I needed to renew my passport and get a new photo. Who knew that you could do it at the library? I…read moremade an appointment on line. Greg was phenomenal -- a great resource. He reviewed my application and suggested a few things to ease the process. He took my photo, affixed to application and provided an addressed envelope. Greg made it easy. Thank you!

Unlike other branches, this one is location is big and comfortable and the right to silence is…read morerespected as other locations do at the designated area. It has a lot of space for you to choose where to sit to work on your computer and projects or If you want to sit down to read a book, it's always clean and organized but not everything is perfect and it must be emphasized that some Librerians are very rude, especially when giving instructions that not even they know how to use it very well (like how to print from the QR code). They should be a little more friendly and understandable; there are people who do not have the same capacity for knowledge or understanding as they do.

Very well organized and staff. A place where I still get bullied by my Mom at age 36 and out of…read morestate that I still owe "excessive debts" from 2003.

I've actually been coming here since the mid 1970s (I was a very immature teen), when my family…read moremoved from Passaic County to the Somerset County area. While geographically it wasn't really that far from where I grew up, it seemed like I had moved to a different universe to take up residence on an alien planet (took me a long time before I gained the semi-maturity and necessary perspective to realize that I was the one...awkward, anti-social teen that I was...who had the problem, not Somerset County). Be that as it may, books had always been a refuge for me, and I spent a lot of time in the libraries. In my area, there were 2; the Bernardsville library...located in a very old building which in Revolutionary War times had been called the Vealtown Inn and which was supposedly haunted by a ghost (I never saw him/her/it, but maybe it was a shy ghost, or as anti-social as I was)...;and the Bernards Township Library, a much newer establishment that had the requisite books but was missing the ghost. A lot has changed in the intervening decades. Extensive construction has been done over the years, and I couldn't tell you what the original configuration of the library had been if you put a gun to my head. I also have to admit (rather guiltily) that I don't take out books anymore. They have numerous computers which I avail myself of on a frequent basis. I have my own computer at home, but the library provides a printer (and charges not much to print out copies of whatever you're looking at or reading on the computer). They also provide a service whereby one can go back and look up historic newspapers (I like going back and perusing ancient issues of the NY Times). In the back, near the periodical section (which is pretty extensive), books, CD's and DVD's are for sale for very minimal money. I bought approximately a dozen CD's recently for about 2 dollars. The selection isn't necessarily great-- there are more Miley Cyrus and Michael Bolton CD's than Bach or Beethoven, the books I saw might just as well have been gracing the shelves of the local Wal-Mart, I noticed several "Bruce Almighty" and "Dukes of Hazard" DVD's, and a Glenn Beck audio CD that has been gathering dust for many moons (I was tempted to buy it just for laughs, but I can't stand to listen to a grown man cry). Still, there's occasionally a winner on the shelves, you can find wheat amongst the chaff, and you can't beat the price. Downstairs, by the children's section, somewhat more interesting books are available for free. Again, the scope of the subject matter offered, the quality of the author(s) can vary, but the free stuff usually contains a more eclectic selection (biographies, novels, histories, self-help, etc.) than the stuff available upstairs and...hey!...it's free! Librarians are helpful and friendly (some of them have been working here for a long time and feel like old friends, even though I don't know their names), and there's a very nice, relaxed vibe about the place, even though it's up-to-date and modern. There are "quiet rooms" for those wishing to study without disturbance, there's a tremendous variety of books (of course), and everyone can feel welcome here, from awkward, anti-social teens killing time on the computer (just don't be too anti-social, or noisy...it is a library, after all), to high school and college students doing research, to middle-aged "go getters" (or whatever they're calling Yuppies these days) perhaps studying the market and perhaps formulating a market plan (or maybe just idling their lunch hour away in a peaceful, comfortable environment), to conversational old geezers like me. And the library has been around long enough by now to maybe have acquired a ghost or 2 of its own! All in all, a great place to do homework, research, expand one's horizons, enrich one's mind, or maybe just spend some quiet, reflective time with a book.

Been to there 30 plus years. Friendly staff. Best in Somerset county. Lots of resources.read more

In the heart of our town, this is a library that surrounding towns love to visit, and it's no…read moremystery why. They host fun events for all ages, and always low or no cost. My daughter loves to walk here with her middle school friends, sit on the patio, or go inside and play on the computers. A great gathering spot, and a great resource for all.

The Somerville Public Library just joined the county library system this past January. I was not a…read morepatron of the library previous to the transition, but since the switch I have been greatly pleased by the service and ability to use the services provided through the county system as well as the local branch. I did notice that the tax documents were out for public consumption at a very timely fashion. This library isn't terribly large, but it has an ample number of computers as well as a fair catalog to choose from, both in the literary and visual media. One of my favourite parts is that the library has pretty good hours and is very conveniently located.

Hey, it's a small town and it's a small library, but it's a good one.read more

Great library and great staff! Book selection is great, lost of things for kids to do and movies to…read moreselect from for family movie nights.

From the owner: Library service began in the private homes residents in the 1920s until the 1950s when the PTA set…read moreup a community library in the Long Valley school. Then in 1967, the Washington Township Public Library opened on Fairview Ave. As the population of Washington Township continued to grow, the library moved to larger quarters on Schooley's Mountain. As the Township continued to grow it was recognized that a new facility was needed. Ground was broken in Rock Spring Park for a new facility May 1995. The new library opened to the public June 1996.

"Library" My definition: The stupid place where intelligence is stored. I started by trying to…read moredownload a book that was recommended to me by a mentor. The book exists in the Somerset County library system but they only have bound copies. Books? Isn't this 2018 when you just download it to your tablet? Why do we even need these stupid buildings in every town in the county that we pay for and receive no tax money from? I went to the main library branch in Bridgewater. Their copy is out and so is the copy from the Manville branch. It appears that a copy is available in Warren. I travel to Warren and get the number of the book. A very nice librarian with a very loud voice(for a library) directs me the book's location. I bring the book to the desk and then she needs to make a call while checking the book out. She is then tasked with the unpleasant duty of telling me that this copy can not leave the building. Of course I ask what makes this book unable to be borrowed when the others are being borrowed. No reasonable answer, it just can't leave. The librarian offers to have me called when one comes back to either Bridgewater or Manville. I thanked her but said don't bother, I can get it from Amazon for $15.00. As far as libraries go, it is clean, orderly and comfortable. The service was great but the fact that they buy hard copies of books and don't lend them, Stupid! I am convinced that library's just exist so the homeless can escape bad weather and high school students can escape their siblings.

The coolest place in town! NOT just for this suburban mom and small biz owner but for teens…read more(YES!!) and kids and the Mahjong players and.... the list goes on and on. Not only can they get you any book in print thru the vastly superior intra-library lending system in Somerset County, but they have stacks of dvds, classical music cds, audio books, magazines, the works!! AND, they're fun, kind, amusing people who seem to love what they do and the warm, friendly environment they've created here. I had no idea libraries could be like this. It's a new world!!

It's a medium sized library, with s teen seating area, a quiet room, a general seating area & a…read moresmall kids area. its spacious, the bathrooms are clean, the wifi is strong, & its nice and cool inside. Aaron the worker is super nice, full of information, and hooked me up with a library card! He also put some books on hold for me. Great library!! They even have a take what you need section and a charging station for your phone! They have 8 slots or you can ask for battery charges and also rent a chrome book!

Took my daughter to the kids section which is nice, but the toys and play area they have is filthy…read moredisgusting and looks like none of it has been wiped down or cleaned since it was put there. It was really nasty and I'm surprised that people don't complain about it or bring it up to the people that work there. It should all be wiped down at the end of every day especially since kids get sick so easily and have extra germs !

The library is beautiful and majestic and I'm glad we visited during our trip. We didn't plan to…read morecome here but we were nearby at Bryant Park and decided to walk in. The library and exhibits are free to enter. For it being free I thought it would be way more crowded but it was manageable. It's really opulent inside and so beautiful, I loved watching all the wedding photoshoots going one. I bought recommend going to the top floor to see the mural on the ceiling. The best part was cooling down in the building LOL. Would def come back next time we're in New York.

I finally toured the NYPL Schwartzman Building last weekend after having it on my to do list for…read more... years? I'm so glad I finally made it! Also known as the Main Branch or just the New York Public Library, it's the flagship building for the library system. It was built after the New York Public Library was formed as a public-private partnership with two private libraries. The building opened to the public on May 23, 1911. The building was designed in the Beaux-Arts style, and it's gorgeous. The library offers docent-led building tours Monday through Saturday at 11am and 2pm. You book tickets online, and they release tickets every Sunday for the week ahead. You meet in the Visitor Center on the first floor for a one-hour tour. The tour was great. You learn about the history of the building and the library and then are taken by the docent to several beautiful areas of the library. The building is huge, and I really appreciated a guided tour which takes you to the highlights of the building. I'm not sure I would have found all the spaces on my own, and the architecture is worth it. They also have a permanent exhibit which highlights items from their research collections: "The Polonsky Exhibition of the New York Public Library's Treasures." Unfortunately, the exhibit was closed for a bit of time to change out some of the items on display (March 12-20, 2026) and that meant I couldn't visit the exhibit when I was there. They also have a gift shop. The docent who led my tour (Athena) was great, and I really enjoyed my tour of the library. I'll be back again for the Polonsky exhibit and a walk around on my own!