Being the nerd that I am, I came here the day after my birthday. Since last year, I've been…read morechallenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island. This was the 11th one I visited. My friend and I came on a Saturday morning. I don't think they have a parking lot, but we found street parking right by the entrance. It reminded me more of an admin building when I walked in. To the left is a book sale, and to the right are the stairs to the main floor. There were lots of happy kids in the children's section. Down the hall, they have the walls lined with lots of information, including subsidized tickets to different events and places including the bird sanctuary nearby. They also have an extensive and well diversified library of tools and equipment to loan for a week including sporting gear, home repair tools, yard tools, games, and even a telescope. I was impressed. On my way out, I also saw a an ad for a free account to Mango through the library, which is a language learning platform (perfect for my journey to learning French).

Parking is easy behind the building. Staff are always so kind and sweet. The children's area is…read morealways such a treat for my kiddos to go visit and enjoy a little play time with friends.

I can't believe I've been a member here for years & have yet to write a review! Yes, you heard…read moreright.. a member! This is a library that requires an annual membership to take out books from their vast collection, but the building is open to the public for browsing. In addition to many, many works of literature, the Redwood also houses an impressive collection of Newport maps and ephemera that a visiting history buff would love to see. They also offer community programming, such as classical and jazz concerts, a Shakespearean reading group, and even a Trivia Night for adults, complete with pizza and beer as part of a modest admission fee. Don't let the "members only" policy deter you from visiting! Tourists will definitely want to add this to their list, and I've known many a Newport local who's never stepped inside the Redwood, but really should. It's a truly gorgeous spot to have a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of the City by the Sea, and a wonderfully historic hidden gem.

This old colonial library is a beautiful piece of history here! There are so many colonial…read morepaintings hanging in the walls there, plus four from Gilbert Stewart who painted George Washington! Very interesting and very peaceful in there. It's a true work of art that goes back to the the 1740's! If you get a chance, VISIT! It is so worth it!

A great library to stop and get some work done. Plenty of tables spread around the space, both on…read morethe upper and lower floors. There are also more cozy chair options if you are here to read. I love the view over the water. My only complaint is it took me a little while to find a table that had access to a power outlet - go to the lower level, take a left, and go all the way to the end! Also! They have a plant exchange!!!! Such a lovely idea. Bring a plant cutting to leave and take a new friend home :)

I have lived in this town close to 46 years. The library has long been an excellent resource and a…read morepleasant place to go to for programs and reading materials, plus access to computers and print outs before I had my own printer!

Being the nerd that I am, I came here on my birthday. Since last year, I've been challenging myself…read moreto visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island. This was the 10th one I visited. Since it was a Friday morning, there weren't many people there. However, when we first walked in, we overheard someone teaching little kids Spanish in a very animated way; it was very cool to see important programs like this in action. We were planning on spending some time here reading, so had my book with me. A friendly librarian stopped me to tell me how good the book I had was which reassured my decision to pick it up. We went down an aisle that led to the children's library. They had fun little puzzles and announcements on the wall. I noticed that in one section, the books had stickers on the spines to categorize by genre which was really cool. I also saw they had Viola Davis' memoir, so I snatched that quickly. In the distance, we saw a table covered with a huge coloring page and color pencils. We spent about 20 minutes coloring, which was very therapeutic and fun. When we got up, we noticed a shelf with a bunch of items to loan for a week including tools and equipment, health and fitness stuff, fun and games, and electronic and technology. To give an idea, some stuff I saw included: hopscotch set, leaf blower, therapy lamp, and power drill. They were organized by category which was very helpful. The staff here were very friendly and we were very impressed with this library. They also do have EV parking/ charging stations which is cool - it might be the first library I see with that feature.

It's weird to review a library right? I'm going to blame it on COVID, like I do everything…read morenowadays. Just kidding. BUT this library really has been a lifesaver during "these trying times". They have great COVID procedures if you must enter, but they also offer curbside services - and best of all, they make these amazing craft/learning kits for preschoolers all the way up to teens. Entertaining kids this past year has been such a challenge and the letter packets this library makes for preschoolers are so fun and creative. My kid loves them. And every single librarian we've met outside the library has been friendly - even the poor gentleman who came outside in snowy, 21 degree weather to bring me a letter packet. Thank you Middletown Library! Saving parents sanity, one craft kit at a time.

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.

Maury Loontjens Memorial Library used to be called The Narragansett Public Library for years…read more Recently (maybe 2 or more years ago,) the name was changed to memorialize someone who if you asked anyone on the street who he was wouldn't have a clue. That is okay though because in Rhode Island everyone who knows this library will still be calling it the Narragansett Library until the day everyone remembers it was called that dies. That's how Rhode Islanders operate. This library used to be a rinky-dink place with only about 2 rooms. It has expanded into 5 or more since the 1970's. I'm estimating this so don't take my word for granted. I just know, growing up that this was a cute little library that wasn't very big and wasn't very active. Now it has 4 basic computer/internet classes and shows movies on Tuesday nights. It has Book Clubs and Book Talks, story times for preschoolers and kindegarteners, a Scrabble Scramble, card crafting, tutorials on e-books and even a "friends meeting". Much much more than 20 years ago I'd say. Like most libraries, their website is full of things to do as far as the library goes. You can even temporarily apply for a member card. One of the better ideas is an account that helps you remember that your borrowed books are coming due. Sign up for an Elf account to help yourself remember! Like all libraries too they have an online book search. You don't just get a list of books from The Narragansett Library, you get a list of all the books from all the libraries that are connected with this library through the Ocean States Library Catalog. Although the building has grown the atmosphere hasn't changed much. They've added a little area where you can sit on a comfy couch or relax in some stuffed chairs to read the paper or a book. They have the computer rooms in the back as well as the stacks. Yes of course technology has been accepted into the libraries now. I still would rather read a book with pages than an e-book. And I still consider the library one of the better public places where quiet is encouraged and children should be watched. This library is small but it is located next to the Narragansett Fire and Police stations in The Pier. It is down the street from the Narragansett Town Beach too. I dare say that this is probably one of the best places to relax inside and out. There is a public bathroom outside in the parking lot as well as one inside the building. The Pier Marketplace is next door (but not full of any really useful shops anymore.) For a relaxing day take a walk on The Wall then come to the library and read a book or the paper. You can also use the computers if you wish to jump on the Net.

Had the opportunity to spend some time in the library while touring the Salve Regina campus. This…read moreplace is simply breathtaking! The campus is primarily old mansion and then in the middle of it is the modern religious structure. Really large tinted windows make the inside fee open, but there's no harsh glare or heat while you're sitting and reading. They had an extensive selection of large scale children's books, the kind you would want if you were hosting circle time to 20 kids that need to be able to clearly see the illustrations. Also got to see the scarf (sash? Not sure of the correct word) that the Dali Lama gifted to the school when he gave a speech here. How cool is that? This space alone almost convinced me to attend this university. Now if I could just afford the tuition...

Time to retire…read more The Essex Public Library is a cool looking stone library that isn't very large. Built like it could last forever, unfortunately or perhaps fortunately it won't. At least not as a library. The cool looking stone part is fine but the isn't very large part is what dooms it. I'm sure it will survive as something, it is just to cool looking to destroy, but it's library days are almost gone. The library was built back in 1939 and the massive stone walls survived whatever nature could throw at it with ease. Cozy and very pleasant inside, the venerable old library just could expand no further. Just no more room to put computers and other new necessitates. So it was decided to build a new library that is much larger, more convenient, more user friendly and much more modern. It is scheduled to open in 2014. The old library is not very easy to get into, steep stairs get slippery in the rain or snow and it must be difficult for anyone with a handicap to manage. The library is wonderful once you manage to get in, cozy, comfy, with a great sense of history. The stairs down to the kid's department has a fantastic mosaic covering both walls. Absolutely stunning to look at, I hope this somehow makes it to the new library. Yeah, a new library is needed and will serve the community much better. But seeing this building retired will still be sad. Hopefully it can be turned into some type of museum or educational edifice. Time passes and the old fade into the mists of time and the new takes over. Doesn't matter if it's a building or a person, time will always have it's way.

It's a place where I can focus to read and make a work or thinking in create something. I enjoyed…read morethis space for a long time in my first visiting to Tiverton.

History and…read moreconvenience The very first idea for a library in the town of Falmouth was back in 1792. At first the books were stored where ever there was room and eventually ended up in the town hall. The library finally got a permanent home in 1901. As the town grew the need for a larger library also become obvious. So in 1966 an addition was completed. And again in 1978 another addition was added. And finally in 2008 major renovations took place and now the library is a whole lot larger than the original one but still has the charm of the very first building. The library is beautiful, both inside and out and the additions and renovations blend in extremely well with the original concept so it can be difficult to see exactly where the addtions were added. The seal of the town of Falmouth is even embedded on a dome in the ceiling. The library has lots of very comfy place to sit or study as well as a great local history room, kids department and community room. A lovely and very useful library that has grown along with the town.

We went to this library a lot when our kids were little. They loved it and we loved it. We had not…read morebeen back for a while but wanted to see how it had fared in recent years. It's a small town library that's really crowded during summer tourist season and never used to be crowded at all in the off season when we were often in town. It was jam packed on a cool drizzly summer day. It still has a large lower level children's section. And it is still the place to be with wonderful creative updates. The book areas are nicely delineated by age groups and book styles and there are lots of inspiring posters even on office and closet doors. A creative playhouse is at one end. A local garden having a butterfly release on Saturday was nicely featured with all the details of the event and displayed many correlated books. The librarians were very helpful and parents circulated through the areas with their kids. There did seem to be lots of locals socializing with each other but also some obvious tourists enjoying the facility. The building still has lots of historic charm but there are updates to some areas as well as the exterior. There appeared to be an addition since we were last here and we heard maybe yet another in the near future. Parking was a real problem this week but I would guess they can handle the off season/school year just fine.