Please tell me about the Greenville County libraries. (Travelers Rest: loan, to live)

[LCM]

We make good use of our library system here in upstate NY. How would you describe the quality of library services in and around Greenville? Can you find what you're looking for? How responsive is the inter-library loan system? Is there a fee for a library card or for the ILL service? Any other insights would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Rapunzll]

A good library was high on my list of must haves. The main library here is equal to the main library I left and the branches are better than the branches where I used to live. I love that I can drop off books, CD's, or DVD's at any branch, even if it isn't the branch where I checked it out. As with many libraries, you can search and reserve items online and specify which branch you will pick up at. Selections in all categories of interest to me, books, DVD's, and audio books are good. The computer access is good too, although the screens on the public computers really should have privacy filters.

The only thing I don't care for is the way you pay for print outs. I was used to just going to the counter, saying, I printed out X number of pages and paying for them then and there. Here you pay in advance. I also don't like the way the DVD's are displayed so you only see the spines instead of the cover, but hey, I have Netflix again and it isn't such an issue.

I also don't understand why you have to pay for parking weekdays at the main library, that seems silly to me.

[LCM]

Thanks for responding, Rapunzll! It sounds like I won't be disapppointed.

[pchw01]

the main library downtown is stunning - the nicest i have ever seen! greenvillelibrary.org. We LOVE it!

[PhotogGal]

I mostly use the Pelham Road branch but love the main library downtown. It's free to join with proof of residency. My very favorite thing, which I did not have at my old library, is how they send you an Email reminder three days in advance of when your books are due. That has been a real blessing to me.

[RestedTraveler]

I rarely ever go to the main library downtown because we have a very nice branch right here in Travelers Rest; however, the overall system is very good. There is a minimal fee for a library card (basically the cost of producing it). You can reserve many things online and pick them up at your local branch or at the main library...I've never had any issues with this. Also, the local branch and Main Library have free Wi-Fi (even though it blocks certain sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.). It's a great system overall ... much better than what we had in Orlando.