Montgomery County Public Libraries – Silver Spring Branch

This is for the new library on Fenton and Wayne, not the old library on Colesville Road.
Appalling.
I don’t know where to begin. First, there is no free (or even convenient) parking anywhere close during the week, and on weekends you need to park in a lot several stories up. Second, the «24÷7» outside book drop didn’t work. Third, you need to take an elevator to the 3^rd floor to get to the main floor of the library, but you either need to take an escalator or stairs to the fourth (adult) or fifth floors. And when you get your book (s), you need to go back to the third floor to check out (why not have checkouts, or even computer-​checkouts on all 3 floors?) Fourth, the DVD checkout is done through some kind of vending machine that doesn’t allow you to read the descriptions on the DVDs. Fifth, the street-​level «holds lockers» didn’t work when I tried it. I got a response to a question from the library to the effect that you need to place holds via «holds lockers” – there was no explanation on the library’s web site, nor on the library site, and the instructions at the site offered no explanation of «code» required to get your books.
The good news: There are more books at the new library than at the old library, but the pain of getting them isn’t worth it. I will drive a few miles and go to other branches. We’ll see if they improve in a few months.
I think the library was designed by architects with no experience in public libraries, and approved by county politicians with no experience going to neighborhood libraries.

It gets five stars because all public libraries get five stars. It doesn’t get five stars because it compares to, e.g., San Diego’s Central library. But public libraries and librarians are important to society. Spotty slow internet. Some Amharic books. Looking forward to new SS library.

County cannot finish new library fast enough. It’s a very small library by county standards, not near the new rebuilt downtown Silver Spring.
I came on a Monday morning in the summer and it didn’t open until 1! Had kids 2 and 6 with me. Who isn’t open Monday am in summer!

I really dislike this place.
First of all, it’s tiny. It takes up one floor of a really, really old building. For some reason, this place is always packed with people including kids, parents, and seemingly homeless people. Since there is always so many people packed in, it has a permanent stench of old books and body odor.
Second, it is possible to get a wide variety of books through the entire Montgomery County Library System, but the selection of books actually at this branch is limited, especially for books that aren’t new releases. More often than not, I have to get my books through interlibrary loan, which can take up to a week for the book to arrive.
Third, renewing through the website is hit or miss. I have been able to successfully log in to my online account maybe 40% of the time. Most of the time, I get an error message, even when I avoid the maintenance hours of Sunday 6am to 11:30 am and every morning 6:30 to 8:30. Plus, I have tried using the telephone renewal service multiple times, but I have never been able to get through to a person or an automated system. This is incredibly frustrating.
Fourth, it does have a digital library for ebooks, but again, the selection isn’t great. For any of the popular books, there invariably is a wait. I got on the waiting list for «The Lowland» at number 272, and I’ve been waiting for about 4 months.
The only thing going for this place is the abundant parking behind it. That’s about it. For the taxes that we way to live in this county, I would have expected more. I hope things improve after the new library is built.

This library is ALWAYS packed! Gee-​wiz… I guess people like to read here lol. I go to study and print. It is quiet and everyone is respectful. The building is pretty old and small so it can get crowded. It is better to go earlier than later, especially if you need to use their computers but you can use their wifi and print from your personal computer if needed. It is a simple library, very old-​fashioned but it does what it needs to do.

Its old but the staff are super helpful and friendly. I enjoy going by and checking out audio books — sometimes you actually find some really new ones.
Parking is monopolized by apartment dwellers and no one seems to monitor this.
Hope the new facility is nice too.

I feel like the crowd here is a little harsh. Yes, it is a bit of an old building, but this library has a lot going for it (and this is obvious to me after only one visit).
First, they have a huge selection of new books. They had multiple copies of many very popular new releases. Their selection of other books is also large, and they have a big movie and CD collection as well.
Second, the service was quick and super friendly. I had a new library card in my hand within 3 minutes, and the librarian took time to explain to me in detail how the library works.
Third, there is lots and lots of comfy seating and on a sunny day I think there wold be lots of nice natural light.
There are also 10 computer stations available for public use and most of them were free at the time I was there, which I have to think is a busy time since it was afternoon on a Saturday.
It is a bit out of the way if you have no car but I think this will be a nice neighborhood library for me. I feel it deserves 4 stars.

It’s old, and it’s small, and it has a funny smell. That being said, it gets the job done. They have plenty of free parking, and people that live next door often just park in the lot, and leave their cars their for an «extended stay.» This library may be home to a nice supply of homeless hanging out here all day, but they have the best selection of new books (I’m talking came out yesterday new new) than some of the other newer libraries in moco such as Bethesda. Impressive! Unfortunately, while I was studying for the bar last summer, I chose not to come here because it was just too loud with uncontrollable kids and their owners. Which is sad, since it is a library and all! After bar passage I can now schmooze it up with the rest of em however!

I’ve been coming here a lot lately since my laptop died on me. They have over a dozen free computers to use on a first come — first serve basis. There is a one hour time limit if someone else is waiting, and a two hour maximum use per day.
I usually go to Chevy Chase Library for this, but they were closed for most of December for repairs. The computers here at the Silver Spring branch offer no privacy, so do your
searching at a friend’s house.
It’s an okay library, but not for long, since they have been building the new Silver Spring library at Wayne and Fenton for several years now. No more free parking once that one is completed, but it will be metro friendly.
I hope when the move happens they plan to take the iconic statue of The Lion and the Mouse standing on an open book. It wouldn’t be the same without it.

A small library located off of colesville road and right next to downtown silver spring, this branch offers you all the basics but not too much more. Its collection is small but touches just about every topic. However, if you’re looking for a specific title you’re better off going online to the website catalog and requesting the book be transferred to this branch.
There’s plenty of FREE parking in the rear (there’s a few MoCo libraries that require you to pay to park and some of them don’t even offer 1 – 2 hrs free validation :-(
The computers are few, the wifi can be kinda spotty, the CD/​DVD collection is small and you occasionally get the loud talkers and rambunctious youngsters running about so it’s not the ideal study spot either. But, for a quick visit to browse, have a meeting in the downstairs meeting rooms, or pick up an item you reserved via the online catalog, it fits the bill.

I was impressed with the clean, cosy and welcoming environment. I visited the public library in downtown DC and it was pretty depressing and sadly doubling as a homeless shelter. This library had a lot of families who had brought their young children to pick out some books. It seemed very diverse. I spent some in the computer area and was able to get some good work done.

It’s old and it’s small. At least there’s plenty of parking. The good news is that we should be able to enjoy a new, larger library in a few years:

Three cheers for free books, DVDs, and CDs! The only problem is that Silver Spring is currently stuck with a small, antiquated library that doesn’t lend itself to my browsing needs. Their jazz CD «section» consists of about 10 CDs of which I have taken out all the ones that interested me in about a month’s time. The DVD section has improved slightly, but its still pretty barren except for a plethora of strange foreign titles. Every once in a while you will find something good, but not often enough to make it your go-​to place for a movie. The magazine section also leaves much to be desired (especially compared to the Bethesda’s branch selection).
The one saving grace about the library is that it is part of the county system, therefore if you look online for a book you want, they will ship it to the SS branch and email you when its there. The only problem is that you need to know what you are looking for because I don’t find the MoCo online library catalog too easy just to browse. Also, when you take out things from other branches you can just drop it off here in SS rather then returning to its place of origin.