Country Hills Library - Kitchener, Ontario

Jared F.

Great environment at this library. The toddler room is a huge highlight for our family! Plenty of age-appropriate books, and it has its own space near the front entrance, a good distance away from the studying area. Books and DVDs were very well organized each time we have visited. Staff are friendly.

Kelly M.

Great library for children. I've been bringing my daughter here since she was one year old. We've participated in several programs, as well as coming to hang out in the children's area, and borrow a variety of materials. Staff are kind and welcoming. Special shout out to Karen for being so amazing!

ELIZABETH F.

I recently visited the local library hoping for a quiet place to read, but my experience was far from peaceful. Unfortunately, students from St. Mary’s School seem to treat the library more as a social hub than a study area. They roam around, sit in groups, eat food, and engage in loud conversations, disrupting the calm environment a library should provide.

Even more surprising was the fact that, despite there being three staff members present, none of them made any effort to control the noise or enforce any rules about maintaining silence. To make matters worse, some people who came to work on their laptops made loud phone calls, adding to the chaos.

It felt like a complete mess, and I found myself leaving earlier than planned because the environment was simply too distracting. I strongly believe that silence is key in any library, and I hope the management takes steps to restore it to a place of quiet study and concentration.

Karolina P.

I give this review 4 stars but the staff I would rate at 5 stars because they are so helpful, knowledgeable and nice. Walked me through setting up different apps that I can download for learning languages, renting e-learning resources, movies etc. Staff also is able to make recommendations on books when I communicate my needs or the needs of those I care for. Some consistent issues with the printer especially with making payment for print out copies. People could use more than an hour limit on the computers especially if they are job seeking. Process seams quite extensive and time consuming for printing anything. Unlike the Central branch though, the parking is FREE and they have tennis, pickleball and basketball supplies you can rent to use in their outdoor newer gym and sports areas. They always have some activities like scavenger hunts, origami, seeds to plant, Lego activities, coloring sheets etc. to keep kids entertained if they aren't really into just reading books. There is a separate room for younger tots and secluded bubbles if you are looking for privacy and quiet.

Vipin K.

kids love this place and have fun time with books and nintendo games.

A. L.

KPL is a great library, I really appreciate being able to order books, games, and DVDs online and then pick them up here. In addition, everything can be put on a waiting list, which is a must, especially for the popular video games. It's best to visit this library outside school hours and/or on weekends, otherwise it's very noisy and crowded with students.

Paula V.

First time visit, it was not easy to find, attached to a school. It felt like a school library too. I wanted to donate a book by Terri Fallis in good condition. No, we don’t accept books when they are older than 10 yrs. A second staff member helpfully added “it is policy”. Very disappointing , I didn’t even want to check their sales table, newer books are not necessarily better books, and the whole atmosphere did not feel welcoming. I won’t return to this branch, will try another branch, the main branch is great but further away, pity

Kate R.

I appreciate the staff so much at the library. They are very helpful and provide accessibility for those who are disabled and in a wheelchairs. However the noise level is absolutely beyond me. Call me "old" but in our time we were kicked out if you were noisy in the library. I realize there's a high-school that's attached close to the library but teens and young adults need structure, boundaries and understanding that respect for all is a key factor in today's society. Allowing them to rule the library by controlling the noise level is simply allowing them to contiune to disregard others who are actually there using what the library is intended for [a quiet place to read, study etc]. I am thinking of speaking to the higher up in management about discussing a more positive and proactive way to limit the ridiculous amount of activity, noise, sheer volume of chaos in this particular library. They can go to Tim Hortons for that kind of socializing that's located across the road. Not for an environment that a library provide. Infact the one day a girl was hitting a guy constantly. Slapping him and being so loud in screams. Not something a small child should witness. When we left [my daughters and I, we all had massive headaches]. So please do something about this. Don't ruin your reputation as a library. Make a safe place for all who come. Thanks.