.
However upon entry, it is very large and spacious. Open ceiling with exposure. It really does pack a wow factor for here in Halifax. Not your typical Library.
The staff were great, we were looking for some particular books for projects. Oh how we love projects! They lead us right to the source.
There is also an area where you can use the computers, they even have games on some of them. Go figure! yes.
A great place to go for the afternoon and get lost in a book.

All glass and steel, takes this library well into the 21^st Century — but without losing that true essence of what a library is to me… knowledge, losing one’s self in many another world.
There are banks of computers, naturally a wealth of books and DVDs but the best part — for any parent and grandparent, that is — is the children’s world, far from the front door, but every child who’s even been there once, knows the way to the Thomas the Tank Engine Train Table and the rest of the toys.
The first time I took my grandson, then two, was not HIS first time, but he knew the way and, with is minimal vocabulary — Thomas — led me right to it. There is dress up story telling and music sessions with the staff that has children enthralled.
Frankly this is the best place in the city to bring kids.