this is the largest public library in the us

Please! don't go to this library. The guards are loud, abusive threatning, paranoid, and will make false reports. They let other people harass other patrons when they are doing work, the guards don't do nothing when you are being harassed, they always kick out innocent people and threated to make false reports, the supervisiors omly listen to one side and that's theirs, they will follow you and threatened you for no reason and will call the police for no reason. Please! don't go tot his library unless you want to get arrested or harass with threats.

I agree with Penny - this happened to me today! Though the architecture is wonderful, the staff is often rude and the guards treat you like you're in third grade, and even worse if you're black. Homeless guys talk aloud in there all the time, and the guards do nothing about that... the Wi-Fi here also sucks.... and they make people check their bags before they leave, despite anti-theft detectors... totally ridiculous and a waste of my hard-earned taxpayer money! This library should be renamed after George W. Bush - it doesn't even deserve Harold Washington's name. I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS PLACE AGAIN. That library is a total joke. I'm sticking with the suburban libraries. The ones in Oak Park, Homewood, and Flossmoor are much better and the staffs are much friendlier.