I had a good stay with Doug! The room looked exactly as pictured. It's small, but I stayed for about a week and a half and found that there was enough space for myself and all my luggage. There was an empty shelf where I was able to place my all of my clothes and Doug brought in a some baskets for extra storage. There is also space just outside of the room for you to place your things if need be. Once I got used to the space, the size of the room was no problem.
I thought it was kind of cool and novel to sleep in a library. The collection of books therein is pretty eclectic and, just browsing the titles, many of the books seemed interesting. In fact, one of the books was about Doug and his career! Doug lets you read any of the books you'd like and I think many guests would enjoy the selection particularly if they like art or history. But more importantly than the books, the bed was large and comfortable and despite there being no window, there was plenty of air circulation thanks to a ceiling fan and three vents that surrounded the doors to the room. A light fixture attached and a lamp provided plenty of light too.
Doug was a considerate and attentive host! He would occasionally check in on me through the app or tell me about things going on in the neighborhood when we say each other in person. He obviously knows the area well. He was also easy to work with. I decided to extend my stay and Doug had no problem with that. I also booked very shortly before my arrival which Doug handled well. Both booking and extending my stay went very smoothly. He and I had a few nice conversations as well. He seems like someone who can hold an interesting conversation with just about anybody.
The neighborhood is very nice. Its pretty and has a lot of variety. A very short walk will take you to park. There are many, many restaurant nearby. A downtown area is very nearby as well, as is a shopping mall. There are theaters and the Barclays Center available for entertainment, again within easy walking distance. Transportation is easy as well. Two subway stations, one of which takes you right into Manhattan, are a short walk away and a large subway terminal with lines to take you all over the city is about a 5-10 minute walk from Doug's place. The neighborhood is active, desirable and very walkable.
I find this listing very easy to recommend. I would advise that the slightly unusual nature of the room should not keep you from booking, at least if you are a solo traveler. The room is private, quiet, and comfortable, Doug is a good host, and the location is ideal. I think anyone would enjoy there stay here!