Schlessman Family Branch Library

It really bums me out to not give this library a good review.
I usually attend the book babies on Fridays, which is FANTASTIC! However…
I decided to stop in and get a new library card, I had one but wasn’t sure if it was still active or what, besides I lost my card and needed a new one. I had had a hectic and stressful morning and thought this would be a good way to relax with my 18 mo old the rest of the afternoon, a bounty of new books to read! I walked up to the desk, and a lady with red hair is who I was needing help from. I didn’t have my ID, (turns out it was flung into my diaper bag-​HOW is beyond me, like I said, rough morning!!!) and that was that. I asked if she could at least check to see if it was active if she couldn’t issue me a new one since I couldn’t find my ID. Nope. I asked if I could verify everything on the account if she could help me. NOPE. I even have an e-​mail confirming a payment (lost book on my account), that shows who I am, how much I paid, how I paid and when I paid, but it was evident this woman wasn’t interested in helping me at all. I told her that I have called in the past and without verifying my PHOTO ID, someone was always able to help me (and even able to take a payment from me in the past!!!), in fact I told her that I bet I could call and get someone to help me… She didn’t seem to believe me when I told her. She was dismissive and totally unwilling to continue any sort of conversation that involved listening to helping me. Awesome.
So, I called the downtown library and sure enough! Someone helped me! LOL. Someone was friendly, helpful and willing to help me. They did have to verify other info, like address and name, etc. but the point is they were WILLING to help me. I called this library back and spoke to someone who I let know that its odd and pretty LAZY and TERRIBLE that someone comes into your place (a library of all places) and some red head woman that works there is the laziest and most unhelpful person I have encountered in a very long time, of course this is solely my opinion but I would imagine her tag line is «not my job» or «I’m a bare minimum employee». If you don’t want to help people, don’t work at a library!
There are some great things about this library, for example, the librarian that does the book classes for little kids is AMAZING. She is so nice, interactive and brings such a great energy. This is a special class that offers reading books, singing, and play time between other like aged kids — pretty great!
That being said, overall my rating is low. I LOVE the baby meet up, it is very special, unique and fantastic. However, much of my overall rating is due to the one time I actually used the library or tried to in a manner that is universal to everyone, and this is what I got. Lazy, terrible, customer service.

It’s ok if you get in, get out. Boulevard One is going to make parking/​traffic even more difficult. I’ve had horrible customer service from the male librarian (glasses, balding), recommend avoiding him for any questions. Learned this after a few attempts to get help.

This library is not my top choice but it will work in a pinch and is near my daughters school so I have been a few times. Last week I went in and had an unusual experience with a staff member named Nikki. The employees at this location are always kind and warm so I was surprised by NIkki’s aggressive, rude and curious behavior. I came to the library 10 minutes before closing knowing exactly what I needed. I was trying to just get in and out quickly without bothering anyone just before closing but Nikki approached me to find out why I was there and what I needed. For the next 2 very long minutes I was in the library she lectured me on the libraries book hold policy and closing times. She spoke over me, talked down to me and was visibly upset that I was there. The back story is that I placed a book on hold that day and came in to retrieve it. I checked both the hold rack and then attempted to look in the children’s section for the book before Nikki approached me. I am just glad I did not bring my daughter with me as I would have had a hard time explaining why this person we didn’t know was lecturing us. I normally don’t post things like this but it was so jarring I felt moved to let someone know.

Friendly employees and always clean.
It’s a very cool designed building with a children’s area, plenty of computers to research/​browse the internet, reading areas and an area for DVDs and CDs to check out.
Make sure to check their hours as they are closed Fridays and every major Holiday.
Parking can be challenging as the lot isn’t huge (30ish spaces) and this is a very popular branch.

Very nice library — bring my little sister here periodically for homework nights.
Libraries are nice and helpful.
Parking lot is regularly full — popular spot!

This location is nice and the staff is very helpful. However it’s one of the noisiest libraries I’ve ever been to and the parking lot is a joke-​ridiculously crowded. With that said, at least they have free parking unlike a couple of other locations.

Our back up location when our’s is closed. This one seems more kid friendly and is one of the louder libraries — i was expecting to see a ball pit, video games and the pizza rat walking around and hugging kids on our 1^st visit. However, it is a comfortable library with a good layout. And the free parking is nice.

This is a newer branch of the DPL. I really love this branch for its spiffy architecture. The building itself is pretty small but its not terribly crowded to the point where I can’t grab myself a seat. The librarians are kind and helpful people. I wish they were open a lot more often but poor government funding is poor.

As far as libraries go this one is okay. The staff behind the front desk could be a little more friendly but they do seem very helpful.
I’m actually okay with a little less friendly as it tends to lead to less nicey-​nice conversations when they are checking people out or answering questions. Right to the point is good most of the time.
I like the fact that the parking lot is one way but are those that don’t pay attention to this and go the wrong way. You might think that since they are visiting a library that they already know how to read but perhaps not. I do wish the parking lot was a little bigger.
I love the ability to reserve books on line and they notify when they have arrived and you just have to pop in and pick them up. I can find items in Denver that I can’t seem to find at other systems, like Douglas County.

I want to like this place. It’s a new library, with nifty layout and good location and collection.
But, being a Denver denizen (yes, who reads and researches on top of fighting crime and Denver’s reprobate business establishments), I frequent its libraries. And have meetings in their libraries as well.
Although the library collection is okay and they have most newer DVDs and CDs (which is a big deal these days of massive cuts), their parking lot is tiny and their staff, for the most part, is not helpful.
There’s a woman who answers all phone calls and works at the reference desk with a speech impediment. I have nothing against people with speech impediments… but does it make sense to put them on the phones and have them answering every single phone call coming in while answering reference questions. And on top of that, the woman is snippy, brusque, rude, abrupt, and incorrect as well. Just asking her for information on library events sent her into a twisting frenzy of confusion… stuttering out that she didn’t have feedback on that matter and I’d have to look online whether events were posted accurately or not, and whatever information was not listed they simply could not know. And then, when I asked her to help me find a particular DVD title not listed on their (always occupied) reference computer desk, she told me I’d just have to wait for a free spot and that she couldn’t look it up for me.
And in between calls and mumbling what she could not know, she takes out a sudoku magazine. Nice job.
Then one evening the Mrs. and I try to hold a meeting in their unoccupied conference room, which the public may rent per hour. So we pay our money and rent the room. After paying our money, we get no receipt, and then on the day of the event we have to spend 15 minutes cleaning up the filthy room and stacking chairs and tables from the librarian meeting that came before. And then during out conference a librarian comes in telling us that we have to leave the door open at all times and raise all blinds and curtains at all times so they can be able to look into the room to see what we’re doing. Nice.
So, those are my gripes: lack of parking spaces (except when they’re closed), rude and inept reference librarian with bizarre speech impediment, rude and inept staff that won’t clean rooms prior to renting them out. Guess that’s about it.

I love this place… the staff is helpful, there is never a wait, and there are several self-​check out machines. The only negative would be that the parking lot has very limited spots… granted at least there is a lot and you don’t have to pay to park, but I still wish it was bigger since the streets around it are usually lined with other patrons.

I LOVE THIS LOCATION.
I literally drive 20 mins out of my way to come here. Clean, always have the books I need and parking! Need I say more?

I love the library and lately this library has been doing it for me especially since the Cherry Creek branch is under construction. I LOVE that there is a parking lot here and you don’t have to pay for parking – I hate that at CC and downtown you have to pay to go to the library if you drive. (maybe just a pet peeve of mine but still)
I like that this library is relatively new and they have a great staff at the reference desk who are always helpful and nothing but nice. My favorite thing is to check out cookbooks because a) they’re fairly expensive to buy unless you’re at cosco and b) I don’t have nearly enough room in my apartment to hold all the cookbooks I want so this gives me the chance to check out ones that I might not usually look at and put the recipes I like into my recipe database!

Find me a library in Denver (other than Central) that doesn’t have a terrible parking situation and I’ll call you a liar. Yes, the parking situation is ass, but buy a pair of walking shoes or a bicycle and get some cardio the next time you check out that Danielle Steele novel, Full House DVD set, or Rick Astley CD.
Use the reserve/​hold system and save time (and money — i’ll browse Borders/B&N and put items on hold at the library via the trusty iPhone) —
1. Go to
— put anything the Denver Library system has (or will have soon — PRE-​ORDERS!) on hold.
2. Wait patiently. (Is it there yet?)
3. A robo-​call (or e-​mail) will let you know it’s there. (Victory!)
4. Walk or bike (or be prepared to walk from wherever you end up parking when you find out the parking lot is filled to capacity) to the library and pick up your stuff! (I recommend using the way-​cool self-​service check-​out systems — NEAT-​O KEEN-​O!)
Yes, the place is filled with people acting in non-​Victorian ways and it can get a bit loud — lighten up people! If you can’t take dealing with people, stay in your ivory tower (or basement).

Shhhh… secret time… these people let you take books, videos, DVDs, of all shapes and topics for free! All you have to do is show your library card. What you say? No library card? The horror!
Seriously, when you don’t want to deal with the hustle and bustle of the down town branch, this is a bit out of the way but well worth it.
Parking, well that can be a challenge, just park on the street and save yourself the headache or pray to St. Bridget, she is the patron saint of parking spaces. Trust me, it works!
Free books people! Free books, oh, I just got wiggly!

This library is such a disappointment. Whatever happened to being QUIET in a library? People regularly blab on their cell phones or have very loud conversations with their friends sitting at the computers. It’s unbelievable. I wish this were not the closet branch to my home, but it is. I’m currently sitting inside the library as I type this and there are 3 older teens, who should know better, carrying on a very loud conversation with half the patrons glaring at them. Unbelievable. I hate it.

Out of the three libraries that I’ve been to this is my favorite. It is my favorite because Book Babies is much more interactive here than anywhere else. At the other library theyd give us time to read a book with our kid, well my kid was off playing with someone else’s kid so there was no reading sometimes. At this library we all read the books together and sing together. This way the kids who were off playing come back wondering whats up and join in. There is also music at the end and many of the kids like to show off their moves and its way cute.

I really like this place. It is a modern day gathering place and not your Father’s library. It has a good selection of cds, videos, magazines, and yes even BOOKS! I only wish it was a little larger and had a bigger parking lot, then again I have ridden my bike here numerous times so not in need of the parking lot. That’s it, by making the lot somewhat small they are encouraging NOT driving a car here, typical Colorado (just kidding!)

Schlessman Family Branch is a wonderful and shining example of how libraries are changing to meet the needs of patrons. It is exciting and upbeat with a very helpful and knowledgeable staff who do everything they can to provide a fun library experience. Yes it has a small parking lot and is noisier than your typical library, but that shouldn’t deter you from coming. If you want some quiet then yes, go to one of the smaller branches. If you want eye catching excitement, then go to Schlessman!

If you have to go to a library on the east side of Denver, I’d suggest avoiding this one. It has nothing to do with the staff, because they’re great. They actually have a decent selection of books, videos, etc, too.
The thing is, the place is always jam-​packed with people, many of whom do not grasp the concept of «inside voices.» It also seems like a good percentage of people go there merely to check their Myspace and Facebook accounts on the public computers and could care less about using the library to, I don’t know, check out books, for instance.
Also? The parking lot is ass. It’s worse than finding a spot at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving.
My suggestion? Get on
and select books that way and just put them on hold, then pick them up at the Ross-​Cherry Creek or Park Hill branch. You’ll save yourself a headache.