Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill

Clean, modern, library with a nice kids section where your little ones can play with toys and pull book after book off the shelves without being scolded (sorry librarians!). Children must be supervised by an adult at all times.
No food is allowed but covered drinks are, which is nice. Also good house coffee from Commonplace coffee just a few doors down. Comfortable climate controlled environment, which can get loud at times during peak hours, but this does not bother me. Internet can be on the slower side but it’s free!

Very modern and clean. Big teen section. Outdoor garden. Huge children’s section. Lots of computers. Easy to find material. Quiet areas for reading and homework etc. people are friendly and willing to help with finding materials. Bathrooms are decent. Nice place overall.

Really friendly staff. Always great selection and they take pride in keeping the place updated. Only thing that stinks is the parking, but that is not the libraries fault. I wish they were open earlier on Sunday. Very nice outdoor area too with a garden– when its not winter!

Superb. If you find yourself walking down Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill with unsettling nasties from that lox and cream cheese omelette you ate ten minutes prior, look no further than the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill Edition.
The public restrooms in the CLPSQHLL are beautifully decorated with all the modern touches. The tiling work — breathtaking. And the orange shade of paint is unexpected but really, so chic.
I felt right at home in the toilet stalls as I vomited the Uncle L.E.O (Lox, Eggs and Onions, FYI) Omelette right back into the universe. The stall size is pretty accommodating for such practice and the toilet seats are clean as a whistle — just waiting for you to wet your whistle!!! You’ll find no other bathroom users will bother you in the process. In fact, a small French child may crouch down beneath the stall door to ask if you are okay being sprawled across the floor of the bathroom.
If you are feeling too ill to walk, rest your food poisoned body in one of the many luxurious leather lounges available, over looking a gorgeous view of the Murray Avenue Rite Aid. Don’t mind the other library goers, they are too busy reading their graphic novels or Yahoo News to notice the possible vomit on your person. Just sleep it off until a librarian gently nudges you awake, because the library is closing in five minutes.

My purpose for using this library is for work and to occasionally check out a book. As a consultant I often have time that I «work from home» and this library is my go-​to spot for getting out of the apartment and working in an environment where I don’t have to buy a coffee every day.
While this library is very nice in that it is clean and very aesthetically pleasing, it drives me nuts in almost every other way possible.
Pros:
— attractive space
— plenty of tables to read/​study/​work
— internet service is fairly fast for a public space
Cons:
— The entire library is one open space in which sound travels fascinatingly well. Whoever designed this building is an idiot.
— The staff couldn’t be less concerned about controlling the noise level.
— I’ve never seen more poorly mannered children in my entire life than in this library.
— I dare you to walk into this library looking for a specific book and walk out with it. Save yourself the trouble by finding it on their online catalog and having it sent to the library.

The staff at the Squirrel Hill branch are incredibly friendly, and the library is always clean and organized.

Besides being an exceptionally cool place to visit — their online selection, and delivery, is fantastic.
For example — I LOVE books on tape. I go to their website — order a book on tape and have it delivered to my local branch. Listen, return, repeat.
The also have them available for download to you iPad, iphone, etc.

Are you freakin’ kidding me? One of the best and most beautiful libraries I have ever been to. You mean I get to use this place for free, just for living here? All right!
Perhaps not super wonderful for studying. (Didn’t see any carrels or quiet study rooms/​areas.) That would be my only complaint.
Parking is paid in an adjacent (and crowded) lot. Think it costs a dollar an hour.

I forgot how much fun a library can be. So much I had to visit it twice in the week.
It has been years since I stepped foot into a library, what with all the media at our fingertips from our computers to our phones we forget about these oases that are filled with free knowledge. It was nice to just putz around inside the walls of this library.
I filled out an application for a library card and thought to myself that I would come back at another time and pick something out. On my way out however, my mind had other plans. I saw a book I’ve been wanting to read for a while and been too stingy to buy it. Lo and behold with my new found power of the library card, I was able to take that book with me that day and I’m already halfway through that book.
Not to mention if you need to get on the Internet in a pinch you can do it here. Even at it’s busiest, I think there were still free computers to use. If you haven’t been to a library branch lately, you really ought to get out and discovery one soon. It’s quite the eye opening experience.

I go to this library at least 3 times a week to tutor, and afterwards I always spend time to read there. This Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill is located strategically, has kind and helpful librarians and they keep things neat and clean! Love it!
Unlike the one in Oakland, this particular library is rather noisy. You can hear people talking here and there, but for somebody who needs to work in a quiet place, the noise level doesn’t bother me at all. You can always find a table to work at.
Street or garage parking is available, bus stops are right across from the library, after-​hour return box is located in the parking lot underneath.
Generally speaking, I’m satisfied with Carnegie library. Their online catalog is easy to navigate, hi-​speed internet is available, spacious, and the selection of books and movies is excellent! Hopefully the city budget cuts won’t have any significant effects on the public library.

Keep the library’s convenient, modern, automated parking garage in mind when visiting this groovy neighborhood. For $ 2, Kay and I got over 2 hours of parking here late last week while we supped at Silk Elephant, indulged at Cold Stone Creamery, and unhurriedly strolled the lively streets of Squirrel Hill on a sultry Friday night, taking in the diversity to and from our dining destinations.

I’ve got to update and upgrade my review here. Not only has it been almost three years since I’ve reviewed it, but the CLP has done some serious renovations over the past few years. How could I, a bibliophile (thanks to my librarian mother) who uses the library regularly, have been so remiss?
So my sister-​in-​law called me up and asked me if I’d like to take my niece Allison to the library today to help with a project on Mark Twain. Would I?! Are the Beach Boys over the hill? Does Ticketmaster still rip people off? Did Steinbeck and Dickens write good books? Asking me to help someone find a book is like asking an etymologist to find words. Allison’s at the age now where she’s using the adult section.
We also saw a fine program today, «Hurricanes, Lightning and Tornadoes, Oh my!» featuring Dennis Bowman from KDKA-​TV. He gave several weather related demonstrations including how tornadoes are formed and how weather balloons work.
Who says libraries are obsolete?

Great local library! Beautifully redone in the past year or two. Has a drive-​by book return in the parking lot underneath.