This is easily one of the best bars in the city, and certainly in South Side. Depending on the time of day, you'll get a very different crowd. Because it's in a prime Carson Street location, college kids overrun the bar on Saturday nights. But otherwise, The Library is fairly laid back.
There is always a good selection of local beers on tap--East End, Penn, Victory (from across the state in Downingtown). Happy hours are every day (5-7pm & 9-11pm) with 1/2 off apps and $3 drafts. Another perk is that the kitchen is open until 1am, and the food is actually good. I've tried most of the menu, and the closest thing I have to a complaint is that the portions are large. For example, The Woman in White (risotto) could easily feed two. And, yes, all of the menu options and cocktails are named for books. The signature cocktails are more of simple twists on classics--Where the Red Fern Grows is just a cosmo with pineapple juice--and disappointingly cheap liquor is used. But I come here for the drafts, not the Hugtini (yep, a cocktail made with that childhood sugar-water). The menus themselves are retired hardback books--the decor is top-notch here. The patio on the top floor is great for warmer months.