Great library. Helpful staff. Large selection of graphic novels, TV series, older and foreign movies . Rotating art exhibits, including historical photography collections. See Arturo in the Vault for any film recommendations. Up to date computer area and free Wi-Fi. Cafeteria on-site. Security staff all hours. Cons: people camping out on chairs, talking loudly occasionally.
Of course, the real solution is for patrons to find some self-awareness and step outside if they need to make a lot of noise. Maybe new policies need to be created, or a pointed effort led by those in the position to enforce those policies that already exist, but the environment is often far, far from study-friendly.
KC landmark and not your ordinary library. Some really great spaces so make sure you explore. There's a reason it keeps showing up on lists.
In fact, counter to those reviewers, I'd go so far as to say the homeless are some of the last patrons here that I would implicate in making it a noisy environment. If you're going to insist on blaming a specific group, it's generally students, self-aggrandizing parents, and others with no personal awareness who cause the most distractions to their fellow patrons. As an example (and because it makes me feel a little better to publicly shame them, I'll admit), I've attached a pic of the two obnoxious *students* (notice the backpacks, textbooks, and UMKC gear? i.e.: not homeless folks) who were playing music over their phones for >1 hour.
I frequently visit here to work and study in quiet, but lately that has become very difficult due to an array of substantial distractions. It has become all too common to hear children screaming, or an hour-long conversation on speakerphone, or - and I promise I'm not making this up - someone using the perimeter as a walking track and blasting Spotify from their phone rather than putting in headphones.
This library is overall quite wonderful, save for one fairly significant concern. The building is magnificent, the selection is great, the additional facilities are top-notch, and staff seem generally enthused to help and accommodate every patron. Unfortunately, all of these positives are hampered by a fairly important contributing factor for any library: unchecked noise.
Absolutely GORGEOUS building and inside. Great place to study. Don’t forget to go up to the rooftop park and take a look at the great view and play a game of life size chess!
Have some compassion, or at least some respect.
To my point, as I write this on the 4th Floor (a floor labeled specifically as a "Quiet Study" area), there's a lively conversation about fifteen feet away, a couple playing 50 Cent’s “Lollipop" over their iPhone speaker, and a young child screaming bloody murder around the corner. Of course, plenty of parents need to bring their children along to the library, and I have no more right to be here as any other person, but it’d be nice if there was at least an attempt being made to keep the noise to what is traditionally expected at a library.
In short: bring a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
My kids love the children's area. It's neat and clean and has multiple creative activities for them to engage in in addition to reading. I highly recommend!
As a sidenote, to the reviewers who think the homeless are "dirtying up their library", please go look up the definition of "public". That means *everyone* deserves equal access. Yes, I'll agree that everyone has to abide by the rules as well - that's the crux of my point - but the complaints on here are simply phobic and ostracizing of the homeless.
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