Write Around Tampa

John F Germany Public Library

900 N Ashley Drive

Tampa

This library is one of the two—if not the main location—major libraries in Hillsborough County. I’ve always wanted to come here and sadly, it is one of the least accessible and user-friendly that I’ve come across. Let’s break it down:

Quality and pricing of food and drink:

Zero food or drink. Thank goodness for the bagel shop across the street.

Are there enough outlets?

Surprisingly, no.

How’s the wifi?

Standard public library access. I’m on my third computer, by the way. After wiping down and setting up at my first station I was denied access because those are the Adobe computers and you need to sign on with your Adobe account, which I’m assuming. The guy at the help desk simply told me I couldn’t use them. Who can and how? Wasn’t explained. So I next set up at a station with a high desk that made me feel like a cartoon piano player when I attempted to type. Also check out the pic of the big keys; these are computers for the Big Type book set. Now I am at station number three.

Will my muse come out?

I don’t think so. The place just isn’t cozy or private. I feel like I’m in school. Nursery school, because it’s story time in the children’s section and I’m being treated to a song called Silly the Dog in the tune of Bingo (S-I-L-L-Y and Silly was his name-o). Two minutes later I was treated to the Goodbye Song. Yes, loved that one. Goodbye, John F Germany.

How long can I park it?

Let’s talk about parking. There are a few spots surrounding the library; it is downtown, after all. There were none, so I went to a lot across the street. $20.49. I left and circled the building again and the library gods smiled upon me. Got a spot right in front of the library, $7. Still way too much for two hours of work. Packing up and spending my last good parking hour in the bagel shop.

Final rating: 1.5 out of 5 laptops

Rachel Remick’s fiction and non-fiction stories have appeared in various magazines, among them Rosebud, Bluestem and ellipsis . . . literature and art. A frequent contributor to women’s magazine Sasee, her writing has also been published in several volumes of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. She lives in Tampa, Florida.