Vancouver Public Library – Joe Fortes Branch

I am upgrading them to a 3 stars for friendly library staff. Though the hours are short, but then they are open during the week, the staff there are really nice, and because they have fewer patrons there, they do take the time to answer your questions and give you extra information.
Especially the Asian lady @ the front desk is particularly informative and helpful! =)

As far as I can remember, I’ve always been a bookworm. I was that kid in school who read all required material before school began so that she could read novels while in class. Come to think of it, that’s how I read The LOTR series, The Hobbit, Harry Potter and many many more… There, in the middle of the class, sitting at my desk with my book on my thighs, letting my imagination gallop towards many different wonderful worlds.
So, a library is somewhat of a slice of paradise for me. This Branch is great because it is literally 2 blocks away from me. They don’t have the biggest selection but you can always order it and pick it up a bit later that week.
And if I ever fee like like really treating myself, I go to the Central Branch which has all I ever want/​need and more.
My biggest complaint about this place is that they might want to aerate the place once in a while. It is a bit stuffy in there.

I got a new library card at this branch. Oh… So, I’m on probation, am I? Oh… I’m ONLY allowed to take out up to TEN items per time for four months, is that right? Honey, if everyone in this neighbourhood takes ONE item out of here, your library would be E-​M-​P-​T-​Y.
I wish someone else (NOT this snorty asian lady) was there to help me with my new library card. Yes, you are a librarian. Congratulations. As I was in a hurry to catch the bus, I told her I knew enough about the library card to use it. I really only wanted it just in case I needed to take something out of the law library in the central VPL.
She snorted at me: «BUT, do you know about the FIFTY HOLDS?»
I asked her: «What?»
She said it again, but snortier (is this a word?) this time: «DO YOU KNOW A-​BOUT THE FIF-​TY HOLDS?»
I said: «No…»
Sensing that I didn’t care, she went beyond snortery and said: «WELL… you HAVE TO KNOW THIS. If you go on the website, you can put up to fifty items on hold and pick it up at your nearest VPL branch. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?»
I nodded slowly: «OK… Thanks.»
She walks away, disgruntled.
Was «FIFTY HOLDS» some kind of hipster VPL librarian terminology? Why was she in such a huff about it? Is that like not knowing the «Millennium FALCON» is actually a space ship? I do not apologise for taking no interest in knowing about your FIFTY HOLDS, Ms. Snorty librarian.
**For those of you looking to get a new library card here: BEWARE THE FIFTY HOLDS.
About the library itself: small (space and selection), smelly and disorganised.

Free wifi if you have a membership, uncomfortable chairs if you care to sit in them, partial season 4 of Degrassi Junior High (the original, with Joey Jerimiah, Spike, Wheels, et al) if you care to watch, out of date Chatelaine, Vogue (American), Wired, and other popular magazines if you care to read them, limited book selection at any given time.
This is the Joe Fortes Public Library. It’s not very big, the selection is, like many libraries, limited, and the staff aren’t the friendliest, nor the most helpful. BUT it’s a library. A person can concentrate and be quiet, take out books, or even order them from other locations, use the computers if you don’t have one of your own — it’s a library, you can’t really hate on that, now can you?
Like so many things in the West End, this particular branch isn’t up to date, but it’s useful… you know, if you happen to need a «contemporary» interior design book from 1998.

Well, it’s not the biggest library around but it’s not too bad for a community branch. It is a little bit old and sketchy, and some of the regular patrons are a little bit «interesting» to say the least, but it’s still an a-​okay library.
They do have a fairly decent collection, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for its no hassle to order a book from one of the other branches and have it delivered and waiting for you to pick up.