If you’ve been following along with these community conversations, you already know—I don’t just toss a question out there and move on.
I cross-post these across multiple librarian groups, keep track of every thread, copy every response into a running document, and then sit down and sort through it all. It’s a lot. This one alone turned into 5+ pages of responses (and still growing). It takes time, but the payoff? Worth it every single time.
Because this isn’t surface-level feedback.
This is real, unfiltered input from people doing the work every day—the ones who see what patrons are asking for, what’s missing, and what could be possible with the right support.
And honestly? This is a post library administrators should be paying attention to.
Not because everything on this list requires a massive renovation or huge budget increase (some do, sure)—but because a lot of these ideas are actually doable. Some are small shifts. Some are about rethinking space. Some are about priorities.
So I asked:
“What is something you wish your library offered?”
And the answers? They were passionate, practical, and pretty revealing.
“We Just Need More Space”
This was easily the most common response—and it didn’t take long before people started building on each other’s experiences.
“I wish we had a meeting room and some storage… We have nowhere for a private meeting or programming.” — Gladys R.
“More space to have more seating options.” — Alicia S.
“More enclosed spaces or soundproofing. We hear everything.” — Jennifer B.
“One or two small study/meeting rooms.” — Kelli D.
“More space for programming. Better parking.” — Tammy W.
“Study rooms for two or three people. A real break room for staff with a window. An adult services position. A space that will hold up to 125 people. A family bathroom.” – Anonymous
And then this reality:
“We’re located in a strip mall… Space is definitely an issue for us. We can offer so much more with more space.” — Houachoua M.
Which sparked a practical suggestion:
“Can you partner with a place nearby that has space? Maybe do an outdoor program once or twice a month?” — Kathy D.
That’s where these conversations get powerful.
Not just naming the problem—but offering ways around it.
Teens Need Space—And Librarians Are Backing Each Other Up
This topic didn’t just come up—it snowballed.
“A separate teen space… we’re on the smaller side so children and teens are together.” — Steph C.
And then:
“Agree! More teens might become engaged.” — Doreen B.
“ME TOO! In all branches a teen space.” — Sydney G.
“Same here—a separate space for teens would be amazing.” — Anonymous
The shared experience was clear:
“We have a tiny couple of shelves… I run teen programs in the storytime room.” — Tiffany G.
Which led to this exchange:
“I also do teen programs in our storytime room. And they actually love it! One of them named it the baby room.” — Steph C.
And then the turning point:
“We finally made a teen area with their own computers and a TV… they started showing up like crazy. We had tears in our eyes.” — Pam D.
That’s the full picture—limitations, workarounds, and what happens when it finally works.
“I Just Want a Kitchen” (And Apparently, So Does Everyone Else)
This one turned into a mini thread of its own.
“I wish we had a kitchen and an outdoor space.” — Julie C.
Which immediately got this response:
“I agree an outdoor space would be amazing. A kitchen is something I fantasize about daily. I have so many cooking ideas.” — Lawonda F.
And more:
“Kitchen facilities… there are several programs I would love to do but they require more than a microwave.” — Cindy H.
But then—solutions started showing up:
“The library where I work was able to purchase a fully functional portable kitchen by way of a grant… I can’t wait to have small cooking classes.” — Bethany B.
“We use hotplates, a toaster oven, and a crock pot. While not ideal, they help us to offer some cooking programs.” – Anonymous
This is the pattern:
One person names a limitation → others validate it → someone shares a workaround.
Outdoor Space Sparked Some of the Best Back-and-Forth
“I wish we had an outdoor area… we could offer a lot of programming.” — Sharon O.
Which led to:
“We’re located in a strip mall too… we need a new location; the community deserves it.” — Houachoua M.
And then a shift toward possibility:
“Can you partner with a place nearby that has space?” — Kathy D.
“Can you do some outreach and partner with a local business to use their space?” – Anonymous
“We use our local park for outdoor programming!” – Anonymous
But the most impactful response came from experience:
“We had a flood… it created a blank canvas… we added a large play space and meeting rooms… it’s been so well received… laughter, lots of kiddos, increased circulation.” — Lori P.
That’s not just feedback—that’s a case study.
The “Library of Things” Conversation Kept Growing
“I’d love to have a Library of Things to check out.” — Karen H.
“Library of Things… sadly we just don’t have the space.” — Nicole S.
“Items like tools, museum passes.” — Sabina P.
“Museum passes… we get asked about them pretty often, but our budget gets smaller every year.” — Rebecca A.
And then layering in more ideas:
“Tonies and the Yoto cards—I want to check them out for my kids!” — Ashley C.
“More tech items… gaming consoles, a 3D printer…” — Brittany S.
Even when people couldn’t implement it, they were still thinking about how it could work. (check out my post on grants for some funding options!)
Programming Ideas Are Everywhere—Support Is Not
“Teen programs.” — Karen C.
“Open play Mahjong and mahjong classes.” — Debra B.
“Movie discussion club.” — Jason G.
“Summer reading options… family reading/game nights.” — Debbie R.
But then:
“We get asked for computer literacy classes a lot… I’m tapped out.” — Rebecca W.
And this one, which says a lot in a different way:
“People that would show up to the free programs.” — Pattie K.
“I wish we had funding for programs. I wish our city didn’t cut our book budget 50% this year.” – Anonymous
It’s not just about offering programs—it’s about capacity and community engagement.
Access, Equity, and Reality Checks
Some of the most important comments weren’t about adding services—but removing barriers.
“Pick up and delivery for seniors and handicapped people.” — Sue J.
“To be more handicap accessible.” — Mstir A.
“More parking.” — Tammy M.
“Sunday hours.” — Lara C.
And then this:
“More resources for mental health… more computers… extended hours… separate teen space… we’re lucky to have the doors open.” — Anonymous
That one response alone touched on multiple systemic gaps.
And Then the Staff Conversations Started
These didn’t need much back-and-forth—because they were already understood.
“More youth services librarians… with salaries and benefits to recruit and retain.” — Anonymous
“Full-time positions… we have insane turnover.” — Anonymous
“Health care benefits.” — Gina V.
“A bigger paycheck…” — Rhiannon S.
And then this:
“I wish I had a bigger paycheck in line with men in the city with zero experience.” — Gladys R.
And this one, that really hit home:
“A living wage. Sorry that’s not what you asked for but it counts for a lot. As for non-monetary: zero tolerance for harassment/violence against staff.” – Amy V.
Zero tolerance.
No follow-up needed. Just agreement.
What These Conversations Are Really Showing Us
This isn’t just a list of “wish list” items.
It’s:
- Patterns
- Shared challenges
- Peer-to-peer problem solving
- Real examples of what works
And if you’re in a position to make decisions?
There are ideas in here that don’t require massive overhauls:
- Reworking space
- Piloting small programs
- Partnering with community organizations
- Starting small and scaling up
- Apply for a grant (check out some info on that, HERE)
Because while some of these are big asks… some of them aren’t.
Let’s Keep This Going
If you’ve made it this far: What is something you wish your library offered?
Or—
What’s something you’ve been able to implement—and how did you make it work?
Drop it in the comments. Because clearly, this conversation isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
If you enjoyed this post and want to see others like it, check out these popular posts!
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