Helen Plum Memorial Library

I haven’t been to this library but once or twice, but it has been a pleasant experience.
Pros:
+ Large selection of periodicals upstairs with comfy chairs and desks, including plugs for laptops and cell phones, also a Kurig machine you can use for coffee or tea if you bring some coins
+ Small conference/​study room that can be reserved in advance for no cost if you need a quiet space
+ Friendly staff who were kind enough to address all my questions
+ Plenty of books on sale for a reasonable price
Cons:
— Not nearly as many books as in Schaumburg or some of the other larger libraries in the area
While Helen Plum might not be world-​class, it certainly holds its own as a small, but serviceable library.

Very good library. Registration was quick and efficient. Collection of children books and toys are great. I used online book search facility and its very useful. Staff is also very friendly and helpful.

Not once was I greeted by any of the staff; and when I walked up to employees giving them a smile, they just stared at me. I do not want to bring the race card into the review. but I feel like whoever is in charge of this library needs to retrain their employees to be kind to everyone who walks into their door. Because as I looked for books, I noticed that those same employees were extra friendly to ahem, all of the other visitors who walked in after us. I am a friendly person and honestly, I felt insulted and unwelcome. They walked up to these visitors and asked them if they needed help. Never did they walk towards us to ask my husband and I. So rude. I doubt I will walk into this place again. Libraries are supposed to feel safe, not uncomfortable. If I could give it zero star status, I would!

Everyone is very nice at this library, so the low rating isn’t due to the employees. This library is very outdated and needs to be expanded and brought up to date like the Wheaton and Elmhurst Public Libraries. I go here occasionally, but I prefer to take my son to the Elmhurst Public Library. Lombard please build a bigger library that has a bigger selection!

This is a nice neighborhood library. My little son loves coming here as they have a great kids section with lots of fun toys including Legos. We love the story times and other special events that happen regularly. My son really enjoys all the activities!
I have not explored the adult section much but found some good cookbooks and so far have found whatever I have looked for.

Love my local library! It’s so convenient to be able to look up books online, reserve them, and then go and pick them up right by the front door. Their staff is always helpful and friendly. Plus during the month of September, you can show your library card at places all over town for free stuff! (free dessert at Brick’s Pizza!)

If I could give this Library ZERO stars I would. I am new to the Lombard area and this has to be the worst library I have ever been to. The building is old and not antique/​historical old… run down, thread bare carpet. And it smells. There isn’t any room or tables for anyone to sit down and do actual work, the floor plan is taken up by the world’s oldest/​cheapest bookcases. The ONLY reason I will go back there is to get a library card which I need to get access to the Elmhurst library, which is beyond beautiful.

Explain this to me…
— This library, like pretty much all libraries, has internet-​access computers and free wifi for patron use.
— They even offer charging cords for your cell phone.
And yet! Explain this to me!
a) There are no stations where you can sit, plug in your own laptop and do work (I was left perching it on my lap in a corner) and
b) cell phone signals are totally blocked, or at least Verizon is.
I totally understand not wanting to have people chattering away or loud ringtones going off. But staff should be willing to make and enforce rules just like they would any disruptive patron.
I visited the library for an hour or so to get some work done while I was waiting to get my car fixed, so that I wouldn’t have to buy more coffee/​food from The Corner House, and I missed the call from the shop because of no service inside. And it wasn’t comfortable or easy to do any work there regardless.
I’d love for HP to be a comfortable place to spend a few hours reading and working on a computer, but until they make it more tech-​friendly, it’s really not worth it.

You may not know that many of the resources provided by Plum Library are available from the comfort of your own home or wherever you have internet access. All you need is your name, library card number and PIN (which you may request online).
* You can download ebooks for your Kindle, iPad, Nook, computer or other devices. It’s magic! ;)
* You can download audiobooks for your iPod or other portable device.
* You can search a number of magazines & newspapers, education, general reference, business, health, and genealogy resources like World Book Encyclopedia, Britannica, ERIC, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, MEDLINE, HeritageQuest and many more.
* You may search for items which Plum Library does not have via WorldCat ILL and request these items for Interlibrary Loan.
* You can search the library’s catalog.
* You may manage your library account.
All of the above are accessible via the library’s website:
If you don’t have internet access at home, Helen Plum Library now provides extended internet use. HPL cardholders may use the internet up to four hours per day, unless others are waiting.
There is designated library parking in the same lot as parking for the Elmhurst Memorial Lombard Health Center.
The Helen Plum Memorial Library is on the same plot of land as Lilacia Park.

Plum Library has books, as do all other libraries. It also has computers like all others, and if you want a big area for kids, it’s there. But it’s an extremely unfriendly and uncomfortable structure. This is my library, but I can’t say that I’m proud of it.
One afternoon, my wife and I walked 15 minutes to the library, and while we were there and about ready to check out, the developing rain storm had gotten very strong with thunder and lightning, and had cut power to the building. So what did the library staff do? They threw us out of the building! Not only could we not check out our materials, we weren’t even allowed to stay dry there. One surly staff member was offended by my frustration, telling me that it was a fire code hazard if we stayed, yet the staff didn’t leave. Come on, aren’t libraries typically used as shelters during extreme weather? We had to hide in a close-​by retail store, where they were more welcoming, to ride out the storm.
Plum Library has two stories and a basement. If you want to visit the second story, where they have one pleasant reading room, you have to go out of your way to get to a small elevator. There’s a beautiful staircase on the southeast corner of the building, the only part of the structure that I find appealing. But I’m not allowed to use the staircase. When I asked why, I was told that it was for staff members to get up to their offices. Why must staff have their own separate access? Besides, there are locks on every office door upstairs. It makes no sense. To me, it’s not welcoming.
When you check out books, you are expected to wait in a line that starts a good 15 – 20 feet from the check-​out desks. Even if you’re the only person in line, you’ll get scolded if you sneak a little closer. Seriously.
The library backs up to Lilacia Park. It has a nice patio of sorts; though you’re not allowed to access it from the back of the building, but it’s still a nice view of the park. Many of the offices have this view as well. Huh. Why does the library seem designed for the staff instead of the patrons? Perhaps because every other library offers much more to the staff, and in trying to make their experience more accommodating to the employees, visitors have to compromise as well.
Walk through the main floor, lit with outdated skylights and painted in ‘70s colors — is this where the Mike Douglas show set went? — and you’ll find the book shelves pushed to the back of the dated room. It’s very crowded back there, with little room to move, and not well lit. The occasional seat within the racks would be nice; you’ll have that in most other libraries, but not here. No room. There are some tables — one of them had a jigsaw puzzle partly completed and I met a couple of friendly people that way — but they’re crowded together. You’ll hit backs of chairs trying to make your way to the books or the computerized card catalog. It’s just not a welcome place to read a book, and that’s not a good trait for a library to have.
I hate to say it, but I can’t think of another library I dislike more than this one, and I’ve been to many in the area over the years, thanks to places of residence and old-​school term papers. But there are some positives of note. Most of the library staff have been friendly most (but not all) of the time. I know a few people deeply involved with the library; they’re nice folk that mean well. The library does a respectable job offering public events, such as the Master Gardeners session. But the building itself is lousy for holding such events. (I believe that work will soon be put into the basement, so hopefully that will help.) The on-​line service is nice and helpful, but then again, nearly all libraries have that. Am I supposed to give them an extra star for something that’s to be expected these days?
Mostly, my gripe is with the structure. It stinks. There’s not even a parking lot. I know, it’s part of Plum estate, yeah yeah. They only have so much to work with, duly noted. It’s not their fault, okay, fine. But this doesn’t mean that Lombardians should put up with such antiquity.
I like to think of a town’s library as its pride and joy. When Batavia (my old town) put up a new library, I was ecstatic. Schaumburg’s library is huge. Nichols Library in Naperville is a beauty. But this one? Ugh. It’s time for Lombard to strongly consider updating this structure, even if a wrecking ball is part of the updating. Lombardians deserve better than this.

My personal favorite part of the Lombard library is that I think they have a great selection of travel books. Every time I am going on vacation I head to the library and they always have recent and helpful books for wherever I am going.
The library is always busy– it is very popular. They seem to have great and creative events for the community.
Over the years I have had some negative experiences with a few of the women working the checkout desk– they aren’t always friendly and it seems extremely important to them that even if no one else is in line that you go all the way over to the right of the desk and wait under the sign until they call you. My most recent experience was very positive– the young woman was very pleasant and warm.

4 stars.
I popped in today for the first time in years. I was in search of LSAT prep stuff on the FREE, so I thought I would see if my tax-​dollars had been put to good use.
Well, they were. The nicest librarian ever helped me out. In 5 minutes I had more than enough study material. And, another book on reserve.
Plus, I learned that I can get books downloaded to my Kindle! Cha-​ching! I’m lovin my library now, for real!
Funny thing is, apparently, I had a library card waaaaay back in ’07. Totally slipped my mind. But, the lady at the desk was more than happy to refresh my memory and politely ask me to pay the $ 12 fine I had racked up almost 5 years ago! I borrowed the DVD ‘Mean Girls’ and returned it a few days late. But, get this… I’ve still never seen the movie! I guess I didn’t get a chance to watch it!
LOL — $ 12 still beats going to B&N or ordering test prep stuff from Amazon! Anyday!
Thanks Helen Plum!

I can read people with bad attitudes like a book. And when I want to read a book about people with bad attitudes, I come here, where I’ve had a library card since 1987. I am pleased to report that the Helen M. Plum LIbrary has done an admirable job keeping up with the times, despite not having been blessed with great architecture. It was a freaking estate, for crying out loud!
Thankfully, they have a pretty good selection of new and classic popular music and historical DVD’s. When I got into the old soul sound of acts like Ray Charles, Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, and the like, «The Plum» was there like a cool older uncle, letting me borrow some of his old record and CD greatest hits collection.
I appreciate the online reservation and requests, and the self-​checkout, especially when I pop in quickly after a workout, and I don’t want to subject anyone to my grossness.
The Plum is about two blocks away from the Lombard Metra stop, and the rest of «scenic downtown Lombard» (gag). If I was a commuter, I’d stop in after work and grab something to bring with for the ride in and out. Also, the Lombard Historical Museum is right across the street, which is right next to the Maple Street Chapel. A lot of history, all on the same block!