Reviews of Media-Upper Providence Library (Library)

Matthew Styron

Awesome stuff, great books, and a wonderfully kept children's library.

TJ Poole

The new Media Library is a welcome improvement in comparison to the old building that once stood in its place. I had the privilege of experiencing the opening ceremony and was surprised to see how much community support it generated.

Marsha Florio

This is Barbara Florio posting a review of our new library. As a member of MUPFL for almost 50 years, I can only say how thrilled we are with the new space and increased energy felt in our new library!

Howard Shannon

Outstanding! Are you kidding me? This is my personal Library of Congress!!! Thank you. HGSIII, USA1

Elias Kradel

A very good library in Delaware County. This library has very few fines and a desirable blend of contemporary books.

Media Upper Providence Free Library

I was amazed at how bright the new library is, such a contrast to the old one. The Children's room is larger and lighter. I am sure as the staff and children become familiar with the new space that walls will be used to display works of art. It is so pleasant having the MUPL Book Club in one of the rooms upstairs. In the old library we were meeting in the children's room which meant that children couldn't use the room while we met. As someone who volunteers at the Library, I am enjoying working in the new work space. There can be 2 or 3 people working at the same time Instead of only room for 1. There is also storage room for all the things that patrons never realize are needed to run a library. The MUPL Book Sale is moving to the basement with our April, 2017 sale. The Book Sorters are looking forward to having the Book Sale in one very large space that has air conditioning, heat and water. Keep dropping off donations at the Stone Cottage until Sept 30 and come to the Sale at the Stone Cottage and Community Center on Oct. 15, 16 and 17. Starting on Nov. 1 drop your donations off at the Library.

Howard Shannon

Outstanding! Are you kidding me? This is my personal Library of Congress!!! Thank you. HGSIII, USA1

Ken Fitzgerald

A cozy new library with great programs for children.

Elias Kradel

A very good library in Delaware County. This library has very few fines and a desirable blend of contemporary books.

Joan Karasick

Our wonderful new library is a huge improvement over the old building and looks great considering if just opened after being in a temp location for a year. I can see how fast they are getting everything done to be fully operational. Staff is super helpful and there are lots of new books, magazines, videos and books on CD...and it's all free, people! Place is packed every week when I'm there. Computer area and shelves easy to access - no more dark corners! Comfy colorful furniture and tables to plug in your laptop. Modern, welcoming and well designed, inside and out. Love the new children's room! There are lots of great new programs for adults and kids. Upstairs meeting rooms are needed addition to available town meeting space and will generate some income. Town libraries are a treasure and Media now has a 21st century one. Bravo!

Cherise Ann

Short version: Nice selection of books and programs offered. Lacks the quiet, cozy/inviting atmosphere you'd expect in a library. This is a nice little library that adds to the community. They offer children's story times, a film club, great book sales twice a year, along with other programs and events. The children's section is separated from the main area with windows so you don't have to worry if your kids are chatty. There is also an area for teens and computers available for use. My biggest complaint is that this isn't a quiet place. I really prefer the traditional quiet atmosphere of a library. And unfortunately the staff here regularly have in depth loud conversations. The noise often gets to the level you'd find in a cafe, not what you'd expect of a library..

steve wells

Great library with an awesome staff.

Leslie Goldsmith

I have used the new library multiple times since it has opened. I find it to be bright, welcoming, and very user friendly. It is a quiet, active place with many utilizing the technology and accessing the stacks. I thought giving some separation to the children's and teen sections was a good idea. The staff is very friendly and helpful. This library is a big improvement over the old one. In fact, I'm going to go over today to read a magazine.

Robin Queenan

Love, love, the new MUPFL building. I have joined the book group which is now held in a big room upstairs. There are extra parking spaces so I find myself up there a couple times a week picking up books that I have requested on line. The front porch and larger front room give plenty of space to catch-up with the many friends that I run into when I am there.

Joan Karasick

Our wonderful new library is a huge improvement over the old building and looks great considering if just opened after being in a temp location for a year. I can see how fast they are getting everything done to be fully operational. Staff is super helpful and there are lots of new books, magazines, videos and books on CD...and it's all free, people! Place is packed every week when I'm there. Computer area and shelves easy to access - no more dark corners! Comfy colorful furniture and tables to plug in your laptop. Modern, welcoming and well designed, inside and out. Love the new children's room! There are lots of great new programs for adults and kids. Upstairs meeting rooms are needed addition to available town meeting space and will generate some income. Town libraries are a treasure and Media now has a 21st century one. Bravo!

Cherise Ann

Short version: Nice selection of books and programs offered. Lacks the quiet, cozy/inviting atmosphere you'd expect in a library. This is a nice little library that adds to the community. They offer children's story times, a film club, great book sales twice a year, along with other programs and events. The children's section is separated from the main area with windows so you don't have to worry if your kids are chatty. There is also an area for teens and computers available for use. My biggest complaint is that this isn't a quiet place. I really prefer the traditional quiet atmosphere of a library. And unfortunately the staff here regularly have in depth loud conversations. The noise often gets to the level you'd find in a cafe, not what you'd expect of a library..

steve wells

Great library with an awesome staff.

Leslie Goldsmith

I have used the new library multiple times since it has opened. I find it to be bright, welcoming, and very user friendly. It is a quiet, active place with many utilizing the technology and accessing the stacks. I thought giving some separation to the children's and teen sections was a good idea. The staff is very friendly and helpful. This library is a big improvement over the old one. In fact, I'm going to go over today to read a magazine.

Peter Bachman

I like the fact they invested in a new building! Comfortable place to read.

Oksana Billington

Friendly staff. Great resources and lots of events for kids and adults.

Naomi Fiordimondo

Beautiful facility ruined by a crotchety, entitled staff. The women staffing this library talk ad nauseum about all topics - library or not - at full volume. Endless complaints about library patrons, other staff, vendors, procedures ... you name it, they complain about it. Such a shame because this could be a wonderful gem if only you could hear yourself think over their droning.

Oksana Billington

Friendly staff. Great resources and lots of events for kids and adults.

Naomi Fiordimondo

Beautiful facility ruined by a crotchety, entitled staff. The women staffing this library talk ad nauseum about all topics - library or not - at full volume. Endless complaints about library patrons, other staff, vendors, procedures ... you name it, they complain about it. Such a shame because this could be a wonderful gem if only you could hear yourself think over their droning.

Media Critic

Media’s new library has achieved the inglorious distinction of blowing a huge and expensive opportunity for greatness. First the positive. The exterior architecture is a fantastic attempt at retaining the borough’s brick past. This building could have been thrown up with cheaper construction materials like vinyl siding, or fake brick like some other homes popping up in Media, but they used the real deal. Good ole brick. The building is visually appealing with a nice porch on the front. The sidewalk utilizes stamped concrete brick impressions. While not real brick, stamped concrete brick is better for maintenance, liability, it mimics the look of brick effectively and has more appeal than just a concrete sidewalk. There are awkward exterior elements though. Why they did not build a deck or outdoor porch on the rear 2nd floor of the building is beyond comprehension. If it was money related, understood, but I hope the architect left the possibility down the road to allow for this with no structural changes needed. The front also has two oddities. On the side of the porch is a patio with etched bricks with names of the donors. Nice idea, but functionally weird. No seats, benches and symmetrically out of place. Seems like someone threw a dart at the plans to pick the spot to put the “donor brick patio.” The other oddity is the 2nd floor porch that never was. There are doors opening to a porch that can accommodate about one half of your foot. Odd. Overall though, the exterior is to be commended for its adherence to Media’s brick legacy. The inside is what makes this love story turn into a mystery. When you walk in, you are overwhelmed with the antiseptic, white bland interior of what could double as a hospital waiting room. This looks like the result of design by committee when communal input in the floor planning process sucks the life out of the project (either that or a completely unimaginative and boring architect). With many fantastic libraries to draw inspiration from in the area namely Bryn Mawr’s new library, I find it disappointing that Media did not go all in and do something as amazing, or at least compare itself to other great local library offerings. There is no aesthetically, inviting quality interior spaces to relax with a book without feeling like you are a patient of Nurse Ratched. Its all very stark. Book rows, computer rows, a long “technology” bar with stools that I still don’t know what purpose it serves. The children’s room lacks imagination and playfulness. They carried over the one bathroom plan from the old library which also is a disappointment. During the construction process, the size of the hole in the ground suggested a huge basement with high ceilings, that would make a great computer lab or rentable meeting or party space. Reality? Its storage. The 2nd floor is equally perplexing. It’s a series of again, oddly sized mundane rooms with zero personality. One room that has a glimmer of personality is the room with a conference table that houses the double doored, half inch porch that overlooks Bryn Mawr Running Co. Expectations for this place were large. Media was going big and it was going to be great. And while the exterior dazzles, the innards of the building couldn’t be more boring, a situation that could be improved with guidance from an interior designer. This new Media-Upper Providence Library serves a purpose, use the computer or get a book/movie and return it. This inside of the library was built with the same approach as buildings built in the 70’s and 80’s, utility. As for a warm, inviting place for people to come, use the computer, read a magazine, spend time inside; I’d rather go to Taylor Hospital and pull up a chair at Intake, for it has more charm.