One of my regular library haunts which has a good selection of books as well as cds/dvds, the free…read morecomputers to use (if you have a library card), a cafe and a variety of groups meet here inc book & writers groups. Sadly there is no free Wi-Fi at the moment and the staff could be friendlier but they're just small points for me. More important and the reason why it doesn't have 5 stars, is because they only open one evening a week. A city centre library should be open a few more evenings so those of us who work can use it more often. I'm sure there must be a way of closing off the art gallery so this can happen. Anyhoo, it is worth a visit as the sections also include graphic novels, modern classics, lgbt literature and everything in between. They can also order in books from other libraries.

Armed with my new Glasgow library card, I ventured into this place…read more Computer access with my new card plus free wifi AND lots of books makes it a strong contender for a repeat purchase or three, particularly given its good location. It's quite busy during the day and has a good buzz about it, more like a cafe with books than a library with a cafe. Depending on what you're after, this will either be good or bad. A handy wee place I can see me going to alot over the summer.

A good old fashioned Library, intent on offering books and learning and little else. Admirably…read morehesitant to change, the Langside Library is much the same inside and out - bar the selection of computers - as it was ten, fifteen, twenty years ago. The kids section is large and comprehensive, with all the favourites accounted for. However, special mention must go to the classics section which has a particularly extensive Dickens collection. Pretty much every newspaper is accounted for, as well as plenty of magazines and periodicals.

Conveniently located next to the hospital, Langside Library is a little more old fashioned than the…read morenew libraries that are springing up across Glasgow: even the book selection is dated, with the Mind Body and Spirit Section specialising in the Abrahamic religions and the graphic novel section a mere whimper. It isn't a great place for the specialist, unless it it is in crime novels or science fiction, where they have some idiosyncratic choices, and the CDs are mostly mainstream pop with a bit of classical. But the staff are very helpful and, while it might be a sad comment, it is peaceful and underused. Besides, they have a large section for kids, set away from the rest of the building, which keeps the atmosphere relaxed.

The Glasgow Women's Library has moved around a lot in the last 25 years since it was first set up…read more It now has it's permanent premises in Bridgeton near the Eastern end of Glasgow Green. The building is lovely and perfect for housing a small library. It's a grass roots charitable organisation and the only one of it's kind in Scotland. As a lending library its focus is on women writers, feminism, the suffragette movement, LGBTQIA+ stories, and so on. However, it also has a carefully curated collection of artefacts and archive materials. It runs literacy programmes and works to improve adult education - empowering women is one of the key aims of the library and that empowerment is achieved through learning. They run a range of events all year round, from readings to walking tours. Most of this is done by volunteers although they do have a small number of permanent staff. Their opening hours are now a little longer than they used to be which makes it easier to visit (they open on Saturdays now and they open late on Thursdays). I've signed up for a library card, so I hope I'll get back soon.

Another great public library in Glasgow, in a beautiful building with a good range of opening hours…read moreand completely free services! Excellent. Indeed, Glasgow has a wide range of libraries that are fairly well equipped. This meaning, as M.K. has mentioned, their stock - book wise - can be a little on the dated side and slightly limited. In saying this, if your desired book is in another Glasgow library somewhere else you can easily fill out a request, be informed how long your wait may be and pick it/them up at your local library. Meanwhile, there's a good range of magazines, dvds, cds and videos that you can flip through before popping onto one of their computers. These allow you to surf the worldwide web, type up any important emails/letters, shop and also print/photocopy and even - I believe - now scan documents. Everything you could need in an easily accessible place and all either free (or for a marginal fee e.g. printing and photocopying). This particular library is really local, handy and has a lovely, quiet and relaxed vibe to it. Perfect.

I always consider one of the greatest privileges that we have as Scots is the institution of the…read morepublic library. They are warm, reassuringly musty, located in beautiful buildings and best of all - free to everyone. There were no doubt fears that libraries would be left behind in the Internet age, with books becoming redundant, over sites like Wikipedia and youtube. Thankfully, libraries have moved with the times and the Couper has done exactly the same - by introducing computers complete with decent software and Internet access. There are times when I've gone down there and used the computers and I've had no problem with access. The place is always stocked with recent magazines and newspapers. On the book front, things are less impressive but the Couper can't be blamed for that. People simply don't use the library there as much as they used to and return and take books from elsewhere. As a result, you tend to see the same old stuff on the shelf. I delight, however, in seeing something that has just been released and am proud that my local library has managed to pick it up. There is also an impressive children's section which I used a lot in my youth. Despite us now living in an Internet world where information can be accessed in less than a second, the death of libraries would be unforgivable. We should be proud and I'm proud of the Couper.

I joined the Mitchell Library last week (photo ID and a utility bill will do the trick) and look…read moreforward to availing of their PCs for free internet access, and maybe downloading a few ebooks to my tablet/ereader. I rather fancied some of the nicely presented salads and sandwiches coming out of the Mitchell's cafe, but as it wasn't lunch o'clock I didn't bite. Last year I attended a talk by AC Grayling in the comfortable and perfectly formed lecture theatre (part of the Aye Write Festival I think), and more recently was blown away by the George Wyllie Retrospective. The world could do with more George Wyllies! His sculptures, installations, art and poetry are enough to make a career curmudgeon smile. I think the exhibition is running for a few more months yet. Go there! If you have just half an hour to spare, do step into the permanent puppet exhibition to the right of the main reception desk. Some of those puppets are over a thousand years old and hail from all corners of the world. They don't seem to mind if you want to snap away and take photos. Would definitely recommend a visit to the Mitchell Library. Oh, and they have lots of books too.

Up there with the best that Glasgow has to offer on the arts and culture front…read more An awesome choice of books for leisure, academic facilities and IT on offer as well as various exhibitions held over the year. I was here today (25/06) for the Scotch Whisky Association's exhibition, which was first class. Detail on the making of and maturation of Scotland's various whiskies as well as the history of branding, advertising and marketing of the sweet stuff. Highly recommended AND it's free!

A lumbering, monstrous biulding, Strathclyde uni's library can be found on Cathedral Street, at the…read morenorth-east corner of the campus. Five levels of educational goodness await inside. Entering on level 3, there are 2 levels above you, and 2 below.The quiet study areas are often plagued by people indulging in fervent whispered conversations in the futile hope that this will not disturb other users. In the months and weeks leading up to exams, seats become increasingly rare and it is especially annoying if you need computer access to do work and other people are using them to chesk Bebo and Youtube. All the staff I have dealt with are helpful and professional. The library also carries an extensive back catalogue of academic journals, useful when conducting research. Discussion levels are provided on each level and these have proved invaluable during a group research project we carried out last semester. All in all, a good, well-stocked library!

Having studied at both of Glasgow's universities, I must say that while Strathclyde has a better…read moremix of students and dare i say it, better teaching, it's library just can't compete with the 12 floor behemoth in the West end. That's not to say it's not adequate. There are of course thousands upon thousands of books, plenty of computers (though at busy times you won't get near one), a cafe and "discussion areas" where silence isn't required, but it just never really felt like a place I wanted to study, and compared to Glasgow Uni the opening times are pretty limited. Good, but could be better.

Once upon a time, anti-psychologist RD Laing looked out of his bedroom window onto this library,…read moreassociating the golden angel statue with the traditional of fierce intellectual working class culture. These days, the library is a safe affair: nice big room full of computers for on-line access, a broad range of novels in English, plenty of Asian literature and CDs of all sorts of musical styles: looking through these has the same frisson as checking out an old school record shop for rarities and strange albums. This is generally a quiet library, with browsing old men and students checking out the magazines: not large, but the inter-library loan system more than compensates, as long as you aren't in a rush for a particular book.

A decent sized library with a good selection of books and a children's area.read more

This cosy little library situated just off Duke Street, is the perfect place to while away the day…read morewith your nose in a book. At the centre of the Dennistoun community, it provides a place lose yourself in a really good book, or marvel at their quite impressive selection of CDs that are available to rent. When I recently received a huge reading list from my university, there was no chance I'd be able to buy them all, if any! So I took a wee walk to my local library with my list in hand, wondering if they might be able to point me in the right direction. The friendly girl behind the desk took my list and searched the library catalogue for each of the books I had on my list, managing to find a couple that were held at other libraries and she happily ordered them in for me. The service provided here is second to none, as I found out when I received a pleasant phone call informing me that my book had arrived and was ready for collection. Dennistoun Library is a great place, that locals should take more advantage of. They have an extensive list of interesting books, with something for everyone, and they are more than happy to order items from other libraries for you. They provide free Internet access and rent out the latest CDs and DVDs for just £1 a time. This place is ideal for everyone from young kids attending their reading clubs, to students making use of the study room and older folks simply enjoying a read of the paper on one of the comfy sofas.

Dennistoun Library is a wonderful wee place. Like other Glasgow council-operated libraries it has…read moreIT stations for surfing the internet and a good online system for checking availability and reserving books. Though it's fairly small they have a great selection and the staff on hand are brilliant. Although this isn't my local I do love it. I reserve a lot of books through the system and the ones I can't get at Baillieston tend to be picked from Dennistoun and sent to Baillieston for me. Love it!

Small library but conveniently has 4 computers. I often print documents off as its only 19p a page…read more If we don't keep using these small libraries they'll end up closing.