North Greenwood Library

"This is one of my favorites libraries to go to in the whole county. Watching the staff interact with patrons (and myself), it’s heartwarming to see how they remember who comes in. They speak to you like present humans, instead of salaried bots. I’ve seen them address the kids there by name numerous times. You absolutely love to see these kids come in breathless to hand in something and be greeted by someone that cares. It’s the sort of “back in the day” thing you wished were more normal. I like to imagine North Greenwood is those kids’ version of Cheers, that it’s the place they go “Where everybody knows your name.” There’s *always* at least a couple of kids there when I go, whether they’re playing the Xbox, doing work or computer games, or having a conversation. The selection of books by Black authors, or pertaining to the African-American community is probably the most diverse I’ve seen in the county. It might be neck and neck with Enoch Davis, which I believe is bigger than North Greenwood (I haven’t been in a hot minute). I only hope that when resources are up for allocation, North Greenwood is prioritized."

"Past experience is not always indicative of future performance... Case in point: staff of North Greenwood branch of the Clearwater Library system. In particular, that of its exceedingly capable, well informed & talented branch manager, Crista Smith. Ms. Smith & I have a bit of a history - we'd both acknowledge that not all of it was pleasant. Recent experience with she & her staff, though, compel me to once again offer praise & gratitude for her dedication & professionalism. Having responsibility to assist my Dad in obtaining alternative housing & medical care (Dad is in an Assisted Living Facility), and to hold that facility's staff & management accountable to its mandatory licencing - not to mention its ethical/moral & contractual - standards, I've been spending quite a bit of time at the library when I'm not in meetings or on the go. My Dad means the world to me, and so I've been busy getting busy, fielding the calls, running the paperwork around & out of town, etc.... In the wake of the Library system's recent (hopefully only temporary) shut down of internet & computers at most of its branches, North Greenwood branch became my go-to spot for doing research, compiling information, for doc management/doc creation, printing & sending coorespondances. Thank God for Crista & crew for holding the line & their dedication. They're particularly attentive (and thus worthy of praise) to their primary base - at-risk children & young adults living in a low income, high crime neighborhood where they'd otherwise might not have access to resources, let alone somewhere safe and friendly to go after school. Staff has even warmed up to this interloper from another part of town who, in the past, ruffled not a few feathers in high places over non-essentials like mask mandates & ignorance vis patron rights/responsibility, versus the larger picture, access to resources. The library belongs to us all. Thanks, North Greenwood, for showing with your attitudes - reflected in your behavior towards others - just how committed you are to that fundamental principle."