I'm challenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island this year. This…read morelibrary was the fifth one I visited. The first thing I noticed that made this library unique was the park in the backyard of the library. It's huge and beautiful, especially in the summer when the plants and trees bloom (I imagine), and there are statues and fountains. I walked around the park before heading inside to check out the library. There are so many nooks and crannies in this library, it's like everywhere you turn there's a cozy spot to do homework or read a good book. There was a book club in session while we were there. They also had a maritime museum, where they had artwork on sale and it was pretty cool. One other thing that caught my attention was these plants they had growing in little glass tubes in their plant library section. Downstairs by the entrance they also have a healthy variety of plants that look well taken care of. I really enjoyed my time here.

A grand old…read more library Westerly Public Library was opened way back in 1894 to commemorate the volunteers that fought in the civil war. It was built on land donated by Stephen Wilcox and originally held about 5,000 books. Actually a pretty large number for the time. Since then it has changed and grew and doubled in size with the additions in 1992. It now has 170,000 items including audio books, cd's and of course computers. However, even with all the modern additions and conveniences, it has never lost the cool, old feel and ambiance. The outside of the library is impressive. Like some grand old Victorian home or mansion. I have heard that when the library first opened it held a bowling alley and gymnasium. They are now long gone but it's easy to see how they could have fit because this library is huge, with all kinds of spaces, hallways and cool little study and meeting rooms. The library is a very efficient place to work and the librarians are helpful and friendly. However the real charm of the library is the building itself. Such a cool place just to walk around and look at the architecture and cool decor. Lots of places to sit by yourself and read of just look out a window. If you get tired of being inside you can stroll around the grounds or sit outside on a bench and admire the grand old building from the outside. There are lots of libraries in the world. Most are friendly and efficient places to work or get information. However few I have seen have the impressive grandeur and sense of history of the Westerly Public Library. It would be a very cool place even without the books and computers.

Really nice spot to take a short walk and stretch the legs while in Westerly. I love how it's also…read morean arboretum and all the trees are marked with plaques denoting their common and scientific names. There are also a number of interpretive signs that convey some of the history and current uses of the buildings. There are a number of war monuments and some cool sculptures. We especially enjoyed the sculpture "The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown. Love that the park was founded by a woman, Harriet Wilcox. Opposite the park, there is a nice mural with her image and apparently a quote by her "The People Shall Have Their Park". Respect. The park is open dawn to 9pm. Street parking.

Wilcox Park is one of Westerly's best kept secrets. Probably not for locals, but for out of towners…read morelike me I adore this place. I go at least a few times a year. It feels to me like I am in in a European park, with fountain, statues, and carefully sculpted ponds, with bench seating throughout. It's a large space with winding walking paths. Much nicer in the summer when everything is in full bloom but even in the winter or early spring on a sunny day it still has a lot to offer a nature buff like myself. You can park on the street for free and access the park at different points. Definitely worth a visit particularly in the warmer weather.

Such a beautiful building! While the ceilings are incredibly high, making the library feel very…read morespacious, the library itself is quite small. The staff were very friendly and helpful, I saw them help a patron get a replacement library card, give directions to a book section, and help people of all ages. I spent 3 hours working on my laptop in a comfy chair in the corner (free WiFi of course). Lots of convenient outlets near all the work stations. There were a few cobwebs in my corner but otherwise it is a great place to get some work done and check out a good book!

High on a…read morehill The very first library in Wakefield was founded back in 1853 and was really just a group of books and related materials that were moved around to where ever there was space. This was a very common practice for most of the 19th century and the idea of permanent buildings for libraries is a relatively new idea. Most of the early real libraries in were the results of gifts from private individuals and because of the large amount of money that was frequently donated, this resulted in some rather impressive buildings. The Peace Dale library is certainly no exception. Mr Rowland Hazard left a sizable sum on money in his estate for the construction of a library on a lovely hill in the village of Peace Dale and in 1891 the edifice was completed. It is indeed impressive, it reminds me more of a fort than a library. Massive blocks of beautiful sandstone make up the outside and the building looks like it could easily withstand a siege by Attila or Alexander. Being high on a hill makes the building even more imposing. The inside has antiques, fireplaces and exposed beams and it's great fun just to roam around looking at all the great stuff. Of course it still functions as a modern and very efficient library and has free wi-fi, a newly renovated information booth and a fantastic Rhode Island history room with lots of info about local stuff. Everyone at this library was very friendly and helpful and the building was absolutely stunning both inside and out. Just walking through the doors and you immediately realize you're in someplace special. Sure, It's a library and does everything a modern library can do but never lets you forget that it does far more than just hold books.

Charming and peaceful. Enjoyed the complementary seeds for the garden. Great local spotread more

A library that…read more feels like a home Way back in the year 1888 a generous and benevolent fellow named Joseph Langworthy decided he wanted to leave something to the town of Hope Valley to remember him by. He threw around some ideas with family members and came up with the inspiration of a library. So he donated five thousand dollars and started the Joseph Langworthy Public Library. In the beginning the library had a whopping 800 books but quickly grew. In fact it grew so much that they town officials had to keep finding new places to put the library. Finally in 1934 they decided to build a new structure that would have enough room for future improvements. Although a new wing was completed in 1957 the building looks pretty much the way it did when it was built. That's part of the huge charm of the library, it feels and looks more like someones house rather than a stuffy old library. A very pleasant and friendly young lady was working inside and she answered my stupid questions and told me to look around. This library is exceptionally cozy, with a fireplace, fish tank and lots of very cool pictures on the walls. You go down some steep wooden steps and you end up in the children's department. When I was there some kids were playing on the floor and there were toys all over the place. Obvious a place for doing more than just reading. The library has an archives room with lots of local history, genealogy and civil war and colonel records. It's usually staffed by volunteers so you either have to make arraignments or be lucky to use it. The library also has knitting and craft groups, book clubs and tons of books on plants and gardening. I guess being out in the boonies puts an emphasis on botany and agronomy literature. A very cool library that has a relaxed and homey feel to it. It even has a great view of a nice pond out the back. A great place to learn or experience the feel of a small New England town.

WiFi rugs and…read more books The Clark Memorial Library has been around since 1880 and although the original certainly had books and probably rugs, I suspect it didn't offer free WiFi back then. The building is rather small but has a cool unsymmetrical shape that becomes very obvious once inside. Certainly a lot nicer and aesthetically pleasing than the efficient squares and quadrilaterals that most public buildings have become. In additional to the free WiFi, the library also has the usually collections of videos, DVDs. Cd's, periodicals and of course books. Thoroughly modern if somewhat diminutive. Of course being located in a rural community the library also serves as a center for the chess club, story hour, various bake sales and adult craft groups. They even have a textile collection of some cool rugs hanging off railings and walls. Certainly not the largest library around but one that offers a lot of services and programs within it's four walls. Of course the people working there are always pleasant and friendly in an unassuming country sort of way and will assist you in any way they can. The Clark Memorial is a small library that still manages to offer a lot.

A very strange…read morelibrary The Robert Hall library was built back in 1896 and has seen several additions and renovations that no doubt contribute to it's odd configuration. It received a new wing in 1930 that now serves as a children's room and another wing was added in 1952 on the east side. In 1991 more renovations were completed that added a small two story addition at the back of the building. Lots of changes over the years. So the library seems very convoluted but in an interesting and bizarrely aesthetic way. The building is different from most libraries and has some cool and steep steps you must get up in the front although a handicap access is in the back. Take a good look and you will see the massive granite foundation, the cool stone chimney and the clapboard shingles. Once inside the main room has a fireplace and an impressive bay window that gives some nice views of the surrounding woods. Lots of cool pictures and art are scattered about the library and you must walk careful to squeeze through some tight spots and get around the usual small library stuff. The parking situation isn't very pleasant because you basically park on the street and if you are coming from the west you have to get across four quickly moving lanes of Rt 1 to get over to the library but with a bit of care it can be done. It's worth the trouble because this is one of those cool, little libraries that doesn't really look or feel like a library. It has the ambiance of a private home that some nice person invited you in to share some time with. A private home that just happens to have an awful lot of books.

A window to the…read moreworld The Ashaway public library was established back in 1871 when a group of people in the area decided the town needed a public reading room. In 1907 the library moved into it's present location and has been modernized and expanded throughout the years. In recent years two major additions has dramatically increased it's size and capabilities. Although not still not a large library by many standards, the Ashaway Library offers the usually reference materials, biographies, history, mystery and classics. Plus more than 40 periodicals and audio and video tapes. Like most of the smaller community libraries, Ashaway has programs for kids, book discussion groups and lots of annual events like book, bake and plant sales. Holiday strolls, sing alongs, teddy bear picnics, ice cream socials are also put on throughout the year. A lot of things going on in this place besides just books The librarians working here were exceptional friendly and helpful and went out of their way to tell me the history of the library and town. The library is only partially government funded and most of the financial resources come from volunteer fund raising, local businesses, individual contributions and philanthropic foundations. Ashaway is a great model of how a small local library should operate.

This post office is pretty bad. With the weather we've had recently, it's understandable that…read morethere are delays and closings. However, the Westerly PO manages to open and Charlestown does not, even when it says it is online. Mail delivery has been terrible for years and is worse now. It's often 5 days or more between mail deliveries. No truck goes by and no mail is picked up for days. Never mind the old PO motto "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds". I remember when mail was delivered to your door 2x a day. Now we're lucky if we get it at all and often it's someone else's mail delivered to my address. And if you ask a question, a snarky retort can be expected. The worst!

This review is for Charlestown USPS as a delivery service. If you're visiting the branch to send…read moresomething out, I'd probably give it 3 stars. This is probably the worst USPS branch in RI. Every package that gets sent via USPS does not get delivered. I've tried calling to get it resolved. Each time, they swear the postmaster will get back to me. It's been 3 phone calls, 2 branch visits, and 3 weeks later, and the postmaster still has not called me. I've filled out the white card where I can designate where to leave packages. They seem to be ignoring that completely. Every time I call, they tell me that they can't deliver to my front door because they're a rural delivery service. Hm. Okay. Charlestown isn't the first "rural" town in which I've resided (and the other rural towns in which I've lived had no problem leaving packages at my door). Got another one? Oh, that's right. Then they say there's not enough space to turn the mail truck around. If I can turn a 23-foot U-Haul around at my place (which I did several times while moving in), I'm pretty sure a small postal carrier car can do the same. Today's excuse was the best: "Carrier is unable to gain access to front door to deliver the package." My God, I didn't know I was trapped in my own house! Thank goodness USPS tried to deliver a package and told me I can't get to my own front door! Nice excuse. My front door is perfectly accessible, thank you very much. Bottom line, zero customer service (literally zero.........nonexistent. they don't even contact you). The postmaster treats you like she's doing favors for you gratis; not like you're a customer who's paying her with your tax dollars. If I could have another mail service deliver all my post and parcels, I would.

Nice book shop inside the Wakefield mall. Very helpful staff. Well organized shelves and plenty of…read moreinventory in each category. Best sellers, sale items and new releases are at the front of the store and in the mall out front. Parking is shared with all the other businesses in this plaza.

Another nice store inside the Wakefield Mall. This locally owned bookstore is pretty busy every…read moretime I walk by.There's nothing like being able to flip through pages of books and see what the book is about, just by glancing or speed reading a few pages..... Wakefield Books has been dedicated to providing the community with a friendly atmosphere and a great shopping experience for many many years. They have book genres that cater to all interests and ages, including mysteries, romance novels, travel, culture, fiction, and non-fiction. They are very helpful and they can provide information on any book you have questions about, they can offer recommendations, or they can place a special order for you. Wakefield Books offers a 20% classroom discount to teachers and is happy to accept purchase orders from local schools, as well as set up fundraisers.