What a lovely, peaceful, happy place in the beautiful village of Kinderhook. I could/often do spend…read morewhole afternoons here. XOXO.

The renovated library is beautiful and the staff is always incredibly friendly and helpful. Just…read moredon't forget your earplugs / headphones--unless you're in the quiet room--it is VERY NOISY!

Gorgeous library repurposed from a former ca. 1800's court house (itself on the National Historic…read morePlaces Register). While small, it is charming, efficient in its use of space, a hub of this small town's life (great to see youngsters and teens in here reading and studying!), and utterly nostalgic. The architecture both inside and outside is beautiful. The staff is very friendly as well and knowledgeable about the building's history. In terms of a small-town library, you can't get much better than this one! And if you ever need a dose of classic New England Americana, Lenox is the place to visit and this library is a great place to start!

An oasis of peace and tranquility in an already peaceful town. Enveloped in two sides by a fabulous…read moreflower garden with benches to relax on the cool interior awaits. On entering the library you'll be on a mezzanine floor. Straight ahead for the library, left for the clean and well appointed bathrooms, and downstairs for the Lenox museum and meeting room. The library is comfortable and has a few.computers that you can use at no cost. A gem to experience.

I love this library! I joined the knitting group on Wednesdays and it's so much fun. Thea, the…read moredirector, has lots of ideas and keeps the event calendar full of fun activities. Contrary to the reviewer who claims children aren't "safe" here, it is very family friendly. There is a filter on the computers so kids can't accidentally access adult-only sites. Anyone over 17 is able to bypass the filter, but the policies for internet access very clearly prevent patrons from accessing inappropriate material. Oh, and they have books too! :)

I love this little library and am excited to see them expand their space and programming! Thea, the…read moreDirector, is always friendly and helpful. She even has brought new books that have come in to my attention if she thinks I'll enjoy them.

Very, very cool. In a repurposed armory in the uphill part of downtown Hudson. Full of open spaces,…read morereading noks & topical areas for children, meeting, local history, etc.

this is a very nice library. The building architecture is my favorite in the city. Im really glad…read morethe city fixed it up and made it usanle again. It looks like a fort and a castle. The library it self is fairly small in terms of number of books but i guess the town is pretty small. It has computer for use and free wifi which is a huge plus. They do not hace a lot of travel books which i like to check out. There is plenty of comfy chairs to read or study. It's not noisy usually and staff is friendly. Note that there is no cell phone use in order to keep a quiet environment for others. They do enforce this. It's understandable but annoying if you just need a quick call. There are a few secluded places where you can relax with a good book or study for a test.

Personal help finding things. Kind and experienced staff is super helpful. They reserved a book…read moreat another library and it was sent to Lilly library for me to check out. -For my book club. Computers available. Love the free Summer concerts just steps away on Thursdays.

From the owner: Lilly Library serves traditional and modern library user's needs. Come check out books, movies,…read moremusic, magazines & more. We also have ebooks and digital audiobooks available on our digital catalog. Find out about storytimes, book clubs for new readers, teens, and mystery lovers, as well as movie show times and other exciting programming on our website.

I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and any times politicians needed money, they cut funding to libraries…read morebecause who needs to read, right? When I moved up to Clifton Park in 2018, I discovered this beautiful library and fell in love with it. Wonderful people, great events, very community minded. Thid library is, in a long life of reading, my favorite.

If not the Granddaddy of area libraries, this is at least the All-Star, with capacious reading…read moreareas, triple height ceilings opening up to views of the adjacent woods, and the best children's room in the Tri-State area. The collection actually isn't bigger than Schenectady's main branch, but the modern layout and extra air make it an extremely pleasant alternative. The main "criticism" (please note the quotation marks) is that by choosing a central location -- as in, smack dab in the geographic middle of the county -- it's not quick to get there. It is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, adjacent to a few older houses and not in a civic center. This makes accessing it by foot impossible, and by public transportation a chimerical experience. It's a heavily suburbanized concept, and one done at the expense of having several satellite libraries in many communities. That said, the flipside is that the library is able to keep extremely good hours relative to the financially-strapped libraries in most of the state. 9-9 weekdays, except 9-6 Friday; 9-5 Saturday; noon to 5 Sunday. They have a double-staffed reference desk and as many as four lines open at circulation, although no self-serve checkout as yet. Borrowing privileges are extended to other libraries in SALS, and cards are issued with some restrictions to most residents of the whole regions. They do honor Schenectady County cards as well. Any book borrowed from SALS or the Mohawk Valley Library System can be returned here as well, or books from this library can be returned to another member library. There are some byzantine requirements for some borrowing so it's best to ask a staffer and bring your local library card if you're coming from out of the County. For a few hours', or at least several intense minutes', entertainment, stop and try to find the opening lines of books on the sculpture just outside the entrance, and see if you can conjure up which titles they belong to. Very classy and the library uses it as its logo/icon, deservedly so. Don't neglect looking at the Free Book carousel near the exit, it rotates from books they get as donations that they can't sell, and it often has perfectly decent titles. Free open Wifi, with the usual caveats, but it seems fairly safe. My ideal library is in walking distance and has a lot of other amenities and businesses nearby and more outdoor space and maybe a little café adjacent, and has those spacious ceilings but is an old-school building, but you can't have everything, unless you live in Berkeley. If you take it against suburban libraries, hard to find better. And worth a special trip if you're a library devotee.

Wonderful, friendly, helpful librararians can get you whatever you need. Nice children's library…read more Be sure to check out the Williamstown Historical Museum in the back of the library.

The Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts, was established through the will of Judge Charles…read moreEdward Forbes, who died in 1881. He left $220,000 to the city to create a public library that would be free and accessible to all residents. Construction began in 1893, and the library opened in 1894. The building was designed by architect William Brocklesby in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, using Longmeadow brownstone and fireproof steel framing. It remains one of the most architecturally distinctive civic buildings in western Massachusetts. Judge Forbes was not related to the Forbes family associated with Forbes magazine or the well-known Forbes millionaire rankings. His wealth came from investments in the New Haven and Northampton Canal and later in railroads. He lived modestly, never married, and rented rooms in town. His legacy was civic rather than commercial, focused on education and public access to knowledge. The library also houses the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum, reflecting its deep ties to local and national history. So while the name might suggest a connection to publishing or wealth, the Forbes Library stands as a monument to quiet generosity and intellectual accessibility. Beyond the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Museum, the Forbes Library offered a warm, welcoming space filled with quiet nooks, curated art displays, and shelves that seemed to stretch endlessly with local history, fiction, and research materials. We explored the main reading room, where natural light poured through tall windows and the original woodwork lent a sense of timeless dignity. A rotating exhibit near the entrance showcased regional artists, while tucked-away corners revealed archival maps and Northampton memorabilia. The elevator made it easy to reach the upper floors, ensuring that the library's resources and charm were accessible to everyone, regardless of mobility. [Review 1135 of 2025 - 1276 in Massachusetts - 24688 overall]

You know me and Libraries; can't keep me out of them!! and this one I daresay is my favorite in the…read moreWestern Mass area. Ok, ok, it's not just because Paco the vegetarian Pirahna is here. The building itself is an architectural marvel. There's something about this beautiful building that's up on the hill, surrounded by large oaks. It's as if the leaves billowing in the wind beckon you to: "please come in." There's just something about where this building is situated that exudes peace and tranquility. You'll see that others feel the same in the reviews. If you follow Forbes on Instagram, you'll not only see that it's active with events, but a lot of them strive to help the community. They have an upcoming event where they'll have clothes, shoes and general business attire available for people who are looking to get a job. I can't think of any other library that does that. To further expand on that note; they lend out musical instruments. You read right; you can borrow musical instruments here. I'm not sure what details are involved but I personally found that to be incredible, and a show of the willingness to go the extra mile for the community. Yes, you do have to pay for parking here. I know that sounds off putting, but there is a sign on the property that says the proceeds help the library and their programs. Besides, I think a dime gives you 20 minutes time so it's extremely cheap. Keep up the good work Forbes! You definitely have admirers.

So happy that Hunter's library is still here and thriving. It has always been the heart of the…read moretown, thanks to June Baine (and now her son Todd). They always make the best displays in the front window. I look forward to the events coming in spring, exhibiting my artwork there, and teaching an art class.

The Hunter Public Library is a School District Library chartered in 1896. It has a distinct old…read moreworld charm with many of the books we fondly remember. It also has the latest fiction, computers, public wifi, and extensive online resources including materials for college preparation, genealogy studies, and language instruction. The new book section is full of great finds. The library offers English as a Second Language, watercolor classes, story time, and many other special programs. Their kids book section is beautifully arranged. The local paper is always on one of the round wooden tables, and there are lots of magazines to read. The sunlit back room is a great place to do a project and gaze at the Schoharie Creek. You might find a book to keep on booksale days. There's always something of interest such as student and local art displays in the library's two large show windows overlooking Main Street. Check it out!