In the field of architecture, the Modern Era refers to the time period when designers produced buildings that were supposed to be timeless. Ideally these structures were to have a very functional form with their sharp angles and use of common materials. Post-Modernism, as a design school, exists to playfully mock the "serious" designs of the Modern Era. Agave Library is the perfect example of everything that is wrong with Post-Modernism.
Verging away from the "form meets function" philosophy of the Modern Era, the Agave library is the least functional building I have ever seen. It is all concrete, exposed air ducts, and wires which would be fine except every noise echoes like a gong throughout the "quiet" area.
The study rooms are comprised of glass walls, small round tables, and hard multi colored plastic chairs. They are laughably inadequate for hours of studying: the tables are not large enough to hold both a textbook and a laptop and the chairs are so uncomfortable for long periods of time. There are rows of tables for studying, but there aren't enough outlets for laptop users.
The book collection is tiny compared to bigger branches like Juniper. However, I really like the interlibrary loan service. It allows Phoenix Library users to rent books from any library and have them sent to any convenient branch.
I really wish the City of Phoenix would refrain from trying to make a statement with every public structure. Modernism and even Post-Modernism can be done in a tasteful way that is appropriate for a public building.