This library seems to be acting without any foresight whatsoever. Curbside pickup rules are changing week to week and leaving everyone confused. Cars circle around outside nearly smashing into each other. The poor employees don t even seem to know what s going on!
Whoever is steering this ship should have their license revoked.
I thought downtown Mpls. had a good library, it's okay. Rochester library ROCKS! There are so many people that have assisted me. I wanted to say "thanks and kudos." First Emily K., taught me things, Lynette on how to inter-library and purchase items. Also there is Chris, Lynn, Amy at check-out. Also Gail & Marilyn C. to encourage me to become a volunteer now. Also not forget Kim D., for training me.
A very thoughtfully done library, especially for children. As our family has dealt with my partners illness, I ve found great joy and comfort in taking our children here.
The activities are great. There s and art room with scrap paper and markers. They have health checkups sometimes during the day. There are study rooms, and computers for kids. I think they also have pajama bedtime stories in the evenings.
They also have a little post office, bookmobile, tree stump, grocery store, and canoe for kids to play in. They re great for ages 2-7 (and up to 40 I guess, because I enjoy them a lot too).
Books are already a comfort, the facilities here just take it to the next level. I m so grateful for the kind and patient staff, and for everyone that makes this place possible. Thank you.
It's our privilege to be utilizing the services offered by Rochester Public Library. They have great collection, very friendly staff and the online book hold/reservation system is so cool. The drop off system is also automatic. Specially during COVID-19, their services have been great help for the entire community. Hats off to the staff and authorities!! Thank you again!
One of the best libraries I have ever been to. 2 floors; lots of books, movies, and CDs. Parking is free for the first hour. They have an outdoor book return in case you need to return your books after they close. Usually pretty busy. Great place for kids and adults alike.
Curbside pickup is great. Everyone is working really hard to keep materials available. Lines were long, but moved efficiently.
We were visiting from out of town and had some time to kill. We visited the genealogy area and the Friends of the Library book sale and both were excellent. It's a bonus that the library is connected to the parking structure.
A strange day when I don't give them all 5 stars; more deserving these days as they improve on their curb-side service.
Excellent work in the meantime.
Other reviews make the same point, but the disfunction continues! The Library s hours and services are changing almost daily! I can t keep up!
PLEASE BE CONSISTENT. PLEASE BE CLEAR. PLEASE STOP FLIP-FLOPPING!
I m begging for somebody at city hall to step in and hold RPL s leadership accountable!
I've been living in Rochester my whole life and appreciate the public library, however I'm giving it 1 star based on their COVID pick up service. It's EXTREMELY slow. Every time I've come to pick up books (weekday mornings) it's taken me over 40 minutes just to get my one or two books. The staff has been rude. Perhaps they need more staffing.
Rochester Public Library is an absolute gem. During this COVID-19 pandemic, they have curbside pickup and computer use by appointment. They also don't post items for pickup until they have had time to be quarantined. They are efficient, friendly, and awesome. Love you RPL! We were missing you like crazy.
Amazing place, very large selection of books. This library has many activities, and resources that are pretty cheap. O
verall, This is a nice lobrary, perfect for the city it is in
Great place but not very good summer hours and no parking.
During a recent trip to our beautiful library I was subjected to a very insensitive comment regarding my religion by a man. This became immeasurably more frustrating when I discovered this man is an employee of the library! What gives? anytime I see Andy at the desk I just walk out the door.
Love this library for 20 plus years I ve lived here. But, why has the weekend hours been terrible.. why can t you be closed Wensday instead of all weekend!!! I want my taxes back!!!
The amount of services that the Rochester Public Library has rivals those in major metropolitans. From the vast collection of movies, music, and more, the digital library is amazing, and the offerings for children is a welcome distraction to the long winter months. We are at the library every week!
Incredible collection of books. Easy to access as well.
Love RPL! They are accepting of everyone, make the library available for community meetings, have a great selection of books and other materials and their staff is friendly, knowledgable and very helpful!
I've been to libraries in almost every state in the country. This is one of my favorites! Great work!
Going to Rochester Library, I know I can relax and read at my pace! The staff is very helpful and nice.
Excellent facilities, very courteous staff, always willing to go above and beyond to help. My family and I are so grateful to have access to such a wonderful library.
Great library, with many great staff, great selection of books. This place is very uplifting and has lots of decorations and fishes and lots of cool decorations, checking out books is fast and easy as well as returning them, on top floor there it s lots of homeless people sleeping... which isn t bad just a statement and overall great place, usually quiet!
Two floors of books. They are constantly working on providing a space for adolescents. They also offer many programs that encourage active reading and participation.
Generally a pretty solid library! They have quite a wide selection of books, movies, etc., and access to a much larger collection via inter-library loan. They offer a wide range of activities and programs and make an active effort to be inclusive and welcoming. Like many others, I will comment that I don't like their summer hours especially--they're closed Sunday and only open a half day Saturday.
So many programs and offerings! Definitely worth checking out while in Rochester.
My apologies. I rated the wrong library. Due to your professional reply, I feel truly sorry about the unprofessional comment that sparked it.
Amazing library! So many options for everyone. I loved how they categorized books, like cooking, medicine, and fitness. Lots of employees to help with all your needs. Orrery decent movie selection. Awesome kids area. The parking deck connects to the building so you will never have to go inside!
Very well-equipped and laid out for a public library. Enjoyed trawling through the many books in the religious sections and finding some gems to look at. Plenty of places to sit and read privately.
Wonderful place for all ages, i grew up visiting the library often and have done the same with my children. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Often going above and beyond. If you haven't been, check it out. If you have, you know what im talking about:)
I wish Rochester Public library start late & open late on Friday. I work until 5:30 on Friday, and I can't bring my kids to go to library today. It's sad...
Currently, the library is doing curbside pickup. I received a text that i could pick up. I waited 45 min in a car line only to be told they couldn't find my book! I drove away empty handed... i live 30 min away. What a waste of time. Plus the system doesn't say how many can be picked up. I actually have 4 more reserved but in quarentine. But the text or my account info does not make that clear. I appreciate the service but it needs to be better.
Large selection, felt like a lot of homeless stay here. No problem
They cheerfully tracked down my hard-to-find books for me. Staff is the best!
People in the street serving long lines of people in cars waiting for curbside service. God bless them!
Beyond just a library, this is a Rochester community building center. A toddler learn and play area, teen resources, health screening clinics, meeting rooms, hobby clubs, educational activities, a massive collection which also includes a huge AV selection, and above all well staffed with knowledgeable, helpful, and happy people.
Had a frustrating encounter with another library-go-er(a very rude one). When I reported my concerns to the front desk I felt shrugged off.
DM to Andy from the front desk: It can be hard for some people to express their concerns. They should be taken seriously.
It is insane there is only one Rochester public library. We moved from Sioux Falls that had over 10 smaller libraries throughout the community. Nice smaller libraries where a mother feels comfortable bringing her kids and letting them play or look at books while she browses the adult area (close enough to keep an eye on). The fact that I have to pay to park to use a public amenity is ridiculous. Also, the volume of questionable characters and homeless in the Rochester library ensures I will never visit and most definitely not bring my children there. And now they are talking of turning it into a full on shelter! I know they need someplace to go but I won't be going g there or bringing my children there. You need smaller family friendly libraries throughout the community.
I was at the library and there was someone one their phone being disruptive and the librarian did nothing
I remember when the current library opened in 1995, when I was 13. Since I was not a kid anymore and I don't have kids now, I'm not familiar with the kid's areas in the library, but I know some of the other areas.
There's a genealogy section on the 2nd floor in the back of the non-fiction (near the history area) that you need to get a staff member to access. I'm too shy so I just didn't bother with it, though I wanted to look at a couple things. I also wanted to just browse because I don't know what's there that might be helpful, but I could probably browse the catalog for that. The adult fiction is on the first floor.
I have used the microfilm which is available for open access in file cabinets in the 2nd floor. There is one microfilm scanner and one digital scanner which I didn't know how to use. I looked on YouTube to learn about the regular scanner. The regular scanner machine has some controls that didn't work, but I was still able to use it. I could zoom and move around the pages but couldn't rotate. You can print out pages for a small price. The machine only takes nickels and dimes (there's a change machine that dispenses dimes). I believe you can print and/or save from the digital scanner too.
There are a lot more resources there than I had thought. I just thought they had books basically, but it's really a treasure trove of information and tools to get information. My friend just told me they have an area to digitize materials (like audio or video). They have computers. And it's just a nice place to go spend quiet time.
I also almost forgot to mention the library chat and the knowledge of the staff. Nice job to the people that monitor the chat on the website. I asked a question the other day and they immediately answered!
Great selection, nice staff, clean and well organized.
A great award winning library with amazing staff, you can really tell that customer service is a top priority. They have books and movies obviously but they also have video games, a crazy collection of DR. Who audio dramas, 3D printing, a seed library, and you can even check out a chrome book with its own Wi-Fi!
Terribly expensive parking. Constant construction. Unsympathetic desk staff topped off by a rude, pretentious manager named Andy.
This place cares much more about gold medals and TV interviews than their own community.
Wonderful services provided and great customer services by the staff
Great staff great Management one of the best libraries I ve ever been to
You can't ask for a better library. Support the proposed expansion for a children's floor.
A wonderful community resource in the heart of downtown, Rochester Public Library is more than just a building where you can check out books and media. The study spaces, secondhand book shop, and social programming are just a few reasons why this library is such an asset to the city and anyone who visits it.
Haven t been here in awhile, but they usually have great books and it is usually pretty quiet, so nice for studying or something!
Library appears nice, except I had hoped to work remotely with VPN and that appears to be blocked on their wifi.
This library is amazing and the staff are very helpful and professional
The library has the largest collection of Doctor Who! Also many foriegn language materials, music CDs and popular movies.
The librarians are helpful
There are variety of programs
Very inclusive. The children's area and the teen space are amazing. It's always full of kids.
I wish they didn't have video games at the entrance-it is hard for parents whose kids want to play games.
My only issue is the number of homeless people using the library as the resting place (in the adult sections) but then that is a problem the City needs to deal with!
Wow the place is so big and nice and I just like to go to the Rpl to relax
, find my books, do my work and its just awesome
A big thank you to the curbside staff who worked yesterday, 1/11. I arrived early (before the library was even open) because my other errands did not take as much time as I thought they would, and they did not hesitate to help me out. Very appreciative of the service and support of community during these difficult times.
Stopped in during a used book sale and bought a bunch of Garrison Keillor novels and regional tourism books. The staff is very nice and incredibly helpful. There s a whole section on comic books and there s also a pretty significant selection of DVDs. A fun place to stop if you are spending the weekend.
One of the BEST! Super Friendly staff, Great resources and wide selection of media.
No Parking. Not a place to do any real research longer than an hour. That hour includes your walk time to and from the ramps.
During this pandemic the safety here is important. So only allowing individuals to come in for internet access! But must call for an appt.
Love the Rochester Public Library! Besides an infinite selection of great book they also have comic books, graphic novels, cd's, and audio books. They also have the entire Doctor Who audio drama collection. I am in geek heaven!
Great library! Parking downtown is difficult, but a nearby ramp has a skyway to the library. $4 for parking today (for storytime for the kids)
rplmn.org