Champaign Public Library

The gentleman that works on the children’s department is amazing. My 4yo daughter loves when he does story time.
The reading programs keep my daughter wanting to come back every week.

a great library with great dvd selection. the staff in overall is nice and friendly. i love the quiet study room and the private group study room. the check-​in system is easy to use and assistance is almost immediate from a staff nearby.

I’ve been a loyal CPL goer for many years. The library has so many benefits for families and individuals. As the parent of a five year old, I’ve been amazed at how much stuff they have for children. The children’s book selection is enormous. We often borrow five to ten books at a time, grab a few DVDs from the large collection there, and come back a week later for a new batch.
The library is a sleek, modern design with many different nooks and quiet places for you to sit and read or study. They have a large computer area on the second floor, but I cannot speak to the use or abuse of those. There’s also a children’s computer area next to the play area for kids.
The checkout is a breeze with the electronic tags found in every book. You toss them on the electronic mat, wait for the title to appear on the screen, and off you go. Nothing difficult about that. There’s always been someone there to ask questions if needed.
I’ve recommended CPL to family members and other parents, since they have so many quality resources. This library is truly awesome and the staff should be proud of the work they put in there each day. Hopefully budget troubles can be figured out and the library will stand when my daughter grows old enough to take her own children there.

Landmark Review:
CPL = the new barnes and noble. I have not been to the library in a long time but I am amazed by the experience. I realize that this place may have a lot of rules based on prior Unilocal reviews, but I did not have a issue at this time. It sort of stinks that you can’t put your head down to rest like you can at a college library, but the other pro’s are off the chart. Let me list them here
1. It is super easy to get a card. You hop on a computer and put in your information to obtain a card. You go to the desk with your ID containing your address and they give you a non-​photo library card
2. Electronic resource galore: they have zinio, hoopla for online movies and cd rental
3. Computer stations everywhere and in the kids section they allow video games to be played
4. Large DVD, blue ray, and video game section. Unfortunately no free video game rental but at 1 dollar per week that is super cheap. DVD are free unless you get the rent it now feature which is 2 dollar per week
5. Large library catalog, you can find likely anything here
6. Children story time, great socialization for parents with kids and it is all free or at least you paid for it with your tax payer dollars
Hidden deal: Everything above and more!

This is a wonderful library! The children’s section has a small play area and a lot of children’s books/​comics/​DVDs to choose from. I love that you can rent DVDs and CDs for free. The employees are always very helpful and informative.

This is definitely one of the best libraries I’ve been to and here’s why:
— TONS of window light
— Café with tasty treats and lattes
— Free wifi
— Lots of table space
— Great book selection
— Lots of DVDs/​BDs
I’ve spent a lot of time at this library rather than the one in Urbana, even though it was further away. It’s easy to connect to the internet, get work done and not feel crowded by bookshelves or people. Also, the checkout process is all automated, which makes it much smoother to get out when you’re ready to go.

I absolutely love this library. The space is beautiful, it’s well lit and it has a great selection of items. There is also a lot of space… most of the parts don’t feel too cramped. I could spend weeks here. For a town this size, it has a pretty remarkable library.

I love the library. They have a great selection of books and DVDs and you can of course request things they don’t have. It takes a while to get popular items like some TV shows on DVD, but then again, I guess I’m glad that they aren’t using their resources to buy 15 copies of Big Bang Theory. The little coffee shop isn’t bad, and adds to library’s appeal as a study location.
Like some previous reviewers wrote, they tend to enforce cleanliness rules strictly, but I’m okay with that. I’ve been told to keep my feet inside my ballet flats while studying, but I guess it’s kind of gross to have exposed foot-​age just hanging out.

I’m a stalker of modern architecture, so I am biased about this library. Other than the carpet that has been permanently muddied up by the unwashed masses seeking free DVD movies and internet access, this place is downright fabulous.

The Lincoln Trail Library system is well-​designed, and if the Champaign Pub Lib doesn’t have what you need, they’ll find a way to connect you with someone that has the book or whatever material you want/​need. Also, they have a rather fantastic collection of CDs. This is a great place to study on a quiet afternoon, but also near finals, it can be a nice place to escape from campus and your apartment. It’s also wonderful to be there when working on a paper or project where a seemingly endless number of resources are needed. Big tables are great for spreading out.
All of this said, be careful because they are rather strict about which library you’ve got a card to (it all depends on where you live) and they are also a little strict about cleanliness, etc. Lots of money was spent on this library, though, so I believe it’s warranted.
Also: WiFi is free, but only if you have a library card. Not sure how it works if you do not have a library card.

When I visited with my friends the building itself, tall and full of light, took my breath away. Inside is a nice café with delicious snacks.
Upon further investigation, there wasn’t a wide range of books. Also, there are no foreign language books at all, aside from learning languages. There weren’t even any foreign newspapers or magazines. Come on!
When I pulled out my laptop, the wifi was pretty slow too, and I got yelled at for slipping my feet out of my flip-​flops (they weren’t smelly or anything, and there isn’t a big difference in wearing flip-​flops and not wearing them).

Let’s put my qualifications out on the table first, shall we? Started reading newspapers out loud at age 2 (granted, they were upside down and I was speaking complete gibberish), toted storybooks with me in the car at age 5 (thereby ruining my eyes for life), devoured nearly the entire kids floor of the beloved Lisle Library, then proceeded to decimate both my Jr. High and High School libraries. So yes, I have probably spent 80% of my life in either a) a library or b) a book.
That said… the first time I stepped foot in CPL I was left breathless and giddy with excitement. In a dinky little town like Champaign, CPL is an architectural oasis with its high ceilings, beautiful use of glass and steel, and clean, well-​lit areas.
Looks aside, the library is filled with everything a bibliophile could hope for. Shelves and shelves of books, organized so intuitively and neatly. An easy access section right off the entrance for new releases of books and DVDs. Computer terminals at all the right places for catalog searching. Huge tables and quiet areas for studying and researching. And the cherry on top? A small café downstairs to supply a book’s Best Companion — coffee.
What more could I want??? Oh yeah, the amazingly awesome super cool checkout system. Maybe I’m just easily impressed but the fact that you drop your card in a little slot, spread all your books out on a small platform and hit the OK on the touchscreen and YOU’RE DONE — this system easily earns a spot in my personal list of Wonders of the World.
Honestly, I’ve been so spoiled by CPL that when I moved to NYC a few months ago, I ended up being sorely disappointed by the NYPL. It’s like reverting to the Stone Age after riding around in a flying car — it really is enough to make a grown woman cry. (Which I did, quietly in a dirty bathroom in NY’s Mid Manhattan Library upon my first visit — but let’s keep that between you and me, ok?)

This place has EVERYTHING.
You want books? BIF.
You want movies, both foreign and domestic? BANG.
You want music and other stuff? POW.
You want a place to chill? BOOOOSH.
Love it.

Use to be a 3 star, but after being told that I couldn’t put my head down to rest my eyes for 2 minutes, and after being told that the tables can’t be joined for group work, and after being told I can’t eat one simple snack bar, and after seeing a librarian tell a person who barely had his feet out of his shoes to stick his foot back in…
The chamPAIN public library gets a ONE star, despite the MANY TIMES they complained about the littlest and stupidest things. What’s next? «Excuse me, no texting in the library.» or «Excuse me, you can’t wear that taint top here…» when it’s summer time and 105 degrees outside.
I think I’m mature enough to clean up after myself if I decide to bring food in, and responsible enough to put back tables the way I find them. As for the shoe and putting my head down: I had NO IDEA that was SO DARN disruptive and disrespectful.
I suggest going too the university of Illinois libraries. Librarians don’t have stick up their asses there, and are a lot less nosey and kind.
ChamPAIN public library wins it for the Most Anal Library Award of the year. Congrats.