"2"^^ . . . "4"^^ . "Until recently, I'd assumed that all public libraries smelled like homeless shelters and made you sort of want to take a shower, or at least wash your hands, after checking out. Having recently spent a lot of time at the Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Chandler libraries, however, I've begun to think maybe this is a unique feature off the Tempe Public Library. It's a real shame, too, because the library has so many good things going for it. Good book, CD, and DVD selection, and a really pretty, sprawling campus, that also includes some Tempe municipal offices (I think) and a neat little Tempe history museum. Lots of computers, but even more patrons - I've often had trouble finding an open one to hop on to. \n\nTwo fun features are: (1) the Friends of the Library bookstore, which offers a great selection of dirt-cheap used books, movies, and CDs, and (2) the caf\u00E9 in the back, which offers delicious Italian sodas and (sometimes) cheap, tasty BBQ sandwiches.\n\nIn short, Tempe's got a pretty good public library. I just wish they'd class it up a little in terms of its olfactory profile and overall cleanliness level."^^ . "2015-08-07T00:00:00"^^ . "3"^^ . . "3"^^ .