A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Alicia Ashman Branch of the Madison Public Library (733 N High Point Rd). Man, it was rich. Expensive wooden shelves. Wood trim everywhere. Lots of space.
Compare to my local branch. Small, dingy. In the summertime, full of kids, waiting in lines for a computer.
The Hawthorn Branch on East Wash was almost as nice as the High Point branch. My local library is the South Madison branch on Park St.