Payneham is one of the Swap libraries, which are a number of Eastern suburbs libraries that share…read moreone network. The Swap libraries are super handy for lazy people who want stuff really quick. Say for instance I suddenly decide I want to read 'The Joy of Sex', as soon as possible, and for free. I simply log onto the Swap network from home, find which library has a copy, and then request one, to be picked up from the branch closest to me! Hows that for convenience? Swap also have lovely children's areas in each of the branches, and school holiday programs with lots of free activities like craft sessions and story times. There is a great rewards program for kids to see how many books they can read over the holidays too. The Payneham library is right next to the Payneham pool, and has a playground right out front to chuck the kids on once you've got them their stack of books. Payneham library also has a hall next door where they have numerous functions, some of which we've actually attended. The Doll House Enthusiast Exhibition for example: you might hear this and think: how disturbing. We hear this and think: opportunity.

Beautiful from the outside, this library is amazing on the inside. I love libraries, and can't help…read moremyself. I have to go in every library I pass. I'm so sad this isn't my local library! It would make me so happy to come here regularly. It's best to look at the photos to see what I mean. The interior is incredibly intricate (though somewhat obscured by ugly air vent things - the tragedy of modern conveniences). Also, as a functioning library, it has a great range of reading materials, especially in terms of general adult fiction and teenage fiction. And they have a cute kids corner. There's also a separate computer room with plenty of computers. The whole family could be very happy in here. Please, can I move in? Come to this library to escape from the heat, and enjoy its beauty and a good book.

Wonderfully located near public transit, that fabulous shopping center, and a decently-sized car…read morepark, the Unley library is well worth getting home late. The children's area is particularly well organized in a way that shows you that they know their audience. My little dude quickly found books from his favorite authors. The toys, the colors, the collections.... brilliant. There seems to always be something interesting happening and you'll probably see me there later during the upcoming Umbrella Festival.

I love libraries (probably because I love books. Der...) and I was stoked when I discovered Unley…read morewas my new local. It has a modern fit out and a lot to offer over two levels. One of the most popular services is the membership-based toy library. There are an array of games, learning toys, puzzles, role play, dress ups and larger items for inside and outside play. The library has a large children's area, half filled with rows of books while the other half is an open space and regularly hosts book readings and activities sessions for children under five. It's a lovely space to sit and read to your child or enjoy your own book while your child places with the large foam square and mushroom stools. In addition to the usual selection of books, the library offers 'Hot Reads' - the latest books available for 10 days instead of four weeks for those that can speed read and get it back on the shelves for the next person. You can't reserve these and it's pot luck if you find one. There is a large table offered both upstairs and downstairs which most people utilise to read the daily papers. I have also just discovered a quiet study room upstairs with booths conducive to working or writing a uni paper. The library offers wi-fi for personal laptops. Ask at the counter for the necessary form and you'll be given a login and password. There are also a bank of computers you can book for an hour at no charge. These are popular and usually need to be booked in advance which I think you can do online. Otherwise, you can call ahead and ask for one to be reserved.

The Campbelltown library is one of the best I've been to in South Australia, and I'm lucky enough…read moreto call it my local. As a member of the SWAP Library Network you also have access to a huge pool of resources from multiple libraries around town, all of which can be accessed at the library itself, or over the internet with an easy login based around your membership card. There are stacks of DVD's and CD's, as well as, well yes, obviously, books. Placing reservations over the net is a breeze, and you'll get notification when your requests are in and ready to collect. As well as the pictured public access computer section, the Campbelltown library features an Ipad available for public use, and a great childrens toy library too. The childrens range of books and multimedia resources is huge compared to other places I've frequented. Staff always seem to be friendly, and are far more likely to give a gentle reminder that a book is overdue than to slap you with a fine - even extending a deadline to allow you time to get the offending item back to them. Membership is free - stacks of off street parking here, too. Great community resource.

I received the email letting me know the books I ordered on-line had come in. The same service…read morehappens when a book is overdue if you register your email against your account. Today was quiet so I was lucky to grab my books and exit quickly. I do wish the hold section was closer to the service desk when I don't want to use any other facilities within the library. When its busy the line up is crazy. Typical me forgot to bring my library card and it wasn't an issue as I was able to provide my drivers licence and was found in their system. The services available ranges from the obvious books to DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, e-books, magazines, newspapers, audio books, scanning, printing and much more. I don't borrow the DVDs anymore as they seem to be bad quality with the numerous scratches, and I've had trouble playing then at home. Probably caused by over use. There is a Justice of the Peace Service and you just need to check with the library the availability. The times for this service are on the office door.

St Peters library is part of the Eastern suburbs SWAP program where a number of libraries share a…read moredatabase, and out of all of them this would be the prettiest. Housed in a historical building on the shady streets of St Peters, this library has a huge kids section, with couches, computers, toys, and a great selection of fiction and non fiction. St Peters would definitely be one of the best libraries to study and read, as they have large wooden tables at the front window and the place is pretty quiet because the kids are in a separate area. It always amazes me how much noise some kids are allowed to make in libraries by their parents, but here you don't notice them so much. Staff aren't super friendly, but luckily there are online databases which require zero human interaction. Isn't technology a blessing?

I hadn't been to a library for many years, strangely so because I'm a huge reader. That's the…read moreupside/downside to having a Kindle, I suppose, wirelessly transferring books via 3G or loading them on using Calibre rather than roaming through the stacks, judging things by their covers. I took my toddler to the Bounce and Rhyme Time session last week. Apparently, it's not a baby rap battle after all so my daughter's ill lyrics will have to wait for another forum. There is, however, plenty of traditional favourites for kids to sing along to with their parents and carers and it goes for half an hour which is just about the right length of time before kids get sketchy. There are also different sessions available for a range of ages which is a great way to get your kids into reading. I was so impressed walking in to the library; the café, the variety of books, CDs, DVDs, computers and classes on offer, that I signed up for a library card right after the session. The services available are wide-ranging and the convenient location and car park makes it easy to access, especially with kids.

Do you like books, e-catalogues and various other things of the library nature? Yes? Then you'll…read morelove the CIty of Tea Tree Gully Library because it's a library!! Joined to the TTG council chambers at the top of Civic park, across the road from Tea Tree Plaza, the library has an extensive catalogue and is never understaffed. The entrance hosts a wall where local artists can display their art, the usual library/council public notice boards and then... a cafe which you can enter from the outside or choose to have coffee or lunch on the inside of the library. The council have really tried to make this library a social place. There are puzzles sitting there to be continued, games and plenty of computers. The staff are really helpful and will try their hardest to find what you need and assist you with enquiries, no matter how strange. You'll usually find me around the non-fiction sections perusing my latest obsession or interest, whatever that may be (they can get crazy) and you'll see me walking out disorganised without a bag and a billion books, because I can't help myself. However - this local government library did cause a stir when they hired in a clairvoyant to rid it of ghosts. Or did it? Maybe staff just wanted a day off.

Findon Library occupies the corner of Findon Shopping Centre, and has recently had a cafe added to…read morethe front, which now shares some of its foyer. Like I needed more reason to love a library, there's now coffee close to hand. This library is surprisingly large. You don't see all of it until you round two corners from the entry foyer. There are about 10 computers, as well as a printing station, and two meeting rooms, one which is used for regular immunisations and for a Justice of the Peace three times a week (check the website for times). There is an open space for young children to play in, though not much for them to play with, except for books (which I suppose is the idea). In terms of their catalogue, this is a great library for general adult fiction, DVDs and non-fiction. The non-fiction area hides around the second corner, and is about a third of the entire collection. It covers a huge range of topics, and includes a lot of very picture focused, larger books for visual learners, as well as a large selection of books in Italian. Their DVD range is amusingly dated, and you can find very old TV series here that you don't often see in libraries. They also have quite a large range of audio books, which always pleases me. This is a great library for books and much more.

From the owner: Your Charles Sturt Library Service 'one card'... enables you…read moreto borrow 100 items per card, including 20 DVDs and 20CDs. -opens the door for you to access over 130 libraries and millions ofitems through your local library. -is the key to requesting up to 30 items. -allows you to renew your loan periods twice if the item isn't requested. This means you could borrow a 4 week book for up to 12 weeks. -sends you a reminder... an email or SMS will be sent to you 3 days before your items are due.

Co-located with the Prospect Library on Main North Road, the Prospect Gallery has delighted me with…read morean eclectic selection of artwork since I moved to Prospect two years ago. I've seen gallery shows with fabric and weaving, sculpture, photography, painting, and other media. In each show two things have stood out. First, the presentation has always been thoughtful. Often, community galleries have a somewhat haphazard approach to displaying artwork. Issues can range from poor lighting to confusing and ill-defined themes. That's never been the case for any of the shows I've seen here. Second, the quality of the work on display has always been top-drawer. The shows seem to have some level of curation. When multiple artists have been on display, it seems only the best work of the contributors has been selected. When single artists have been shown, the artists appear to have been held to a high standard with respect to showing a cohesive body of work. While decidedly less pretentious, the Prospect Gallery competes well with the commercial galleries in the CBD and is well worth a visit. In fact, the current show, "Suburban Dreaming," which runs through July 27, 2014 is so good, it's reason enough to hustle out to Propect soon. The show is a selection of 15 large photographs of suburban locations, mostly shot at night with long exposures, by Wayne Grivell. Grivell, a local architect cum photographer, brings a unique viewpoint to these pictures. And they are not what you'd expect. We're not talking about typical architectural photos of slick modern buildings or the Architecturial Digest renderings of somebody's mansion. What Grivell gives you instead is a surreal, often brutal in its clarity, view of ordinary dwellings. Sterile business fronts juxtaposed with residential homes replete with yards and balconies crowded with the detritus of ordinary living. At first viewing, many of the pictures can bring a sense of comfort and frequently, a smile. But make a second circuit through the display and you start noticing details. Partly this is due to the long exposure, nighttime photography which lets you see deep into the shadows in a way that you can't do with your naked eye. But mostly this is the result of carefully chosen scenes and framing. There are layers of visual rewards to work through in most of the pictures. Take some time to look at them more than once to really get the remarkable depth Grivell offers in his work. Oh, and be sure to read the artist's comments posted next to the left of the first picture. They provide some insight into Grivell's motivation for taking these photos. That's a wrap! Eat, drink, and be merry, but not too much. JD

The Woodville library is part of the Charles Sturt Civic Centre, and well worth a visit. It is the…read morelargest of the region's several libraries, and has the nicest feel to it. There is a large, friendly children's section when you first walk in, and a nice, quiet computer section hidden around the corner. The main body of the library is filled with book shelves (as you might expect) and they hold a very different range to the others. There are hundreds of graphic novels here - a really impressive selection, as well as lots of non-fiction and Russian and Indonesian language books. Their standard fiction range is quiet small, and neatly classified into genres. Near the graphic novels is a large range of children's and teenage books. This would be a great place to study, as it's quiet and spacious and has several large tables for general use. There are plenty of computers here, quite a few more than at the other libraries, and some nice places to sit and read.

From the owner: Your Charles Sturt Library Service 'one card'... enables you…read moreto borrow 100 items per card, including 20 DVDs and 20CDs. -opens the door for you to access over 130 libraries and millions ofitems through your local library. -is the key to requesting up to 30 items. -allows you to renew your loan periods twice if the item isn't requested. This means you could borrow a 4 week book for up to 12 weeks. -sends you a reminder... an email or SMS will be sent to you 3 days before your items are due.