Fantastic library based in the civic centre - easy to access from town. Is absolutely huge, with…read moreamazing selection of books, and I think around 50+ computers with internet access. Has reference library downstairs with rows and rows of desks surrounded by books, directories and so on. Also has wide range of magazines and trade directories that you can look through. Just next door is an art gallery and a cafe which does lovely food in a really attractive environment. It also has a small gift shop where you can buy artist's work from as well as stationery, cards etc.

A good library in town with many books, papers, magazines, cds and films. They have computers that…read moreyou can use to access the internet and there is normally a queue to use these. The library is located inside the civic centre and is quite big on three floors.

The volunteers are absolutely lovely, including the older woman and the young man however there's…read moreno clear way to make any community group booking. Was told one week we could make a booking of the community room and then the next week we were told that member of staff can no longer book the room and that we must contact someone else.

Lovely old library, which was under threat of closure some time ago, but fortunately remains! Is…read moresplit into two main sections, one for children and teenagers and the other for adults. Has a lot of character, but also has modern touches such as internet access. Staff here are very friendly and helpful - not long ago they were still issuing tickets for books rather than using barcodes on cards, but they have updated now and as the library never seems to be overly busy, you can be in and out fairly quickly. Main problem is parking as there doesn't seem to be any nearby, and on corner of busy road so difficult to be dropped off.

Salisbury Library is the hub of the City with all the information you could need under one roof…read more They have an information point run by the Council where you can make enquiry's. There is a large reference library with lots of room to study, an art gallery, a library full of Dvd's to rent and Cd's. One of the best Children's sections i have ever seen and lots of computers for you to use to surf the net too! You couldnt ask for more!

Hedge End library is in a good location in the middle of the village and is bigger than it looks. I…read morethink they could do with a few more adult books in there however the childrens section is amazing. They always have plenty of books for all ages and lots of DVDs to hire out for rainy Sunday afternoons. The staff are very friendly and helpful and they try very hard to find what you are looking for. They have some very comfy seats and a little drinks machine so you could well spend an afternoon there. They also do activities on certain days of the month.

Bournemouth Library is the best library in Bournemouth to visit for choice! it has a huge range of…read morebooks on two floors. Upstairs is mostly musical books, good range of cds to hire out, there is even a piano you can play on with headphones. there is a lift for disabled access. Downstairs has a huge film section, along with a really nice kiddies section. There is plenty of books on all topics and plenty of space to study with many computers. It is also good that they have (very clean) toilets - so you can spend quite a while here without leaving. Its a shame they dont have a cafe, the cafe below has now closed which is a shame :( Generally everything is laid outwell and the windows give the place lots of light which is nice. The staff are polite and helpful. Rated 5/5

I love the new library, its very spacious, has so many books and resources and the kids part is…read moremassive and contains toys and things for your kids to do, I used to come for an hour or so and let my son play.

I have been using this library since it was first opened (and used to use Milton library which is…read morenow the community hall next door). I know many of the staff quite well, and my children enjoyed many activities run by the library over the years. before I had access to a computer I regularly used the computer facilities here. I've always found his library to be very convenient (with a bus stop just outside) and a great place to visit.

This is for the house, not the library, as unfortunately we did not have time to see the library…read moreduring this visit (but it is on the list of things to make time for on a future visit). This was our first time visiting a manor house, and it was amazing. From first walking to the end of the driveway/carriageway and seeing the house for the first time, I was enchanted. Everything is so well-preserved and/or restored so as to give a good sense of what it would have been like to have lived there in Jane Austen's time (they do recognize most of their visitors are Jane Austen fans, but really, if you have any interest in English country estates or manor houses, you can appreciate this house's history and beauty). The staff and volunteers are very passionate and knowledgeable, and they will share as little or as much as you want them to. The gardens are also peaceful to walk through, and worth the time. They also have The Old Kitchen Tearoom. We had not had a chance to eat that morning, so were pretty hungry by the time we finished the tour before walking through the gardens or down the road to Jane Austen's house. The tearoom was pleasant, with both indoor and outdoor seating available. It was a nice day, so we sat outside, and the small courtyard that makes up the outdoor seating was beautiful. We had the egg and bacon brioche sandwiches, which perfectly hit the spot and gave us the energy we needed for our future walks that day. In the future, I would just make sure to make Chawton a full day trip. Yes, it is a village and there is not a lot overall, but this house alone offers so much that you really need to give yourself the time to appreciate it. We were there for about 2 hours, but could have easily spent another 1-2 hours depending if we wanted to spend more time in the gardens, see the library, and/or see the church (which we did try to see, but was locked when we visited). Thank you to the Knight family for opening up your property for us to see, and to all those who have ensured over the years that this place is accessible to appreciate!

Just a short walk (five minutes) up a pretty country lane from Jane Austen's cottage in Chawton,…read moreyou will find a stately surprise in the form of a Tudor manor house, built in the 1500's. Chawton House and estate were owned by Jane's wealthy brother. She called it "The Great House". Today it is a working educational site (the Centre for the Study of Early Women's Writing, in partnership with the University of Southampton), yet is open to the public and a must-visit for Austen fans. Chawton House is one of the Knight estates inherited by Edward Austen, who was lucky enough to be adopted by rich relatives in need of an heir. He changed his surname from "Austen" to "Knight." The manor house interior has been beautifully restored. There is a church on the grounds (Jane's mother and sister are buried in the church yard) - and an attached farm. This grand house is probably where Jane spent a lot of time with family when she needed to get away from the cramped cottage. By the way, it's only recently that Chawton House been available for public tours; it has been a private facility for some 20 years. Happily we can now tour both the interior and the gardens. [Note: if you want to see one of the Pemberley-style estates Jane's brother inherited, go to the palatial Godmersham Park in Kent. Jane would have frequented this house, to visit her brother's family, as well. It's not quite Downton Abbey - but almost!] Finally, for Austenites, it's worth noting that Jane is buried inside Winchester Cathedral; and you can see the house where she died, not far from the Cathedral grounds. Winchester is only 15-20 miles from Chawton.