What an amazing and historic landmark! I would recommend anyone tour through the Library. The…read morearchitecture is beautiful and the rare manuscripts and artifacts they house are incredible. They are having a special display of one of Shakespeare's plays, one of the oldest New Testaments, even artifacts from King Nebuchadnezzar's palace. They will all be on display which will be quite amazing to see. This is a must see in Manchester! Truly amazing how it has stood the test of time.

Love spending time in libraries while on holiday (vacation) Stunning late-Victorian neo-Gothic…read morelibrary , John Rylands Library opened at the turn of the 20th century and is a gorgeous remnant of Manchester. Potter-heads would appreciate the look and feel inside the library is inspired the design for Hogwarts. I'm not sure if the Factory Records exhibit is still on display, but I'm a huge fan of Factory Records bands (ie. New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays etc.) and bands that came out of Manchester, the Smiths, James, Buzzcocks, The Fall to name few. It was an experience seeing original handwritten lyrics, instruments played, old punk zines, photos and badges on display.

I've genuinely never left a bad review in my life, but the experience I had at Manchester Central…read morewas beyond disappointing. I came in to print a few pages and was incredibly polite the entire time--even when things kept going wrong. The papers kept coming out incorrectly, but I stayed calm and asked nicely if they could be reprinted. At no point was I rude or demanding. Eventually, the price on the screen didn't match what it should've been, but I even said I'd just pay the higher price to avoid causing trouble. After paying, one of my documents printed completely wrong--an A3 image came out as A2 on an A3 paper, with no visible writing. I pointed it out and explained that I wouldn't pay again for a print that was clearly incorrect. This clearly upset the ginger receptionist at the bottom front desk, who suddenly told me (in a very rude and dismissive tone) to not come to her anymore and that I should take out cash and print everything myself. Even then, I told her it was fine--I actually felt bad for making her print something I didn't pay for, even though it was their machine's error. But on my way back to my seat, I overheard her talking about me to another receptionist, and when I showed the incorrect printout again, another staff member (with shorter hair) said it was my fault. I've never been treated with such disrespect by people in a public service role. You'd expect librarians to be kind, helpful, and professional--but what I experienced was the opposite. I walked out feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable, despite being nothing but polite and patient throughout. Absolutely shameful service.

If you're a Manchester resident, whether that be from one of the boroughs of the city, like me who…read moremight have their own unaffiliated library chain, the Manchester Central Library certainly makes it worthwhile to be apart of Manchester City Council's Library programme, which is by far the best library service overall in the Greater Manchester region by availability of the newest books and even individual library locations, like this one. Manchester Central Library is a huge, stunning old building which was recently renovated in 2014 in Manchester city centre, it is just off Deansgate via Peter Street in St Peter's Square meaning it is also close to John Ryland's Library (which has actually been reviewed more on Yelp!) The location basically opposite a branch of Starbucks as well as The Midland Hotel and the Radisson Blu Edwardian, the latter is part of the exclusive few places to actually have warranted a perfect five-star rating from me (and the only accredited 5* hotel in the city centre) The City Library is on the lower floor, but that doesn't mean the rest of the building is left empty - the ground floor features a Cafe which is reasonably priced as well as a cool archive space, which although to the back of the library could be laid out better, it still is a rather nice exhibit. There are some tables and computers making it a decent place to work, obviously with the benefit, you don't have to buy a drink with it being a library building. It was actually built in 1930 here, taking four years to complete and that same length of time was spent on the renovations between 2010 and 2014 and part of the design is based from the Pantheon, Rome, meaning walking into it, it feels like a fancy old building, it reminds me of a typical Apple Store which in large cities are often located in these big, impressive, historic buildings - think of London, Berlin etc. A pretty cool place to spend time without looking to spend too much in the city - although there are some areas of improvement such as the layout and how welcoming certain parts are (certain parts appear derelict), more charging points and helpful staff is always a bonus! 4*

Great surroundings. Large space. Everything you need from a library…read more Easy access, and hours. Love the exterior.

Not to be confused with the John Rylands Library on Deansgate, this library is located on the South…read morecampus of the University of Manchester and is a great place for students to find literature for their courses without having to pay the hefty prices of buying new texts from Blackwell's. I missed my library tour in fresher's week therefore I was always completely disoriented when it came to exploring this library. I mainly stuck to blue 2 and 3 where the books on languages and linguistics are kept, occasionally branching out to green or orange and getting lost in the labyrinth of corridors before finding somewhere to sit. I tended to avoid the library in exam time as the chaotic atmosphere and queues for the computers (when you really need to look something up and half the students are on facebook...grr) are irritating and not conducive to revision. The short loan section is on the ground floor and is really useful to find texts which have all been taken out in the normal library. I learnt to photocopy and return the texts straight away as the fines are hefty and soon mount up at £1 a day. You can then reward yourself with a coffee in the little café next door to that section. My favourite memory of the library was as part of a tutorial for my course when we got to go to into a special little room tucked away in a corner. The room was complete with a lady with white gloves who showed us some of the earliest forms of European printing including Gutenberg's Bible, which I think had been brought over from the other John Rylands library. Wow! If there's anything specialist and delicate that you'd like to see then you can make an appointment at the front desk.

This is a really good local library as it has really good computer facilities, a great kids…read moreselection to begin with. As long as you are a member you can borrow books and use the computers for an hour at a time free of charge. Printing costs a very small amount and not only is the location of this place great but is accesible for everyone.

I am sure we all have had one of those blah days which suddenly get very exciting with a new…read morediscovery...I had one of those days last week when I dropped my very close friend at the train station (was a little sad, emotional cow that I am) and then met a friend who was walking home with me just to point out this incredible library. Its located right above the pub Bank (I used to call it 'The Old Man's Pub') which is very close to Piccadilly Gardens. The minute he pointed out I wanted to go in and see what it is like. The most interesting entrance ever, because we had to ring the door bell (very old English style bell) to enter. Very Cool and Very British. The moment I walked in I felt like I am in a Sherlock Holmes movie.. yeah its Grand and so mysterious. This is a 19th century library, with books from the late 18th century (whoa) and a little fun fact the librarian told us ... John Dalton wanted a membership here which he could not afford so he was asked to clean the grand clock (which btw was made by the same chap who made the clock for Big Ben) instead of paying the membership fee! How awesome is that? This used to be the hub for the rich and the famous once upon a time but sadly not many people know about it now and barely a few visit. *sigh*. The space inside is incredible and perfect for art exhibitions and guess what they actually do have quite a few of those. There are book reading sessions here too, so next time you complain about not finding a good place to do such cultural stuff, you know where to go! The membership fee here is as low as 175 pounds for the whole year and you get to access every book and much more... Verdict : *Phew* I am totally bowled and sold! Can't wait to go back again!

This place is my little escape from the city, a step back to times of tail coats and top hats…read more. perhaps even a monocle or two! The library sits on top of the bank pub (once upon a time the entire building was a library but the library now rent the downstairs out to the pub to help fund the restoration of the antique books they house upstairs). Anyone can visit the library, there's a little black door around the side, you need to ring the buzzer and wait to be let in. There's an art gallery and café that is open to the general public but only members can actually read/borrow the books and there's a members lounge at the back that is AMAZING, please see attached picture. The interior is stunning, ask the staff to give you a free guided tour and they'll explain all the features, the wind dial and various coats of arms to you. I find this place so comforting. I love tucking up in one of the huge leather armchairs reading one of the many glorious books, wondering who else much have cast their eyes over the same words in times gone by. Membership is around £110 (cheaper for concessions) a month and members can take their guests in to the members room. You can order lunch/drinks and enjoy them in the room too. FUN FACT: the oldest post box in Manchester, which happens to be Victorian is located just outside the bank pub, it's still in use and bears Queen Victoria's coat of arms.

It's the big lunch at 'The Place ' Fallowfield Library, this was a really relaxed event…read morecelebrating the UK's Big Lunch, which brings people together to share food, and chat Everyone brings a contribution of food to share with others. There was curry, chili, Greek salad , sausages, cheeses pie, rice a selection of salads. Home made cakes. Smoothie making for the children , and cherries galore . This was a social event bringing people in the community together. A couple of years ago the Library was on the government closure list . Now with the hard work of Lill Lockham and a Hughe group of volunteers they have managed to keep it open. The venue brings the local Community together. With a 10 p book sale on Saturdays, after school Club twice a week. They run an art class which is open to everyone, lots of personal help and advice sessions. All in all a great place to spend a Saturday afternoon with the kids or just pop along for a coffee maybe but a book or two, if you have any books you know longer want then why not donate them.

To do this review I suppose I have to think what makes a good workspace. For me it's good lighting,…read moresuper fast internet and coffee. I am happy to say this place had two out of three but because of its central location I can overlook the coffee options. The staff here are super friendly and cont do enough for you making this this is a nice space to be productive, creative or what ever you need it for.

MadLab or Manchester's Digital Laboratory if we're being specific, is a unique business building in…read morethe heart of the Northern Quarter. It is a place for those looking for large office/open community space to get their creative juices following in a laid back but professional environment. If you need somewhere to conduct a presentation, this is the place. If you need somewhere to hold a hackathon, this is the place. Basically it's for anyone who is looking for the room and freedom to do something they can't usually do with their colleague in the office/at home/work space that they have. It's a fantastic concept and something I feel more cities are in desperate need of! Today we had a training session and were involved in a Google Hangout meeting in the upstairs room. The room itself is vast with a large conference table and chairs, projector and small table in the corner with refreshments. Yes it's simple but that is the beauty of it. It's quiet, you won't get any interruptions or distractions, you can be focused and you really feel like your head is in the games when you're there! Sadly I can't help you out with the information in regards to reserving the areas/costs at this time but I'll make sure I update my review the next time I stop by!

Walk into Prestwich library, go round the till. Ok? Now down near the large print books, through…read morethe doors, up the stairs to where the computers are. Aha. The Adult Education Centre. Firstly - what a lifesaver these computers are. Your printer runs out of ink and you need something desperately. Well, Bury Libraries members can use a PC here for free for an hour (or longer if no-one else is waiting). Plus printing is cheap for black and white pages. The smaller room to the left as you come in is for Adult Learning. The staff there told me about the huge range of beginner's courses in I.T and the grasshoppers playing about whilst I was there seemed to be getting a good amount of support. A sign on a window downstairs advertised courses in crafts, stitching and the intriguing 'Adventures in Writing'. It is a shame that most of the courses are during the day as this leaves many people unable to join in this reasonably-priced learning fun. There are substantial discounts for those on income support. I went in to enquire about their e-learning which involves you paying a set fee for a year. With this you get access to a teach yourself course which you can use to your heart's content at home. There is a specified number of in-centre hours if you need them although, disappointingly the library employee explained that for the course I was interested in, she didn't think anybody could help.This was their Web Design and HTML course which I was quoted as £75 for the year. So, if you have the get up and go to make yourself put the time in their e-learning courses are good value. It is primarily for the basics though (they do the I.C.T ECDL Driver's License). We're talking Word, Excel, email and the Web. For instance, they do not currently offer any courses in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator).

From the owner: The Mission of Bury Public Library Service is to help individuals and local communities to achieve…read moretheir full potential by providing reading and learning opportunities, access to digital skills and services and fair and inclusive access to a range of educational, cultural and recreational materials and opportunities.

Ive been a member since it opened and fair to say I've fallen in love with the place. The staff are…read morevery friendly and there is a community friendly feel to the gym. I've been going regularly for a month or so and the facilities are fantastic. Even at peak hour there's more than enough equipment not to disrupt your workout and members are extremely polite, respectful and focused. I have swimming and gym membership but have yet to try the swimming pools. There is one large one and a second smaller one for private and women only sessions. The studio space where various classes take place is sizeable, which is just as well because workshops are always full. The gym changing area is always in clean condition and is also very spacious. The library downstairs is also a genius idea and a perfect meeting/waiting place if you're hooking up with some friends after the gym. Whilst I walk here there is ample parking space behind the centre as well as numerous residential roads. My favourite part about Arcadia is that due to its locale, I can see myself making friends with some of the regulars in the coming weeks and finding a training partner. Whilst this isn't something I seek overtly because I'm fairly well motivated and don't see the need. My mind has changed gradually haven't witnessed first hand, benefits of having a gym partner. I can see that not only does it focus your efforts and push you a little further but it also makes the work out more fun (Obviously depending on your partner) As I'm missing out on the cricket season this summer due to a shoulder operation and consequent rehabilitation. I expect to become part of the furniture this summer.