Columbus Metropolitan Library – Hilliard Branch

We love this library, it’s a good place to go when the weather isn’t great. Activities are great, we attended a «Jammin’ With Annie» event recently and loved it… My two year old loves the train table and everything else in the children’s area. We always come home with a large stack of books that he’s excited to read. Looking forward to attending more fun events with him :)

I love the ample amount of parking. Decent size inside, enough space to move around and never feel squished.
Computers are front and center. Quiet study spaces and conference rooms run the sides.
Lots of things going on — especially overthrust met months. Reading camps, signing time (for the little ones), craft areas. If you live close, and have young children, this is a fantastic respite for you mind and body :)

There a couple of branches local to me but this is my favorite branch so far! They were one of my first stops upon arriving in Columbus and I was able to quickly get a card for my son and I! When the staff found out I was new to the area, they gave me maps of Ohio and the local areas including street maps, a calendar of events that were coming up and details on their kids club.
The location itself is bright and open and inviting with plenty of seating. Books are easy to find but there is plenty of staff available to assist you. My son enjoyed browsing the kid’s section and I love that they have a section of popular titles available right as you enter so you can easily pick something new if you want a quick trip.
I also love that you can use self-​checkout! Scan your card, enter your PIN and scan your books. Done! No line. No waiting. Returns are easy too and it is super convenient that you can return your books to other branches.
This isn’t the main branch downtown so the selection isn’t as big but it is definitely worth the trip! Plus, you can order books online and have them ready for pickup at your local branch. So nice!

Cool building, easy to find everything, librarians are nice but I prefer self checkout. Bike parking out front… bonus! Flowers in the spring. And yes, they have books, and if it’s not there you can request it to be sent over from another library!

Who reviews public libraries? No food here, although Grand China is a few yards away. For a low-​priced Americanized Chinese place, Grand China is OK. There is also some bar here, so you can read to the kids and then go meet some local Hilliard alkies.
Even when we have fines, they are nice. Clean bathrooms but smell like an elementary school. Full of books, if you are into that kind of thing. Stuck in drab Hilliard, which is of course unforgivable.

The Hilliard Branch is SUPER large for a branch library, and has a ton of selection on hand. It is conveniently located in the middle of Hilliard, and has plenty of parking. It is probably the largest of any branch that I have visited.
Their media selection is also very big, and you can always find something to take home. Of course, if you can’t, you can reserve it and pick it up later.
I’ve never had any issues with the self-​checkouts, although sometimes the computers can get very busy.
I also really like the architecture of this building.

This is my favorite library while it is also the closest to my house. I do drive by two others on my commute to work but I will drive out of my way to go here for browsing for a book or DVD.
First of all the staff is wonderful here and always helpful. They are involved in the community and really help out with their homework centers. They have a good set-​up with the their computers for little ones, teens, and adults.
I like how their entire set-​up is done as it easy to find and not crowded. I liked the old spot for DVDs but the new spot against the wall isn’t bad except sometimes a glare can make it hard to read.

The Hilliard library — been a fan of the library since I was a little girl. LOVED to read when I was a kid and now I wish that I had more time to do that.
I was in the library today to pick up a DVD and a book. Ok — so I am trying my best to start reading again amongst my busy work schedule and social life. But I will have to say that every time I go into the library, they are always very friendly and helpful. I always search for certain books online and then have the library reserve them for me. Kind of works better with my schedule too. But today when I went in there to get the DVD, the gentleman behind the counter was nice enough to explain to me how they get those DVDs out of the darn holders. I guess it wasnt ‘clicking’ upstairs, so he watched me struggle for a second and then came over to help me. (Sheesh, I swear I must have blonde roots somewhere! ha!!)
But overall the library has always been and still is a great place to go visit. LOVE IT!

Outside of the Main Library the biggest of the branches are Hilliard, Karl Road and Whetstone, each with 170,000 volumes. I like the Hilliard branch, one because of the cool building with its angles and points. But I also like it for many other reasons. They have a large children’s section with many stacks, books on CD, kids’ DVDs, a plus kid-​sized reading area with a little play place. The stacks for adults are even more numerous. Magazines are in decent supply. They even have some periodicals. An area is set aside for teens and is so-​so; it has some stacks and some chairs. Audio visual has books on CD, music CDs, and DVDs in a somewhat sizeable area. Personal study tables are in an out of the way place by windows, which always helps to boost the morale with the natural light. Hilliard has a closed off quiet study room with plenty of light from windows and open space. Seating for kicking back and reading is in convenient locations away from traffic. I also enjoyed the paintings on the wall. Computers are in abundance and free Wi-​Fi is available. Free English classes are also taught, as well as children’s story times.

For not being a main branch, the Hilliard branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library is pretty decent. Its fiction section stocks most of the classics, but if you want any good modern fiction, you’ll probably have to pre-​request your books and pick them up when they arrive. I find myself doing this every trip. The same goes for vegetarian literature. Once I’ve picked up my order, I meander around the shelves to see if I can find anything else that sparks my interest, as a bonus. That way I never leave feeling disappointed.
The Hilliard branch has a good number of computer terminals, and there’s almost always one open. There are also a few private study rooms in the back, which I think every library should be required to have.
This isn’t the quietest place in town. I always encounter noisy kids and adults on cell phones. This branch is really centered on small children. The only events held here are children’s storytimes interspersed with the occasional book discussion for adults.
The staff is always around, which actually just makes me a little nervous. I hate when I’m in the middle of a perfectly good exploration and someone jumps in front of me and asks if I need help. Can’t just walk aimlessly through the library? Do I have to make a B-​line for the item I want and get out?
Another thing about the staff, don’t trust their recommended reading section… Other than that, they’re good people who will always help you find what you need if you are seriously looking for something specific.