Independence Public Library

Independence library will be missed. I spent much time there finding the perfect book! They used to say RIF Reading Is Fundamental and how true it is! It was just an old small storefront turned Library but was a wealth of knowledge many hours of entertainment came out of that little old storefront Library!

Tucked inside an old department store Independence Public Library is easy to miss from the street. Follow the green CPL banners on the street poles. There is no parking lot, so you’ll need to pay the meter if driving. Check out the doors in the entryway, how they constructed one and a half doors is a mystery– unique.
This place is small, and a little cramped. Kid’s section is on the right, your HOLDS are on the shelf immediately to your left at the entrance, there’s plenty of good DVDs for a free family movie night, and computers are first come first serve, step right up, no reserving needed like at other branches.
Book selection on hand is adequate as is the service. Not a bad branch, but definitely a location that could use a full-​on relocate and new construction.

I like my little library for picking up books on hold, and I appreciate the puzzles they have for little kids. When my older child was enrolled in an activity at Independence Park, my younger son and I would go and quietly put together a puzzle together.
The problem I have is that the people who come to this library with their children let their children treat the place like a gymnasium. Isn’t the library the first place you learn as a child that you have to be QUIET? The security guard doesn’t do anything and neither do the librarians. It’s annoying.

This library has alot of great books, is easy to navigate and often has a balanced number of people in there. I was inpressed with the library bc from the outside it appears small and dank. Inside that is not the case at all. Restrooms are fine for a public facility. Could be a little tidier. Desks are cluttered but it seems clean.

This library is decent they have a lot of games for the kids and computers are usually free for the kids too.
My only issue here is that the security guard is a bit extreme. Let the kids converse a little for Gods sake. It’s a library not a prison!

Very unfriendly customer service, not a lot of resources on staff.

Free wifi but its gets a bit loud and the selection is low because its a branch. We probably won’t go back.

I’m on a quest to visit every branch of the Chicago Public Library system.
When you step into the library, you’re instantly slapped in the face with the smell of BOOKS. It’s refreshing; there are few better smells in the world. This library is a big gift in a small package. The selection is better than some branches with bigger spaces, and the video collection is divine! The librarians here were very friendly and quick. I agree with earlier comments of body order… shame it masks the smell of the wonderful books. I hope this library gets its own building soon so it can move out of this tiny storefront! There are way too many materials in here to contain in such a small space in an orderly fashion. I think it would be a much nicer study space in a larger building so that the tables weren’t so cramped up!
One complaint aside from size: there was a mom with a few kids there and all of them had big McDonald’s fountain drinks and bags of food. At my library, if they see you bringing in an EMPTY thermos, they ask you to put it in your car or throw it out. I don’t like the idea of people bringing food into libraries, especially kids. I thought the no food rule was known by everyone. If someone tries to walk in with McDonald’s (or any other food/​drink), a staff member should ask them to finish it before coming inside. this is just unacceptable and could lead to the ruining of library materials.

OK – the 2 *‘s aren’t for service, that’s just fine — fairly friendly and efficient.
The location, however, is pretty dismal. They look like they are in a constant state of remodeling (they’re not) and it’s tiny. The only time I ever come here is to pick up a book on hold. If you need a place to study or chill out and read, this probably isn’t it.

This place is really hit or miss, so I’m just going to give it three stars and call it a day.
I went into Independence Public Library this past weekend, and I was in and out in about five minutes. The man who checked in my returned books and checked out my new books was super-​fast. He was polite and efficient and got me on my way quickly.
I guess the customer service really depends on who’s working that day. I’m pretty amazed by the number of people they have working there. Each time I’ve been in there, I’ve seen different people at the circulation desk and librarian desks. Weird …
Overall, this library is A-​OK.

This library would get 5 stars if it were a little bigger (It’s currently a store front). I always frequent the children’s section. AMAZING staff. We just did the summer reading program there, and I couldn’t believe how welcoming they were. There were several teen community volunteers supervised by the head children’s librarian. They do a fantastic job!!!

It’s a small library, but it kind of adds to its charm. The selection is nice, and the staff is friendly, quick, and knowledgeable. The only downside is that I couldn’t find the card catalog system, so I asked the librarian for help. I was in a hurry and didn’t bother to ask where it was.

It is easy to miss this branch since it is barely noticeable in a tiny little storefront of low end businesses on Irving Park. No fancy building but it still gets the job done!
NIce selection of books, cd’s, movies, etc. On Monday’s they have free story time for kids which is nice. Sure they are in a crappy old room in the back but the kids don’t care!
One downfall-​the computer stations are usually crowded with really smelly men who are either homeless or from the Y. The body odor smell can be overwhelming that you have to breathe through your mouth if you are looking at books on CD. Somedays it is so bad I just have to leave!
Reserve on-​line if there is something new or special you are looking for and it will be waiting for you by the front door! They also have family passes for the museums which can be fun!

Did you know there is a place where you can get books for free? FREE. I spent most of my youth reading books and spent more time at my library than my own home. Thing is, after leaving my small town, I lost touch with the world of libraries and now have a room full of books wall to wall. While I love having some books to keep because I do read my favorites over and over, I can’t help but be frustrated at the amount of money I spent on books. So then I joined an online book club where I get a free book for every book I send out, so I was only spending about 2.50 a book (for shipping) instead of the usual 9 a book. Then one day it dawned on me (thanks to a friend), I can go to this glorious place called the public library and check out whichever book I want FOR FREE. FREE!
The best thing about the Chicago library system? You can do so much online. Look up your book and then put it on hold with a click of a button, and the library will ship the book of your choice to any library you want. Due date is coming up and you want to renew? All it takes is one click. Honestly, with the convenience of online book reservation and renewing, no adult should be paying for books, esp. in this economy. Every dollar saved is a dollar earned.
Independence is a tiny library, but it’s so close to me and all i do is go in and grab the books they already have on hold for me, check them out, and I’m out the door in 2 minutes. It’s wonderful. Try it out!

Three stars simply for being close to me. Pretty decent and diverse selection given the small size. The layout seems a little cluttered but not much they can do given what they have to work with. People seem to be respectful and reasonably quiet.
The staff are overworked but friendly.
Parking can be a chore.

This is a decent library, but I must say that’s relatively small. I guess the good thing about the library system is that you can have books transferred or placed on hold. ti’s a nice quiet place to come if you have some work to do. But other then that there’s not much going on here.