Allen Co. Public Library Located in Fort Wayne, Indiana

The expanded and renovated Allen Co. library , main branch is located downtown Fort Wayne. It is a great facility, the building is larger, includes a cafe, bookstore, auditorium, art gallery, computer center, and a free underground parking garage. You would think that with all these amenities one would leave the library with a pleasant experience... but, due to confusing procedures and unposted guidelines for use of the garage one is left with an exhausting and aggravating visit.

Library policy is to have your parking garage ticket validated by security on the first floor of the library; but No where in the garage are you instructed to do this or to even bring your ticket into the library. Not until you enter the first floor of the actually library is there a sign about having your ticket validated.

So- after a day at the library I loaded my two young children along with a huge bag of books into our car to head home. As I came to the exit gate I couldn't get it to raise to so I pushed the 'Help' button and a very rude voice asked "what does the screen say?" I told her it said "please insert $1.00"- which she told me was the cost of the garage without a validated ticket. O.K. -no big deal, I will just pay a dollar and get my two children -who are now asleep in the back seat home.

The 'Help Lady' went on, to tell me you can not pay at the exit gate and that I must back my van back down the exit ramp, wake my children up, take the elevator to the first floor, and have my ticket validated by security -or I will be unable to leave the garage. After hearing this I was furious. Not only did I have to do all the before mentioned things but I had to get out of my car and tell the 2 cars that were honking at me to "please back up".

I finally did get out of the garage, but not after having to wake up my kids and take them back into the library. Needless to say A visit to the main branch library with its 'convenient' parking garage isn't worth it- Even with the the cafe and art gallery- we will just be visiting our local branch from now on.