Hempstead County Library - Hope, Arkansas - Central Library

From: alison jones | submitted: Jul 10, 2012
The Hempstead County Library in Hope Arkansas is by far the worst library I have ever visited. It is not so much the decor or the small space as it is the staff. I have been there 3 times in the last month and each time I have been annoyed and irritated by the staff and their lack of professionalism. The atmosphere that a library should possess at the least would be one that allows you to study, read, etc. Well if that is the basic criteria for a library then Hempstead County gets an EPIC FAIL! The librarians do not know what an inside voice is. They have little chats at the desk which jar your senses so severely that studying could not be anymore attainable than trying to ignore their awful taste in discussion. The funny part of it all is they have a sign up that says "NO CELL PHONES". I suppose this sign is up so that no one is disturbed while they use the facilities. But, its ok for the loud librarians to carry on as if they were at the ball field. It's amazing. I wish I had an extra set of hands so I could give this library 4 thumbs down. It is a disgrace to all libraries world wide.

From: A D | submitted: Sep 29, 2011
I have visited the Hempstead County Library only a few times over the last year due to the unwelcomeness you feel. No one ever offers to help you they just glare. I do not like going and only do so when I just have to I would rather drive out of my way to go somewhere more appealing. You would think the City would take notice, but just like everything else lets dont rock a boat that's been afloat for the last 50 years. Sometimes change is what we need and to rock that boat!

From: S. Wade | submitted: Jul 21, 2010
I've visited this library 4-5 times in the last ten months. Both of the library workers that I've had to interact with seem to have a deep aversion to A.) People and B.)Books. They discourage people from sitting down and browsing through books and there's no re-shelve shelf where you can set things when you're done browsing. It's a dingy, badly-lit place and the walls are covered in ugly little 8" by 5" pieces of paper warning you "don't do this" and "don't do that", which, when they're everywhere you look, make you feel sort of unwelcome. Their policies are ridiculous as well- one of the little signs informs you "No more than 3 books on one topic per person at one time". I'm not kidding- go see it for yourself! It's stuck on to the non-fiction shelves on your left as you enter. Wish I could give the Hempstead County Library zero stars.