The Georgia Historical Society is housed in Hodgson Hall, the headquarters and main library of the…read moreSociety and this building was designed by architect Detlef Lienau, being built in 1876. The Society itself was incorporated in 1839 and now holds the world's largest collection of materials germane to Georgia history. Hodgson Hall is a delightful building with a commodius interior and fine iron-work on the exterior, making a visit feel like a trip to a grand library at one of the world's great universities. Architect Lienau, though German-born, was one of the founders of the American Institute of Architects and though not as well-known as some of America's nineteenth-century architects, did some very innovative work including this building and it is fitting that the Historical Society is housed in a building of such note and merit. The collection itself is not only large but varied and while a lot of it understandably concerns the colonial and Civil War periods of Savannah's lengthy history, it also has interesting architectural and social content regarding the modern and contemporary history of the city and region. The Society also conducts frequent talks and events including special programs for schoolkids, partnerships with local colleges, and other efforts at outreach.

It's a beautiful, historic building, older than the whole city of Seattle (hey, Seattle is where I…read morelive, I can't avoid comparisons) (and yes, nearly all of the buildings in downtown Savannah are beatiful, old and historic, bear with me), and one of the perks of majoring in history at Armstrong in Savannah is that eventually you'll be admitted to the innermost sanctum of the Historical Society (after getting a membership, of course). You won't be able to do your Methodology paper without access to the boxes kept in a climate controlled environment that you have to sign for and can't leave the building with, but it's worth it to leaf through the 90 year old Grand Tour diary of the 10 year old son of a doctor who was one of the earliest users of the X-Ray. I think he died of radiation poisoning. Imagine that. It's a cool and quiet library with big wood tables, little lamps and a gallery running around the room. Just what you'd picture. The people working there are cool, quiet, smart and helpful, and if you appreciate libraries, history, books, and/or architecture, you should visit.

Stunning library! Amazingly huge windows inviting an intimate view of the trees from within as…read morewell as the beautiful architecture of the surrounding historic structures.... Very helpful staff.

Let me start by saying , how can a library not get five stars it's a self-service place . If you…read morehad a negative view of the library maybe you need to look deep inside yourself. The staff is super nice and if you'd like an item that's not available they'll have it shipped to any one of the libraries throughout the entire county . They even have dogs on some weekends and the kids read to them which in turn builds up their confidence. I cook a lot so I get a chance to read and make some of the recipes in the cookbooks & if they're great I can purchase them knowing I made the right choice .

The kids section at this library is everything I ever wanted as a child! Great place do spend an…read moreafternoon especially to beat the heat or rain. The restrooms even have a kids sized toilet which our potty training toddler loves!

I was an avid reader as a child. I remember coming to the library every 2 weeks with my mom and…read moresiblings and spending what seemed like hours trying to find the perfect books to check out. As soon as we checked out our books I was anticipating our next visit. When I walked into the Southwest library that feeling came rushing back. Even the smell brought me back to childhood. There's nothing like the smell of a freshly cracked book and the feeling of physically turning page after page. It's why I refuse to purchase a Kindle. The library is located on the southside of Savannah, basically across the street from Target which is connected to the Savannah Mall. The library is huge! Two floors of books, multiple reading areas, a children's room and so much more. The wonderful lady at the front desk greeted me as soon as I walked in and helped me renew my library card, which is free. You just need your ID in order to receive one and they're good for 2 years. Lots of help was offered to me as I walked the aisles. I knew exactly where to find my book as I browsed the website earlier in the week. But I couldn't help walking the aisles and taking in the moment. The serene quietness was amazing. In a world full of constant sounds it's nice to have a quiet place to visit, even if it's only for a few minutes.

My last review for this library was about a year ago, so it's time for a little update. One year…read morelater and a lot has changed, an unrelenting pandemic and the frequency of my visits because of it. I don't know about you, but I've gone through stages during this pandemic, many stages. Stages, meaning the things I/we (family) have done to keep ourselves busy on lockdown. We started with cooking and baking almost everything trending during the pandemic (yes, I did Dalgona coffee, and yes, we made bread from scratch and and and... Eventually, that became a bit too much with too many goodies and not enough people to eat them, so we moved on to puzzles. Then started the Netflix/Amazon Prime binge watching...and THEN...I happened to see an update post of RHPL on social media about their reopening hours and new procedures. This is one of the best things that happened to me/us during this pandemic. I absolutely loved reading as a child but as I started adulting, reading became work related, emails, text messages, social media posts, headlines, articles, read aloud sessions and bedtime stories with kids etc. You get the point. They say it takes 30 days to form a new habit and now, I'm so happy I've had so much time during this pandemic to make it part of my daily routine. I am happy (and almost a bit sad) to say I have read more books in the last 2 months than I have in the last 10 years! But I won't cry over now. The ladies and gent here have been absolutely fantastic and I am soo grateful for their dedication and diligence during all this. They have been so helpful and so kind. Other than ourselves, my kids and I have seen the wonderful ladies at this library the most! These are some of their procedures during COVID : - masks are required upon entry, staff are wearing masks as well, hand sanitizer available - open for in-store pick up, signing up for library cards, pay fines. I think you can go in to use their PCs as I once saw a persno in the PC room, but it must be limited time, so please ask - when they first reopened, they were strictly doing curbside pick up by appointment only (15 min time slots), but since they have reopened the building for in-store services, they seem to be understaffed on some days and as a result of that, curbside pick up time slots are less frequent. If you prefer this service, it's great! You show up by the door by the drop boxes in the back at your appointment, you text them the number they give you to let them know you have arrived, pop your trunk open, they come out and load them in - when you arrive at the building, a librarian is inside the entrance and opens the door for you as the inside middle door is kept locked - returns must be placed by wooden carts at the entrance (next to librarian) - drop boxes are open during library hours in back of building - all returns are quarantined for 3 days (they backdate it so don't worry if it appears late, as long as you returned it before due date) - you cannot browse inside the library. However, if something catches your eye on one of the side tables, you can ask them to grab it and add it to your pick up. They ask that you limit to 5 items. There are tables turned over to the side that create a direct path to the front desk. There are tape markings on the floor to provide guidance for social distancing - you can email their gmail address to request for books, but I found the easiest way to reserve materials is simply to log in to your PINES account or download the PINES app and just place the hold there since it will tell you whether it is available or not. If it's available at a different location, you can place a hold and select the library of choice for pick up and they will notify you with the method of notification you have selected (phone, text or email). You have access to all the books in the PINES network in the state of Georgia. This is HUGE! - Discs or the State Park passes NOT available at this time - BONUS: you also have access to their other library apps, RBDigital for adults and AXIS360 for kids that also offer ebooks and audiobooks. This library may be small, but it's well connected and holds its weight in gold. I am so grateful for this library, especially during a time like this and my life has been enriched by it, as well as my kids. I am so late on this reading train, but at least I'm on it now. Now, excuse me while I read the book I checked out on knitting (LOL)....my new stage. Stay safe, Friends!

This is a very delightful library. The staff is kind and helpful. There is a Dropbox for after…read morehours book returns. A huge section of kids books. My kids love coming to library. With a library card you can access online resources. This is a great benefit to people living in Richmond hill

If you enjoy audiobooks or e books, get your free library card and listen or read your books and…read moremagazines on an app! Great book club as well.

This library is great. It's in a very easy to find and navigate to. The staff is always fantastic…read moreeach time I've gone in. I went in the other day to apply for a library card and the gal helping me was beyond phenomenal. She was so helpful and explained all the rules and freebies to me. The computers are easy to use and find what you're looking for. I was able to find a genera of books within a few minutes of research. I've been to this location a few times and it's never really busy however I do what to add it does seem like a "teen hangout" spot. Which in reality, if they are utilizing the services, is a good thing. Overall I would recommend this library for the location, availability of book, and polite staff members. Again getting a library card was very easy and they are willing to work with you to get you a card; just tell them your situation.

I visit this library several times a month as it is the closest one to downtown Savannah …read more The first floor of the library is the kids section, with the second story dedicated to the adults. The library as a whole is very nice with an extremely helpful and professional staff to assist you. With a Live Oak library account, you can check out and reserve books, DVDs or movies . Children who attend school in the sourounding counties can obtain an account with no overdue book fees. That seems pretty nice This evening I went to see Shawn Gaskell play the Kora (21-string West African Harp) in concert. It was conducted on the second floor of the library. He also explained how the Kora is constructed and told us several stories of his travels in Ghana. As always, I enjoyed my time there and I am looking forward to my next visit.

I am so lucky this is right across the street from me! I go here at least once a week!read more

What a cool looking library. The exterior signage is very…read morestrong. Simple and strong. Savannah is a great city, especially after that bore fest called CHARLESTON.

It's really nice. They have a room where you could read with your kids. They have story time.read more

Live Oaks Public Library in Hinevilles is a beautiful building located right outside of Fort…read moreStewart. I highly reccomend you "check it out"...lol get it! Seriously folks it is a place beyond your usual library. They offer art classes for adults and children....movie night...computers available to use... and much more. A nice setting to get away from the heat and crowds for some alone time...tables to meet with friends to go over homework or to stretch out your work.. .and the kid's section makes you feel like you wish you were a kid again....all this for free! The staff are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable! They make you feel welcome!

It is smaller but nice the vibe- it has Beaufort historical things there -…read moreStaff is knowledgeable and friendly There is parking but it's usually full- I park At city lot and walk up. They have a few computers to use

Five stars for a comfortable library where I was able to connect and get some online work done…read more This is a big library (certainly bigger than McClellanville but not as big as Mount Pleasant) but it absolutely had everything I needed today. It would be nice if the parking was free, but I guess too many people were parking in the library lot all day and going elsewhere. I found a work carrel where I could plug in both my laptops, though it was a bit of a stretch to the power outlet (I need to start carrying a small power strip!) but quiet. I took a Zoom call or two here without disturbing anyone and still got a bunch of work emails done. Lots of books, DVDs and reference materials. Of course, you need to be a local resident to borrow any of that but anyone is allowed to use the library and the wifi is free for anyone to use. [Review 19473 overall - 1045 in South Carolina - 443 of 2023.]

This is a wonderful facility for all ages. The architecture is unique both inside and out. The…read moreLibrary contains great local knowledge and local history. You can explore not only the books but the plaques, displays, and other materials that are entwined within the spaces. The amount of technology they make available to the residents is amazing! The creative programs and activities they offer the younger generations are truly a gift to the community. All the staff we encountered were so knowledgeable, kind and accommodating. We didn't have much time to take it all in. So a repeat visit is on the books.

I love our local library! It is tucked away down a side road on Saint Helena Island and is quite…read morethe gem! The ladies and gentlemen are friendly and helpful! I love that if you are in a rush, just call ahead and they will bring your book out to the car as you go through the line :-) at Christmas time they gave me a gingerbread house for the kids to build :-) this summer they had an amazing reading program for kids in Beaufort County to participate in. If you order a book or something else through the library, you can sign up to be texted, emailed, or called when your items arrive. In my case, I get all three!