I love visiting the library of a small town. I went to the Public Library in Essex, and it is just…read moreadorable. The library has been providing books for the community since 1889. You can tell by the structure, that it's been around for a while! The inside is beautiful, modern, colorful and so inviting. There are beautiful murals across the walls. There were kids playing in the children's area. They have these round domes, you can curl up and read inside of. I wish I got a picture. The library is very clean, organized and with the friendliest librarian. Their quiet area is away from the noisy children's area. They had some books available for free outside. This is such a beautiful library in the lovely small town of Essex, CT.

This is the BEST library around. Very efficient and friendly people work here. If I ever move…read morefrom here, this is one of the places I'll miss most.

like books? live in deep river?? then i guess this is the place to be!…read more super cute library in a fancy old building (large brick house). librarian was helpful and the parking lot in back was big. reasonable video dept with DVDs and VHS! free wifi.

Great library - really like how they provide print outs of crosswords from newspapers. Staff was…read morereally friendly and was giving away free books and flowers that had been donated. Had many computers available for public use and tables to sit at. Only complaint was there were not lots of outlets near the tables making it difficult for people going to study with laptops/personal computers. Nothing an extension cord can't fix. Overall a wonderful place.

In honor of…read morePhoebe The great era of library building in New England was in the late part of the 19th century. Very wealthy individuals would donate vast sums of money to build libraries in honor of deceased loved ones. The Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library is a classic example. Charles Ludington gave money to the town of Old Lyme to build a library to memorialize his mother in law, Phoebe Griffin Noyes. The library was opened in 1898 and was very pleasant and lovely but rather modest by the standards of some of the more grand and opulent libraries being built. It served well for decades and was renovated and expanded over the years. The largest building project was in 1955 and the size of the library was great expanded. The library today is a very pleasant place, especially the old, original section. Unfortunately the new addition is rather incongruent with the original part and it is obvious when you go from one part to the other. Even parts of the original wall is exposed as you go from one part to another. The inside of the library is very colorful with all kinds of cool displays and art and plenty of computers and modern conveniences. An interesting and comfy library that is a nice memorial to a person long gone but not forgotten.

The new Henry on Main is amazing! Great use of space, wonderful selection of books to purchase, and…read moreyou can read and drink a coffee from cafe Nola in the back. Exactly what Clinton has needed for a long time. We are so glad to be residents who can walk over.

I love libraries. HCH is modern, light, clean and spacious. Librarians are helpful and considerate,…read morebut then I love librarians as well. I can't imagine anyone looking at Yelp to choose a library but I was here and they asked. BTW- I have seen a few weak libraries in my time- HCH IS NOT THAT.

I followed my GPS and parked in an empty parking lot. The hours said they were open, so I went in…read more Apparently there's parking on the ground floor where the conference rooms are. There's an elevator to the main floor that the actual library. They have a good selection of books, friendly librarians, and a free self-care station with personal hygiene products, which is a great idea that I had never seen before.

This library is tucked a bit off the road - first my GPS brought me to some school, which means…read moreyou've gone too far. There is a less obvious road to the left (if you're coming from the main road), and a moderate sized parking lot in front. The interior is very bright with a well defined space for adults and children. There are also bits of art all over, even outside. My guess on the plant outside - elephant!

Beautiful library in Haddam! The parking lot is a little small, but looks to be available on both…read moresides of the building. The building itself looks to have been through a renovation or two, with the front looking very classic. Theres a domed ceiling with stained glass on the top; it's positively gorgeous. There are places to sit, lots of books, and a respectful quiet in the building.

From the owner: Public Libraryread more

On a bit of a roadtrip down the Connecticut coast, we arrived in New Haven a little after 3pm, and…read moreI knew I had only had a little time before things/attractions closed at 5pm. So after hitting the Yale Center for British Art, we speed walked (sped walked?) over to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Why? Google it and you'll understand when you see the pictures. Beinicke is Yale's rare book and manuscript library - not their main university library or their law library. The reading room is open to registered researchers only, but the public are welcome to visit the library's exhibition hall. And everyone visiting New Haven should! The library was built in 1963, and the the architecture is incredible. The building is a granite veneer shell, fastened to a structural steel frame. Inside that structure is a glass-enclosed tower of book cases. The granite was milled to 1.25 inches thick to allow filtered daylight in - in the afternoon/early evening, the marble turned an amber color. We walked back past it at night for a different view of the building. It is really incredible architecture, and the library hosts exhibits you can see in the exhibition hall when you visit to enjoy the building (when we visited, the exhibit was "Taught By the Pen: The World of Islamic Manuscripts"). The building is incredible and definitely worth a visit if you're exploring the Yale campus!

One of the largest collections of rare books and manuscripts. Rotating exhibits for the general…read morepublic. During my visit, it was testimonies from Holocaust survivors. The general public has limited access, and this will be a short stop for most people, depending upon the exhibit. Let's be honest--most people stop by for a photo op, for the architecture and the huge column of books. I got a few great photos, got to say I've seen it, and it's cool. Worthwhile. If you're in the area.

Libraries don't have foyers like this which is why you need to see it. It looks like a gothic…read morechurch minus the religious accouterments. It was built around the 1930's but it could pass for a lot older. When you finally get to the part where students actually read and study, there are 2 areas. One is open with high ceilings the other enclosed. It looks like out of Hollywood casting what an Ivy League library would look like. See pics

The prettiest library I've been too. I dear say it's prettier than the Bryant Park library in NYC…read more The guard at the door was friendly. The bathrooms were clean. The courtyard was opened on a beautiful fall day.

Wonderful librarians; great selection of materials; local historical items - What's not to love?!read more

Prior to Cragin Memorial I hadn't been in a public library in a couple of years. This is a decent…read moresized library with a good selection of books and other media. Ample seating (even some hidden away seating in case you are scared of people reading books). Plenty of tables and they have free wi-fi. I was looking for a quiet place to work for a couple of hours and Cragin filled that need. Worth a visit - Dan.