Columbus Metropolitan Library – Hilltop Branch

Full disclosure: I have volunteered at this library for years.
Ahh Hilltop. Or, rather, The Hilltop. Many years ago, I drove through The Hilltop daily to go downtown. Sure, I could have taken any number of highways and byways to get downtown, but I always enjoyed driving straight down Route 40 (or Broad Street). I-​40 has history, runs parallel to I-​70, and is just more fun to drive down.
Before I started volunteering at this library branch, I would have never stopped while driving through. Many people think they know the history of the area, and I certainly don’t. I just know the neighborhood stereotypes, and I’ve spent years learning about the individual people at this branch.
So, what’s to like?
First off, the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) System has invested a lot of money in both new libraries and the renovation of existing libraries. Downtown (CML Main) is all but closed down due to an in-​progress major (MAJOR) renovation. So going there is pretty much out of the question. I live in the suburbs, so going downtown is a trip for me anyway. Fun, but still out of my way.
During this major renovation period, the Hilltop Branch has had the following done:
1) New carpets that are super annoying to look at, give some people vertigo, and show dirt like you wouldn’t believe! But don’t blame Hilltop Branch: the carpet type was probably chosen by a panel of bureaucrats who had never stepped foot into the branch before. It’s okay. It… grows on you? But, hey, new carpet!
2) A couple of weeks ago, almost every single computer was replaced with brand new, touch-​screen, Windows 8, all-​in-​one, HD computers. They’re awesome. No, wait, they’re awesome! If you live in this area, and you need a computer with Internet? The Hilltop branch is the place to go. The computers before were aging, and as a computer guy, I have to admit, they made me a little sad. Now, things work much better. Before, kids would have to «fight» over the one or two computers that could play Minecraft. Now ALL the computers can support Minecraft. It’s pretty cool!
3) New furniture in a lot of areas, a new teen area, and a rebuilt Life Skills/​Homework Help Center area. Like the modern computer «pod» desks in the general computer population, there are also new modular desks for the kids (and adults) in many of the areas. Yes, they still have some of the old furniture and stacks, but slowly, piece by piece, it’s being replaced.
4) The service model has changed. Now, I’m not on-​staff, so I don’t know all the details, but it used to be, you’d go into a library, and there would be a help/​reference area, a check-​out area, and librarians sitting there waiting to help you. Now, there’s the same check-​out area, but a lot of the staff is walking around, helping folks. Me, personally, I like the on-​your-​feet work style. I don’t like to sit behind a desk, and it feels weird having people approach me from above (standing up), while I’m sitting down. So yeah, if you haven’t been to a library branch in awhile, you’ll notice that the staff is milling around more, and rarely sitting.
What’s weird? Well, it’s The Hilltop. So there are characters. But there are characters everywhere. I think there’s more swearing (kids/​teens) than you find in other libraries. A lot more kids being dumped off (seemingly all-​day) by borderline-​negligent parents. So… it’s different.
Most (all?) branches have the Homework Help Center (HHC) as a resource when school’s in session and, although you’re going to say that I’m biased because I volunteer here, I do believe (personally) that the HHC staff tries really hard to help kids. It’s an underserved neighborhood that needs great services like HHC, and the Life Skills Center (where I usually work).
Oh, and the Life Skills Center is cool because it’s a closed-​off area (when the HHC is not in session) where adults can work on job searches, resumes, and applications. It’s pretty nice. You can get a few copies of your resume printed off for free, and it’s much quieter (in general) in that area than out on the floor with the kids playing games and whatnot.
Security. Yes, again, this is The Hilltop. Lock your car, lock your bike up, and for the love of all that is good, don’t leave stuff sitting around unless you want it stolen. People will steal your stuff. It’s a fact of life. People will steal your stuff more often at the Hilltop Branch than at other branches, but, hey, it is what it is. It’s really not hard to just keep your possessions with you, or leave them at home, right? Oh, and as far as security goes, there are helpful, uniformed officers, police for backup, cameras everywhere, and well-​trained staff. You really won’t feel unsafe at the Hilltop Branch — I never do.
So, overall I give this location a four-​star because it delivers, 100%, for the neighborhood it’s in. If you live in or near The Hilltop, this is an excellent resource for you!

I will start by acknowledging that this branch is not in the best neighborhood. It is in a community that is largely underserved so there are usually a lot more kids around and people loitering than you would see at Cemetery as an example. That being said, I really do love this branch. I love the staff and volunteers, I have never run into a situation where I can’t get my hands on a specific book, and the location itself is just cool. A lot of the interior décor such as the wooden buttresses and stained glass came from a decommissioned mental hospital and there are neat little pieces of art work around the library. They have a large section of computers for patrons to use as well a homework help center which switches to a job resource center in the evenings for adults to work on resumes and so on with volunteers available to assist. I love being able to search for a book online via the Columbus Library website and order it for pickup at the branch. It ensures that what I need will be available but still gives me a chance to browse and pick things up from the new release section as well as allow my son to browse and pick things for himself. I am glad to see that other Unilocalers are giving better reviews over the years. This site deserves more love than it has been given.

The Hilltop branch has been undergoing a few renovations within the last few months! I am a bit biased, as I don’t know how I ever lived without a library within walking-​distance from my house, but I’ve yet to be disappointed by this branch. Many of the reasons why this library is so great stem from our great library system as a whole; making any request online and having materials shipped to the location of your choice, a diverse selection of materials, and friendly and helpful staff. This branch does not have enough computers to meet the needs of the visitors. As mentioned in a previous review, this has more to do with the lack of internet access for many patrons than it does for the library itself. I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a computer though, as I don’t have a printer at home and sometimes use the library for its (fantastic) 10 cent printing.
I don’t have kids, so I don’t know much about the offerings for anyone under the age of 18. It does appear that they have a really nice kids area, as well as community rooms for after school homework assistance. There are many stacks of books and a HUGE selection of audiobooks to peruse at any given time. They lose some points for their miniscule selection of music, but they make up for that with a bigger selection of movies and a whole wall of ‘new’ books. To be honest, it’s easier to just order anything that you want online and pick it up when it arrives.
This library is teeming with life. If you can’t handle the youths loitering in the parking lot, or the snarky adolescents using the computers, then perhaps a drive to the downtown location would serve you better.

I have to agree with other reviews in that there is a pretty limited selection of books at this particular branch. I would credit that to the space being small, but also poorly utilized. They definitely should add at least 2 or 3 stacks to the center of the Teen room and rearrange the center of the library to add a few stacks there as well, perhaps to expand the fiction section.
Getting a card here was fast and free and the girl at the counter was really friendly and helpful. I was also really pleasantly surprised by how many people were here when I visited. It’s good to see people reading out of interest and not having their faces buried in phones and laptops all day. That being said… more computers and extra chairs seemed to be a necessity. I had to reserve a time and wait, and when it was finally my turn, there were no chairs left so I had to kneel down and work that way, which was annoying. This was mostly due to kids having their friends gathered around computers with their friends, who I assume took chairs from the other computer stations. Someone should probably monitor against that those with computer reservations are guaranteed to have a seat while they work.
Those two things aside, it’s a lovely little library. Very clean, relatively quiet. I’m sure I’ll visit often!

I honestly cannot knock a library. This particular branch has been of great help to me over the years. I wouldn’t have gotten my school projects done without it. It was a very nice building when it first opened in the mid-​90s. Fast-​forward 20 years and of course it’s going to be in sorry shape. It’s been beat up along with the rest of the Hilltop, and the current state of the economy isn’t helping.
The area IS low-​income. This is the Hilltop. You should EXPECT that. Carla and Morgan are complaining about kids waiting for the computer terminals. Either they don’t realize, or they forget that a lot of the kids (and even adults) that come in don’t have internet access at home, so this is the one place they can go to get on the internet to check their email and work on homework projects. I do wish that they would block Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, because that’s not productive and doesn’t send the right message home.
When I was in school, I never had to use the homework help center, but every time I’ve gone in, it’s been busy during the school months. This particular branch also partners up with Hilltop-​area schools that have book clubs (I went to Briggs, and we had a book club) to ensure that club members have their monthly read. The librarian that supplied us also arranged monthly meetings during the summers. For whatever they’re lacking, they more than make up for it by ensuring that kids are reading. They used to be really good at getting parents involved, but I’m not sure how well that’s going now.
I grew up going to this library. I’m sadder than anyone that it’s dying with my side of town, and angry that nothing is being done to improve the West Side and save our library.

I’d agree that the Hilltop branch has potential. Check out the Web site. There is a section called Did You Know? According to that, Hilltop is supposed to have 145,000 volumes, making it on the larger side of the branches — and with a building that size, it could certainly hold that much. There are also supposed to be, as they claim, «extensive collections of local history, English as a second language materials, and a collection of foreign language materials (particularly Spanish).» So, my question is where is all of this if there’s almost nothing on the stacks? And it’s not just the book stacks that are empty; it’s also the same for the magazines and audio visual sections.
Hilltop branch does seem to be friendly for English as Second Language speakers, which is a plus. Their homework help centers are supposed to be run by people who are bilingual. Spanish language story times have been hosted in the past as well as English courses.
I do give props for the building itself. It is a very pretty building with an old courthouse style to it.
But, Hilltop branch could use a little shaping up. I have been there before with a friend who was trying to work on their homework and people were talking loudly around us and none of the librarians said anything to them. Granted, I should have spoke up at that point, but I didn’t.
And I, myself, have been treated curtly by the people behind the checkout counters. Once, I was asking for a simple request, yet I was extremely tired and was having some trouble formulating my thoughts. I understand it may have been frustrating listening to me, but it didn’t call for being rude with me. However, it’s probably only a small handful of people because other times I have been treated fairly. They were very helpful and patient, for instance, when I needed to get copies for a very large print from a book.
Lastly, if Hilltop branch was living up to what it says it is supposed to be, I think it could help out the area quite a bit. The Hilltop area, as Morgan B mentioned, is rundown, which is an outward expression of its low income and funding.

If I could, I’d live in a library. There’s just so much potential there. But the Hilltop Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library is so sad.
It’s a beautiful building outside and in. The outside has a simple architectural design but shoddy landscaping. The inside has tall, peaked ceilings; tall, thick display shelves; and an old-​time check-​out counter with spiraled wooden rails.
The sad thing about this library is that there are hardly any books. I walked down aisle upon aisle of half-​stocked or one-​third stocked shelves. I even saw entirely empty shelves, lots of them. The books that are there outdated or plain out boring. The multi-​media check-​out section barely exists. It broke my heart to be in this place.
I went around 5p, when a bunch of bustling low-​income kids were hanging out. All of them were waiting to sit at one of the many computer terminals. I’m glad Hilltop has lots of computer stations, but I don’t want the library to become a place to go just for free internet service.
I did see a large room where homework help was happening. There were a few tutors milling around but only about two students, one of them middle-​aged.
The staff was friendly enough. There was a security guard at the front basically making sure the kids walked instead of ran. There were plenty of people behind the counters. No one bugged me while I looked around. At check-​out, the woman who was manning my line was curt a bit impatient with the semi-​annoying family in front of me. I could tell she’d had a long day, and this place is probably a bit disheartening to work at, so I can’t hold it against her. The staff was doing its best, but they don’t have a lot to work with.
The surrounding neighborhood is rundown. The fact that there was a guard on duty and that the multi-​media reserves are held behind the counter alerted me that the Hilltop branch has seen its share of trouble.
Hopefully the city library system can put more effort into the Hilltop branch. The residents there were definitely using the facility. The place was packed, especially with kids. But there wasn’t a whole lot to take home.