Brighton does pretty well for libraries, with the huge Jubilee Library offering what most residents…read moreneed in the centre of town, and the Hove and Moulsecoomb branches offering more intimate services for residents looking for that particular book or magazine. The Hove Library, in particular, is excellent, with much of what I needed when living in the area: where the Jubilee seems to have more general fiction, the Hove Library had some of the more obscure texts I needed for a play I was working on. Brilliantly useful, and free! What more could you want? Where the Jubilee Library is a modern behemoth of glass and metal, the Hove Library is housed in a beautiful old Edwardian building, fitting much better into Hove's more old-fashioned aesthetic. Inside, the metal and glass theme returns, but more tastefully than the Jubilee's oppressive modernity: in this case, it is restricted to the lift/stairs combo in the middle of the house. The book selection here also seems to be a little more select. Instead of a random selection of some more pulpy fiction, the collections here seem to be more specialised, focusing on more arty books and dense and foreign fiction. Since this is exactly what I go for in books, this appealed more to me than the Jubilee's focus on kids and new media. That being said, books do seem to often get lost between all of the different libraries around town: more often than not, a book I've wanted was somewhere, and is now somewhere else... I normally just gave up and bought it on Amazon. I still think it's amazing that the government provides its people with free books, and that's more than enough for me. I sometimes wish that the libraries were slightly better organised, and Brighton and Hove is no exception, with plenty of books catalogued but not around. Still, better loads of free books than that one particular one you want.

Hove Library has to be one of the most grand and simultaneously comfortable seats of knowledge that…read moreI have ever had the pleasure of bettering myself in. With its' huge frontage and borderline Latin carved lettering this place has the immediate air of a high church of written information. Once within its' walls there is little to dissuade you from the opinion you may have formed before crossing the threshold from dirty street into the confines of Steven Fry's literary mind. I went through a stage of using this place as a destination for winter reflection indulging in such tomes as "Dombey and Son" or ascending the vast helical staircase into the archive room and discovering great volumes on the history of Sussex amongst the masses of foreign students. This place is, in my opinion, quite special. Not like the average council library with 1970s concrete box architecture, but a brilliant balance between Victorian authority and modern day information.

It's not surprising that Jubilee Library has won awards for design and architecture. It's a truly…read morestunning building that towers above all the others in the North Laines. Inside it's just as impressive - with huge glass windows, high ceilings and wide open spaces. There's a great study area for students, a lounge area where people can relax and read magazines and newspapers and a big I.T. suite where you can tap and print away. The problem is... the lack of books! You'd think being a library you wouldn't be able to move for books, right? If only. There's probably more books on one floor of Waterstones than there is in this whole building. Maybe they ran out of money and couldn't afford many? Maybe they think everybody would be so floored by the building they wouldn't think of borrowing a book? Who knows.

The Jubilee Library is a library like none I've joined before! When I was a kid, my local library…read morewas a one room ex-Scout hut! Though I've used lots of libraries since, and many much larger than the Jubilee (university libraries etc.), none have been as visually stunning. I am not always a fan of modern architecture, but the clean lines and sheer size of this glass building make it a pretty impressive structure. Easy on the eye? Yes. Heavy on the books? No. Like Sarah-Jane B., I am baffled by the Jubilee library's paltry selection of literature. It seems such a shame to build a library of such epic proportions and then leave it virtually empty! It's almost as if they let the architect order the books and s/he carried the minimalist theme right into the library! On a number of occasions I have looked for a book only to find they don't have it- they have even had to request inter-library loans for me. Is it just me, or does it seem ridiculous that the smaller Sussex libraries are lending their books to Brighton's central library??? Aside from the book deficit (which is a pretty major problem), this is a nice, quiet place to read and is in a great location.

So, I was sat in the library resting my back after a long day in A&E after some man made me go on…read morethe ride Turbo (the rollorcoster) on Brighton Palace Pier. Anyway, I had just purchased a Brand New back rest from the shop for £25, Well. I stole my Grandsons £50 note so it wasn't really my money. That's how I ended up on the pier as I used half the £50 there before. Back on subject, I was sat in the library when a Young Lassy Came in shouting: "A B C D E F G gummy bears are chasing me, One is red. One is blue. One is chewing up my shoe. Now i'm running for my life coz the red one of t a knife" I got so scared my False teeth dropped out!!! I got up rapidly, Screaming as I thought someone was coming in armed with a knife. As I stood up my back brace got stuck on the chair causing the chair to come with me, The next thing I knew I was being kicked out and I was screaming as they locked the doors saying "THE GUMMY BEAR WILL KILL ME, THE GUMMY BEAR WILL KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" And they came out. I hoped they were coming to help, they took the chair back and even worse. MY BACK BRACE WENT WITH IT!!! Well, My grand daughters purse is next anyway...

There aren't that many inner city libraries that lay claim to being such stylish, well-stocked…read moresanctuaries of calm. A few years back when I first arrived in Brighton, the area where the library now stands was a waste ground I used to park my car when I went for a swim at Prince Regents. Now I look at its modernistic spangled lines and get a real hit from appreciating at the regeneration. Those funky ergonomic benches outside with the Blade Runner-blue lights seem to have stopped working but inside it's still very much a fresh proposition. Loads of desks to study, a decent world cinema DVD library, a quiet room to work in, plus a great kids play area and children's books section too at the back. The one problem is the acoustics - it would be a perfect space for theatre of music as it's so vast and high - as such if there's someone really noisy you all hear him.

This library is a great community for avid readers in the area. It may be small but is has a…read morereasonable selection of fiction, non-fiction, DVDs, CDs, audio books and language courses for hire but the thing that I love most about the library (and about Britain for that matter) are the groups. There's a reading group, a writing group and a very popular local history group too. There's also free internet and computer access for those who need it and a completely separate children's library which the little mites love.

A quiet oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Brighton, the Brighton History Centre is a place I…read morelike to go and do some work. The wonderful Jubilee Library is a modern and busy space, and sometimes it's tricky to find a pew. The study room at the Brighton History Centre is the smaller, tweedy sibling redolent of a past age and you can usually get a table to yourself. Bliss. Tucked away upstairs in Brighton Museum, the Brighton History Society is the preserve of genealogists and local historians trying to find out snippets about their ancestors and information about Brighton, Hove and Sussex of a bygone age. As a local history resource it's rich and fascinating. They have local newspaper archives (national newspaper archives live at Jubilee), census resources back into the 19th century, a stack of local history books, directories and all sorts. It's a magnificent collection. It was under threat of closure last year and we would have been the poorer for it, as a city. The real stars, though, are the staff. I've undertaken some local research here and found them to be helpful, knowledgeable and also thoughtful. I explained my project to the ladies and chaps and they had loads of good ideas that I cheerfully accepted. It's shut on Mondays and keeps the same hours as the museum. The handy museum café is just down the corridor and you're right in the heart of Brighton. It's wonderful.

If you love leafing through old newspapers and photographs about the region, if you're a historian…read moreand you need to search Brighton's records on a particular event, if you want to look up your family tree or even if you're a visitor to the area, Brighton History Centre has a wealth of resources and incredibly friendly and helpful staff to point you in the right direction. Housed on the top floor of Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, this place was recently in danger of being closed at its stunning location, and I'm so pleased to hear the decision has been reversed by campaigners.

HAHAHA, in my entire 4 years of college, this was the ONLY time I ever CHECKED out anything from…read morethe library! The library was fairly spacious with lots of books and media (yes, videos of all kinds--academics and non-academic). When I was there 2 years ago, the system was still fairly outdated. Checking out material consists stamping the book, telling you when the material was due. Unlike the U.S. libraries, 2 years ago, we already had a self-check out system with a printed receipt, telling you when materials were due. Nevertheless, everyone was friendly.

It feels as if I am being a little biased when reviewing the university's facilities, but believe…read moreme, I wouldn't be doing it if they weren't worth reviewing. I may be a Sussex alumnus, but this means I have experienced the university as a business and gained experience of its day-to-day workings, not just read about it in a UCAS review, or the Sussex prospectus. It wasn't until I left the university that I realised how good the library was. A huge building that dominates the aptly-named Library Square, this is a real haven for intellectual stimulation. There is a huge selection of books, which are well maintained and systematically organised, making them easy to find: something particularly useful when you're pushing a deadline. If you're a student and need somewhere to work then I suggest head down to the library. Even if you're the world's biggest procrastinator like me, you'll find it hard not to be inspired by this 40-something year-old building: it even smells like academia! Use it while you can; you'll miss it when you leave.

This five story library is part of the University of Brighton's group of libraries, and is probably…read morethe one with the most convenient location, just opposite St Peter's Church near the Level. In spite of its height, it's not that big - with a fairly limitted selection of stock - and, quite annoyingly, the books you need often located at a different library (in Moulsecoomb, Falmer, Eastbourne). All in all it's okay, and the staff are usually friendly - it's also often quiet so you can read cosily in the chairs in the window bays tucked away at the end of the book aisles. Also - the opening times above are term times only - it's Mon-Fri 9-5 in the uni hols.

If you're at the University of Brighton chances are you already know about this place. If you…read morearen't you might want to see this as a reason for putting Sussex Uni, not Brighton, top of your list of university choices. It's not a bad library but it's nothing compared to the one on Sussex university campus. It's relatively small and the collections provide only the most common or well-known books on a particular subject. It certainly isn't this place to find a rare edition or basically any obscure reading material. Still it's not a bad place and will satisfy most students.

This is for the house, not the library, as unfortunately we did not have time to see the library…read moreduring this visit (but it is on the list of things to make time for on a future visit). This was our first time visiting a manor house, and it was amazing. From first walking to the end of the driveway/carriageway and seeing the house for the first time, I was enchanted. Everything is so well-preserved and/or restored so as to give a good sense of what it would have been like to have lived there in Jane Austen's time (they do recognize most of their visitors are Jane Austen fans, but really, if you have any interest in English country estates or manor houses, you can appreciate this house's history and beauty). The staff and volunteers are very passionate and knowledgeable, and they will share as little or as much as you want them to. The gardens are also peaceful to walk through, and worth the time. They also have The Old Kitchen Tearoom. We had not had a chance to eat that morning, so were pretty hungry by the time we finished the tour before walking through the gardens or down the road to Jane Austen's house. The tearoom was pleasant, with both indoor and outdoor seating available. It was a nice day, so we sat outside, and the small courtyard that makes up the outdoor seating was beautiful. We had the egg and bacon brioche sandwiches, which perfectly hit the spot and gave us the energy we needed for our future walks that day. In the future, I would just make sure to make Chawton a full day trip. Yes, it is a village and there is not a lot overall, but this house alone offers so much that you really need to give yourself the time to appreciate it. We were there for about 2 hours, but could have easily spent another 1-2 hours depending if we wanted to spend more time in the gardens, see the library, and/or see the church (which we did try to see, but was locked when we visited). Thank you to the Knight family for opening up your property for us to see, and to all those who have ensured over the years that this place is accessible to appreciate!

Just a short walk (five minutes) up a pretty country lane from Jane Austen's cottage in Chawton,…read moreyou will find a stately surprise in the form of a Tudor manor house, built in the 1500's. Chawton House and estate were owned by Jane's wealthy brother. She called it "The Great House". Today it is a working educational site (the Centre for the Study of Early Women's Writing, in partnership with the University of Southampton), yet is open to the public and a must-visit for Austen fans. Chawton House is one of the Knight estates inherited by Edward Austen, who was lucky enough to be adopted by rich relatives in need of an heir. He changed his surname from "Austen" to "Knight." The manor house interior has been beautifully restored. There is a church on the grounds (Jane's mother and sister are buried in the church yard) - and an attached farm. This grand house is probably where Jane spent a lot of time with family when she needed to get away from the cramped cottage. By the way, it's only recently that Chawton House been available for public tours; it has been a private facility for some 20 years. Happily we can now tour both the interior and the gardens. [Note: if you want to see one of the Pemberley-style estates Jane's brother inherited, go to the palatial Godmersham Park in Kent. Jane would have frequented this house, to visit her brother's family, as well. It's not quite Downton Abbey - but almost!] Finally, for Austenites, it's worth noting that Jane is buried inside Winchester Cathedral; and you can see the house where she died, not far from the Cathedral grounds. Winchester is only 15-20 miles from Chawton.