Stoneham Public Library

I’ve been able to find some really great «reads» over the years, sadly not going nearly as much as I used to. The staff in the adult area were always very helpful, it just got really weird with a young-​ish lady in the kids area. I remember standing in line at her desk (within easy sight), being totally ignored, then someone else cutting in front of me and being assisted. After than, she returned to her desk, grabbed her jacket and left.
Sorry to hear so many bagging on our library as it compares to Reading and Wakefield. I’ve seen worse — much worse. But it’s free, so why complain?

The only reason I am giving this library 1star is because some of the staff in the adult area are friendly. I am shocked that when the interview process took place for the jr library that the women who were hired were thought as suitable to work with children. I agree with the review «unhappy «gave. These women are about the most miserable librians I have ever encountered. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere. You and your children will stand a better chance of being shown human kindness and treated with respect!

I went in with my 11 year old to get a book in the Junior section of the library and had a similar experience to another reviewer. The two female staff members were completely rude. When checking out, I asked if we got the receipt telling us when the book is due and the librarian basically scolded me for not noticing that it was already in the book. I asked a couple other questions and was talked down to and «corrected» by one of the librarians. I can tell you that there is no way that my child would feel comfortable checking out a book on her own or asking for help from one of these women. My child could not stop talking about how mean they were even after we left. I have had other instances in the junior room in the past few years that were not exactly pleasant but never this outwardly horrible. Someone needs to take a look at what goes on in there!

What a friendly staff! Very big selection too

Being a resident of Stoneham for practically my whole life, I like to try to stay within the town when frequenting any type of business/​pleasure. That being said~ trying to remain loyal to this Library has been nothing less than challenging. I have taken my two children there since they were babies. We have frequented story time and pretty much anything they had to offer! My kids enjoyed seeing the familiar faces and also interacting with their friends during our visits. I must say that in the past four years (and a few new employees later) the library has gone completely downhill! The Jr Library staff is nothing less than rude and classless! My kids are very well behaved and are always in compliance with the «rules» which tend to be very hardcore. These employees sit behind their desks and badmouth moms of little ones who may be fussy, walking too fast or holding the crayons too tight. We associate with a family who’s kids are also very well behaved. The only mistake this family made was trying to bring a baby stroller into the library! While the library may have their own rules about why strollers shouldn’t be allowed in~ there is a nice way of telling someone that they don’t allow strollers. You would have thought this mom was trying to smuggle booze in there! Since that day~ the staff now treats my friends kids and my own kids like second class citizens. These poor kids can’t even walk into the building without getting dirty looks from the staff, they are nervous to go to the desk to check out books and the staffs comments and snide remarks (to the children) are nothing less than insulting! All of this because of a baby stroller! Because of this~ we now have to go to out of town libraries! It is so sad– because this library is very close to our house and like I said~ I do like to keep within the town. I have many friends who feel this way about the Jr. room staff also. They have zero patience and their level of tolerance with children is very disheartening. This staff is very unprofessional and not to mention immature! Who holds a grudge towards children simply over a baby stroller? These ADULTS do! Here’s hoping to the Library taking a better look at their staff. Thank you!

Depressing. This is my public library. It’s so sad to go here. It’s this tiny little library that just really doesn’t have much to offer and has been struggling to stay open for some time now. I feel bad for it. The building itself needs work — structurally. It’s just not worth the effort to go there.

While I’ve only been a member for a little over a year now I have to say the kind folks at the Stoneham Library have treated me pretty well. Odd to admit it but I hadn’t been a member of a library in a few years and the process of searching and actually finding a book stumped me the first couple of times. However, I had help from these fine librarians (is that term outdated?), who were immensely patient with me and more than eager to zero out my account if I returned a book a few days past its due date. Overall a great experience sharing in this great pastime: book reading.