Toronto Public Library - Bayview Branch
14 reviews 100 Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Ln, Toronto, ON +1 416-395-5460 www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/ethennonnhawahstihnen suggest an edit
04 December 2023 12:41
This library is poorly designed and poorly staffed.
After children arrive around mid afternoon, you will hear nothing but screaming and the sound of children running around until closing time. There are no walls to separate the children’s area from the available working space. The staff seem to make little to no effort in keeping this library quiet. I go to this library almost every day for long hours, and I’ve only seen the younger gentleman librarian try to control the rowdiness. I’ve never seen any of the other staff members even try to control the noise. Kids will be kids, but you can at least try to inform the parents to keep their children under control.
Although, it’s understandable that the staff don’t care about the noise, since they’re often the loudest in the library before the children arrive.
After children arrive around mid afternoon, you will hear nothing but screaming and the sound of children running around until closing time. There are no walls to separate the children’s area from the available working space. The staff seem to make little to no effort in keeping this library quiet. I go to this library almost every day for long hours, and I’ve only seen the younger gentleman librarian try to control the rowdiness. I’ve never seen any of the other staff members even try to control the noise. Kids will be kids, but you can at least try to inform the parents to keep their children under control.
Although, it’s understandable that the staff don’t care about the noise, since they’re often the loudest in the library before the children arrive.
23 October 2023 3:37
Really nice new library. I like the working space a lot. There might be some noise from the kids coming here but I wear my earphones so it doesn't usually bother me. I really like how airy the space is, it's a calm environment for focusing and studying. Super happy this place opened up in my area!
19 October 2023 8:38
Had a quick in and out dropping off a book and picking up another hold. Entire facility seems well organised and signage is good. Warning, the muddy hillside temporary parking out front is very slippery and muddy.
06 August 2023 7:52
The new library is opened! Yeah! It is stunning.
This library former site at Bayview Village Mall was closed effective May 27 2023 5: 00 pm After many years of first rate service, wonderful times with neighbours and great staff (A shout out to Norman and Gerry!) that are so very helpful, with prompt services always. Oh and very clean. Do note: Lots of young families in the area, so it is noisy during story reading times (20 - 50) family members ages 1 month up to 7 years during the summer and babies and toddlers the rest of the year. Nice adult reading group, good selection of newspapers and magazines, CD's and DVD's. They also offer an extensive selection of online products and services. NOTE: A NEW branch will open up further east on the south side of Sheppard Ave E.behind the Bessarion subway station. Twice the size of the current library. Attached to a community centre with meeting rooms and swimming pool and more!
This library former site at Bayview Village Mall was closed effective May 27 2023 5: 00 pm After many years of first rate service, wonderful times with neighbours and great staff (A shout out to Norman and Gerry!) that are so very helpful, with prompt services always. Oh and very clean. Do note: Lots of young families in the area, so it is noisy during story reading times (20 - 50) family members ages 1 month up to 7 years during the summer and babies and toddlers the rest of the year. Nice adult reading group, good selection of newspapers and magazines, CD's and DVD's. They also offer an extensive selection of online products and services. NOTE: A NEW branch will open up further east on the south side of Sheppard Ave E.behind the Bessarion subway station. Twice the size of the current library. Attached to a community centre with meeting rooms and swimming pool and more!
05 August 2023 18:06
Visited the library for some quiet reading, but it's basically a daycare now. Kids running wild, noise everywhere. Complained, but management doesn't care. Don't bother if you want peace and quiet.
11 June 2022 1:30
Always a great experience at this branch! Cozy and welcoming and the librarians are super helpful. This branch is currently selling withdrawn titles $5 for a large paper bag full! This has been a huge help in keeping our little neighbourhood library stocked full of children and youth fiction <3
13 May 2022 13:14
Kind staff, good layout reconfiguration to help people keep distance while browsing, good selection on hand.
11 September 2021 2:51
Very friendly staff. Our entire family all got library cards for first time. It was quick and smooth. Great choice of children's books
05 April 2020 12:20
A small library but a wonderful one. The gentleman that does the story time on alternate Wednesdays is fantastic! He is great with children and very animated which gets the children very engaged in the stories and songs.
The staff there are all very lovely and happy to help when you approach the desk. Best part of the library is the returns slot outside which has been great for when we have books that are about to be overdue and need to returned without entering the library.
The staff there are all very lovely and happy to help when you approach the desk. Best part of the library is the returns slot outside which has been great for when we have books that are about to be overdue and need to returned without entering the library.
02 February 2020 6:22
In order to print, you can either use your library card or a temporary 'copy card' which they provide at the service desk. But the procedure for actually printing seems tedious and ridiculously configured.
For starters, they give you two items with four pieces of login credentials: a printed slip with 1) a temporary 'card number' and 2) a 'pin' number. And a separate card with 3) another, second 'card number' and 4) a second 'pin' number which is actually just the final four digits of the 'card number' but bolded.
The slip card number and pin number are used to login.
In order to print, there is a dialog box that comes up asking for a card number and a pin.
For some reason the dialog card number and pin are not the same card number and pin used to log in to the computer. It turns out the dialog box requires the card number on the physical card (not the slip), and the 'pin' is the last four digits of the physical card, not the slip.
Nowhere do they indicate which card number and which pin goes into which input field.
Why are there two sets of credentials with IDENTICAL field names ('card number' and 'pin number') ?
Why is there no indication the final four bolded digits on the physical card are a second 'pin number'?
Why am I required to enter two sets of login credentials, which aren't labelled relative to their corresponding fields, in order to print documents? There should be a SINGLE set of login credentials: ONE 'card number', and ONE 'pin number', used to sign in and used for entry into the dialog box to print.
Whoever configured and set up this system for printing needs to have a lesson in systems design and usability best practices. Or at the very least provide instructions either at the desk or via a printout clearly labeling which fields go into which boxes and for what purposes. Instead, we are given verbal instructions, a slip with two login IDs, and second card with TWO MORE login IDs, and NO instructions / tutorial for how to use this. The verbal instructions are NOT sufficient, and this is clear because virtually every single person has difficulty printing and needs to ask for further assistance from the service desk staff.
This library needs to get its act together and provide a more accessible mechanism for printing. Make it straightforward. Make it so I don't have to jump through seven hoops just to print a twenty cent page in black and white.
For starters, they give you two items with four pieces of login credentials: a printed slip with 1) a temporary 'card number' and 2) a 'pin' number. And a separate card with 3) another, second 'card number' and 4) a second 'pin' number which is actually just the final four digits of the 'card number' but bolded.
The slip card number and pin number are used to login.
In order to print, there is a dialog box that comes up asking for a card number and a pin.
For some reason the dialog card number and pin are not the same card number and pin used to log in to the computer. It turns out the dialog box requires the card number on the physical card (not the slip), and the 'pin' is the last four digits of the physical card, not the slip.
Nowhere do they indicate which card number and which pin goes into which input field.
Why are there two sets of credentials with IDENTICAL field names ('card number' and 'pin number') ?
Why is there no indication the final four bolded digits on the physical card are a second 'pin number'?
Why am I required to enter two sets of login credentials, which aren't labelled relative to their corresponding fields, in order to print documents? There should be a SINGLE set of login credentials: ONE 'card number', and ONE 'pin number', used to sign in and used for entry into the dialog box to print.
Whoever configured and set up this system for printing needs to have a lesson in systems design and usability best practices. Or at the very least provide instructions either at the desk or via a printout clearly labeling which fields go into which boxes and for what purposes. Instead, we are given verbal instructions, a slip with two login IDs, and second card with TWO MORE login IDs, and NO instructions / tutorial for how to use this. The verbal instructions are NOT sufficient, and this is clear because virtually every single person has difficulty printing and needs to ask for further assistance from the service desk staff.
This library needs to get its act together and provide a more accessible mechanism for printing. Make it straightforward. Make it so I don't have to jump through seven hoops just to print a twenty cent page in black and white.
17 January 2020 18:39
Great community space, but the hours are so inconvenient. Sad to see the reduction in open hours because I'm sure I'm not the only one who is impacted by this. I would love to see more consistent open hours, even if they have to be reduced, to remove the guessing game and always having to double-check if they're open.
01 January 2020 10:37
Well managed cozy little library. They have a good collection and the working area is small but comfortable. Decent wifi.
10 September 2019 22:20
A typical mall library branch, quieter than most due to the arrangement of bookshelves. Tables for study available.
29 August 2019 16:34
Staff are really nice and the library is clean. Wifi is strong enough to surf the web. The only downside is that this library is fairly noisy. It's not so much a library, but more of a community centre.