Reviews of Forsyth County Central Library (Library)

Shelia Rucker

Breathtaking. ... Winston Salem's finest !!

Rick C-137 Sanchez

Construction on the new library has grown by leaps and bounds. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Lindsay Howard

This library is truly wonderful. The employees are kind, there are so many resources available and, as the name suggests, it is centrally located for all to enjoy.

Dominique Smith

New Architecture Downtown The marvel of new architecture always brings a crowd and the new Forsyth County Central Library does just that. The space is open, the books are plentiful, and the views are breath-taking. The new library has much to boast. A digital waterfall, outside third-floor covered terrace, delicious cookies for sale, books beyond what the eye can see, and best of all; an abundant amount of space for sitting and reading. Whether you like to read by a window with a view, on a posh patio in the outside air, in a nook with your children, or by the snack bar in classic diner booths, the library's imaginative minds thought of everything an avid reader would enjoy. My favorite was the last room I found while roaming the three large floors of the library. A grand reading room with a digital fireplace that feels like a luxurious office. Just go to their website and review all the interesting activities, or just stop in and speak to the immensely friendly staff. They are thrilled to hand out information to all their events. Visit all areas; such as the children's area, teen room with green screen, or just stop by the information booth, and talk to everyone. You will be amazed and inspired, just the way a modern library should make you feel.

Gabriel Young

Great new library branch in downtown winston. Lots of natural light, seats for reading, computers. Special collections on the second floor. Lots of reservable meeting space. They have a pretty good dvd and music section if you’re into such things. Theres also a little cafe that serves drinks and sandwiches.

Wanda Welling

Certainly worth the wait for it to reopen. Wonderful staff and resources

Joseph Davis

Great

Lisa Wood

place is nice but the children's room stuff is not as nice as the place. it doesnt make you feel like you are welcome there.

Loving Life

Very informative staff, beautiful views, and excellent resources.

Lucas Utley

Clean, modern, good free WiFi, lots of study/work space. Available parking as well.

John Thornton

Great place

brandi p

So this was my first trip to this library and I must say my overall thoughts of this place are out of this world. The fact that you have 3 levels of nothing but books to choose from is fantastic. The atmosphere is calm and soothing. They have multiple different places located in this center to read in of which are fantastic. Also conveniently they have a coffee bar located on the main floor of the library. Bathrooms are on each floor located right near the stars and elevator. I give this place a 20/10 rating and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Amber Taylor

Short story: I'm writing this because I had to ask off work two weeks in advance to be able to do the research I wanted to do and not be able to get everything I wanted to get done because some guy who applied for a job at the public library and got it would rather try his hardest not to work and get paid than to help someone who very clearly needed their help Whole story: Went there because I was told by the lewisville and Clemmons branch that this was going to be the best place to do research on my house because they hold most of the documents I was going to need to do my research with I do all the research I want to do on the tired floor and head over to the North Carolina room on the second floor. When I first get there a lady was behind the desk and I just went on my way looking through as many maps. I get done with the maps and try and find some books that I might want to look at. I find a couple of good books but I do get stuck and decide I'm going to ask for help. My boyfriend and I go to the front desk and wait for that lady that we saw earlier thinking she'll be right back. We wait there for 10 minutes before I tell my boyfriend he can keep waiting I'm going to go look at some more books. He waits there for another 30 and gives up and sit down. After this I try and get on a computer but I haven't used my card in so long that I need to get it checked. I wait some time for someone and decide that I'm going to go back upstairs and get my card fixed. I then go back to the second floor and get on a computer. By this time I notice a guy who I've seen in a conversation with another guy for like the past hour help someone else on the computer. That's when I noticed this guy actually works here. He saw my boyfriend and I waiting at the counter and also saw my try and get on a computer leave and come back and get on a computer. So at this point I'm on a computer but I'm not sure how to start the research I wanted to do and decided because someone doesn't want to helping just going to leave. So again this makes me very mad because I had to ask off work two weeks in advance to be able to do the research I wanted to do and not be able to get everything I wanted to get because some guy who applied for a job at the public library and got it would rather try his hardest not to work and get paid than to help someone who very clearly needed their help.

Ross Fan

it's absolutely beautiful. a great place to go and excape from it all.

Tara Hall

Closed temporarily due to remodeling but it is huge and easy to find!

Abio Dun

I love this futuristic awesome library. Well planned, spacious, open, Wifi aplenty and desk space with ample seating arrangements, with a terrace view of the mountains on the top floor. I hope that the Malloy-Jordan Heritage library will be next on their list.

Colin Azzam

Update: After speaking with several of the staff members here, they have addressed a few of the things I had mentioned in my review below. Some of them cannot be addressed due to certain policy restrictions and requirements, but they have absolutely gone above and beyond in doing what they can to fix problems that exist. Kathy and Pam have both been exceptionally helpful in providing support and reasonable accommodations for those of us who have requested designated quiet areas. The Reading Room is now more quiet than ever and provides an area where students and patrons can have silence to read or study. While the library itself is modern and sleek, the staff make it a place worth visiting and spending time at. Previous Review: The library itself is beautiful and modern which is a great change of pace from some of the older libraries with fewer amenities. There is ample room to study with outlets for both your portable devices and your laptops. All areas of the library have great lighting and the availability of extra light, should you need it, at each table. Further, the staff is helpful and kind. Unfortunately, there are some downsides to the library as well. First of all, this library has no area that is designated as a silent area. The "Reading Room" is supposed to be, but there are no signs stating that and often people will be loud anyway. I don't think it is at all unreasonable to dedicate a small part of the library to those who wish to study and/or read in silence. Especially in a three story building. Second, you may find some people who come in just to sleep and/or charge their phones. I don't mind this, but don't be surprised when they loudly snore or sit and talk on their phone while it is charging. Again, there is no silent area so you are stuck either listening to them or moving. Security will kick people out for sleeping, but usually they get several warnings before anything is actually done. Third, the bathrooms are used by some to bathe. Even though there are no paper towels, in less than 2 weeks I have seen two different people in the bathroom with their shirts off using the water to clean themselves. While I do believe the library is a community center, I don't believe it is a homeless shelter or bath house. This is disgusting and needs to be handled immediately and firmly. There are resources out there to help those that need it, in fact there are likely some right here in the library, that can help unfortunate people find a place to get back on their feet. In the end, this library doubles as a community gathering place where some use it for its intended purposes, and others abuse it and treat it like their own home. If you intend on spending any significant time here, just be ready to ignore some of the things you see, bring ear plugs or headphones, and use the bathroom on the second floor. It seems to see less traffic and be far cleaner. I had planned on spending the summer here to prepare for a big exam, but I don't think it is a great place for studying. Passive reading or surfing the net is probably fine though. Overall I am disappointed but perhaps I am being overly picky.

edward terwilliger

Amazing facility. Plenty of resources, meeting spaces, computer stations, computer classes, lots of places for individual or group work. Really cool outside terrace on the third floor.

James Hargrove

Sound Recording Room!

Brooks Jones

Gorgeous new facility boasts everything from an art gallery to a creative makerspace to a teen room with video games. Worth the wait but so glad it's now open to the public!

Zaira Viteria

Quite the upgrade. The terrace upstairs is my favorite part. There’s a clinical vibe to the library that isn’t compatible with the Children’s section but the pop of color makes it somewhat acceptable.

Abdelrahman Alwan

the best place to study or even just relax

Darlene Legette

IT WAS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE SINCE I GOT HERE TO WINSTON SALEM, NC IN 2005 THEY WERE SO HELPFUL IN AND ON EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW THE NEW ONE WILL BE EVEN MORE FRIENDLIER AND HELPFUL TO ALL THAT PASSES THROUGH THERE FOR THE ONES THATS JUST GETTING TO WINSTON SALEM AND THE ONES THAT ARE HERE ITS VERY CONVENIENT AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE MANY THINGS TO DO, HELP WITH HOMEWORK, MANY PROGRAMS AND AWESOME PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE!!!!

Clark Lovelace

This location is CLOSED for the next 2 years for remodeling

Andy M

Clean with plenty of light and places to study.

Renita Allsbrook

Carol Woods a Liberian supervisor was very rude in place that is suppose to be peaceful and resourceful. After witnessing her not assisting another person needing help she was reluctant to assist me in a professional manner speaking to other staff with superior aggression. This supervisor needs a course in public professionalism. I will not ask Ms. Woods for assistants ever again.

Scott Adams

Beautiful library and a great resource I will consider using from now on. I was not a member yet every staff member I interacted with went above and beyond to help me print out a few documents. Even the security guard exceeded my expectations!

Monica Hernandez

My kids and I love this library. I love that the teenagers have their area, and they have activities for their age. Also the children's area is nice, my 3 year old loves the puzzles, the little play kitchen and the games on the computers. They have a balcony with tables and chairs on the third floor, I had seen people playing game boards out there. The little coffee store they have is perfect. This library is bright and very relaxing. My kids and I wish we have the time to go there every day.

Mireya Olmedo

(Translated by Google) Excellent (Original) Excelente

Julianne Thrift

The Forsyth County Central Library is fabulous! The building’s architecture and vibe is only surpassed by the wonderful staff. Thank you!

Walter Miranda

Love how open and airy this libary is. It is a wonderful place to spend a saturday morning or rainy afternoon with my family.

Dovah Kiin

Information desk guy was rude, besides the fact that I wasn't allowed to get a library card because my license says 17, wow I can get my license but can't take out a simple library card?

Adultswim

Horrible library. Sure the library itself is nice. But the staff? Pullllease!!!!! Rude rude. They exert their authority. I witnessed a security guard KICK a guy out of his chair for sleeping! Sure the guy should not have been sleeping but to kick the chair and the poor fella falls on the floor?!?! Another lady was banned for having a make up case out tofix her contact. Somebody should really do something about the attitudes of the employeez before there's a lawsuit

Brad Arrington

Such a nice place! Clean, big and open. Really friendly people too

Deborah Nolan

First visit today. I am blown away! What a fantastic community resource, gathering place, educational center. They tell me it is the most technologically advanced library in the country - I believe it. Plus there is a cafe - whaat? And you can take your snack almost anywhere in the library-Whaaat?? A fabulous asset to W-S!

Angela Passmore

Great staff, and environment. Love that they have activities for preschool aged kids during the day.

William Cox

Their security is a joke. You're suppose to be quite in a library but you have people yelling, kids screaming and people talking loud on their cell phones. I can stands to be there only for a few minutes to get work done.

Damon Hewitt

This place is closed.

Rock Productionz

This Library is very nice, it's clean has a small cafe, Coffee shop, Approx 30 Computers,Wifi Routers could be a little stronger it's weak in areas where people bring there own laptops and tablets over all its Huge they spared no expense, Seems to be a few homeless stragglers outside always bumming and Parking is limited. But still I give it 4 stars.

J K

It's a great Library, but what's a library worth if it's only open until 6PM? I don't even get out of work until 6 some days... Tf

Elena Volk

Beautiful new building! Love the private meeting rooms. The only issue I have is the rule that you can only rent a study room 3x in a 2 week period even if you are just a walk in and nobody's reserved the rooms for that day. For some people like myself, the library is the only quiet place we can study. Would be nice to not restrict that.

nike nikki

This is the best place in town to meet friends, grab an interesting book, bring your kids, meet clients, have a cup of coffee, host a meeting... Oh did I mention that the books are new... The Staff is so helpful

Kyle Campbell

It is very much more sophisticated and civilized than the last library.