Durham County Public Library

I typically go here to rent DVDs. You can rent 10 at a time and they have some great documentaries and scripted cinema. My library card allows me to access Hoopla where I can stream 4 titles per month for free. There is always plenty of parking and the staff are very nice.

To be honest, I’ve been to libraries in other places, mainly big cities, that are a lot larger with a wider selection and much more appealing architecturally than Durham County’s Main Library. It’s up to the citizens to invest in the libraries, but given Durham’s population and income diversity, the Durham County Library is doing a great job with the resources they have. The building housing the Main Library is showing its age and is well past its glory days following its opening in 1980, but given Durham’s history of supporting its library (first tax-​supported library, first professional librarian, first bookmobile, etc.), the Main library will continue to evolve, invest, redesign and eventually outgrow its current shell.
First and foremost, I head to the library for books, and the Main library has the largest selection of the 3M+ books in circulation in the Durham County Library System. When I feel the desire to spend money which I shouldn’t, the reward of lugging home a big stack of books quickly satisfies the desire to consume. I’d be hard pressed to not find a book (or even 20 books) I’d love to checkout on a given visit, but if you can’t find what you need, you can have books from the other libraries in the system, plus those from Wake and Orange counties, sent over. The children’s section is huge and I remember having a lot of good times there in the early 80’s. Though I don’t have a need to visit the kids section today, it looks as if it remains much the same from outside the doors which contain the noise. Beyond books to borrow, there’s A/​V materials, you can check out a reusable bag to carry your books home, use a computer, learn from rotating displays on the history of Durham and environs, enjoy artwork from schoolchildren and profession artists, take classes, listen to lectures and purchase books on the cheap which no longer have the same demand as when they were first released.
They have a large staff, and I’ve never had an issue finding someone to help when I’ve needed a librarian to point me the correct direction or give advise on an option I’d not considered. Good people work at the library. I’d think it’d be a great job as no customer can be livid about things being free, but I’d imagine the librarians might have a different story to tell.
My taxes pitch in to cover the cost, but I’m also slack and have been nailed with a few fines which are used to better the system. The fines add up quickly, but the library would prefer you didn’t encounter the fines and sends email reminders and let’s you renew online as long as your books aren’t already late. What they won’t do is waive a fine, which I think they did in the past. If you are someone whose wallet can’t cover the costs of your own mistakes, don’t make mistakes.
There are things which could be better, but the library is always improving and surprising me with new services and the technology which supports them. The investment in technology means that visits to the library are needed less, such as eBook loans and catalog browsing, but I don’t think that it’ll ever replace the wonderful smell of thousands of mildewy books.
I love my local library, and hopefully you love your local library, and if you don’t, it’s up to you to change it. If you don’t feel the library deserves five stars, work to fix it.

The library has seen some needed furniture upgrade since I was here a year ago. This addition makes the library a lot better and not as grungy looking. Still, all the other regional libraries of Durham County are a lot nicer since the buildings are a lot newer.

I LOVE this library. I love the selection, the old building and the useful technology. I find what I want about 85% of the time and just put in an online request to hold it and go pick it up. The new self-​checkout system is awesome and quick. There are some really, really cool online encylopedia resources that I haven’t fully explored but will hopefully get to (hello Daily Life Online!). The best part for me is the kid’s area, which is huge and has the coolest handmade murals-​dinosaurs and Scooby Doo and undersea creatures… Toddler story time is great and FREE on Wednesdays and there are other programs throughout the week. I also get the feeling like there are hidden rooms and passages tucked away. There is a secret little garden on the first floor between the computers and biography section that always takes me by surprise. One of my very favorite places in Durham.
Also, they have newsletters of recommendations that you can get by email. I love Armchair Travel.

I love the library.
Getting a library card requires jumping through a few hoops, sure, like bringing in proof of residence, and a real ID. Once you get it, though, you have access to a great library system.
I spent a good summer browsing the fiction (especially SF), but now I primarily use the hold system. I have a long list of books (on bookarmy) and I just put them into the library system and a few days later I get a call and I can pick up the books at my favorite branch (downtown btw) with no hassle. They pull from all the branches, so I don’t have to hunt around at the different locations. There is also an online request system for books, but I haven’t had anything come in yet.
They often have lots of great new releases and so I don’t have to wait too long to get the books I want. They also have a good selection of graphic novels and young adult fiction.
Online, they also have downloadable audiobooks and ebooks.
support the library. it is good for you.

I’m the first to admit that
has made me spoiled. At the click of a button, shazam — books are en route to my house, with SuperSaver shipping. Recently, though, I’ve rediscovered the fun of the library. Saving money is nice.
The Durham library and I got off to a bit of a rough start — the librarians were quite stringent about the rules and regulations of obtaining a library card, and later gave me grief for using a card with my husband’s name on it (I thought it was a «family» account. Apparently not.). So that irked me. What I do like about the libraries here is that although the individual branches may not have nearly enough books for an avid reader, they have a very efficient online request system. When you think of a book you want, you can go online and request it, making a note of which branch you’d like to pick your book up at. You then receive an automated call when it’s ready. I’m over at my local branch (Southwest) almost every week picking up books that are waiting nicely for me on a shelf, wrapped in a piece of paper with my name on it.