What an amazing and historic landmark! I would recommend anyone tour through the Library. The…read morearchitecture is beautiful and the rare manuscripts and artifacts they house are incredible. They are having a special display of one of Shakespeare's plays, one of the oldest New Testaments, even artifacts from King Nebuchadnezzar's palace. They will all be on display which will be quite amazing to see. This is a must see in Manchester! Truly amazing how it has stood the test of time.

Love spending time in libraries while on holiday (vacation) Stunning late-Victorian neo-Gothic…read morelibrary , John Rylands Library opened at the turn of the 20th century and is a gorgeous remnant of Manchester. Potter-heads would appreciate the look and feel inside the library is inspired the design for Hogwarts. I'm not sure if the Factory Records exhibit is still on display, but I'm a huge fan of Factory Records bands (ie. New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays etc.) and bands that came out of Manchester, the Smiths, James, Buzzcocks, The Fall to name few. It was an experience seeing original handwritten lyrics, instruments played, old punk zines, photos and badges on display.

I've genuinely never left a bad review in my life, but the experience I had at Manchester Central…read morewas beyond disappointing. I came in to print a few pages and was incredibly polite the entire time--even when things kept going wrong. The papers kept coming out incorrectly, but I stayed calm and asked nicely if they could be reprinted. At no point was I rude or demanding. Eventually, the price on the screen didn't match what it should've been, but I even said I'd just pay the higher price to avoid causing trouble. After paying, one of my documents printed completely wrong--an A3 image came out as A2 on an A3 paper, with no visible writing. I pointed it out and explained that I wouldn't pay again for a print that was clearly incorrect. This clearly upset the ginger receptionist at the bottom front desk, who suddenly told me (in a very rude and dismissive tone) to not come to her anymore and that I should take out cash and print everything myself. Even then, I told her it was fine--I actually felt bad for making her print something I didn't pay for, even though it was their machine's error. But on my way back to my seat, I overheard her talking about me to another receptionist, and when I showed the incorrect printout again, another staff member (with shorter hair) said it was my fault. I've never been treated with such disrespect by people in a public service role. You'd expect librarians to be kind, helpful, and professional--but what I experienced was the opposite. I walked out feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable, despite being nothing but polite and patient throughout. Absolutely shameful service.

If you're a Manchester resident, whether that be from one of the boroughs of the city, like me who…read moremight have their own unaffiliated library chain, the Manchester Central Library certainly makes it worthwhile to be apart of Manchester City Council's Library programme, which is by far the best library service overall in the Greater Manchester region by availability of the newest books and even individual library locations, like this one. Manchester Central Library is a huge, stunning old building which was recently renovated in 2014 in Manchester city centre, it is just off Deansgate via Peter Street in St Peter's Square meaning it is also close to John Ryland's Library (which has actually been reviewed more on Yelp!) The location basically opposite a branch of Starbucks as well as The Midland Hotel and the Radisson Blu Edwardian, the latter is part of the exclusive few places to actually have warranted a perfect five-star rating from me (and the only accredited 5* hotel in the city centre) The City Library is on the lower floor, but that doesn't mean the rest of the building is left empty - the ground floor features a Cafe which is reasonably priced as well as a cool archive space, which although to the back of the library could be laid out better, it still is a rather nice exhibit. There are some tables and computers making it a decent place to work, obviously with the benefit, you don't have to buy a drink with it being a library building. It was actually built in 1930 here, taking four years to complete and that same length of time was spent on the renovations between 2010 and 2014 and part of the design is based from the Pantheon, Rome, meaning walking into it, it feels like a fancy old building, it reminds me of a typical Apple Store which in large cities are often located in these big, impressive, historic buildings - think of London, Berlin etc. A pretty cool place to spend time without looking to spend too much in the city - although there are some areas of improvement such as the layout and how welcoming certain parts are (certain parts appear derelict), more charging points and helpful staff is always a bonus! 4*

As part of the Manchester Histories Festival, Chetham's Library was open to the public for a day. I…read moretook the opportunity to sneak into this hidden gem and was overwhelmed at just how spectacular the library is. You feel like Harry Potter as you walk up the stairs into the half-timbered library space. It is dark, creaky and full of beautiful old wooden shelves. It is one of those spaces that takes your breath away, particularly as it is so beautifully hidden in Manchester city centre. It is worth organising to visit this wonderful space and to walk amongst the beautiful old books in the school's collection. Manchester is lucky to have a library like this - go and appreciate its beauty.

I love it in here. I'm a fan of the smell of old books no matter how much some people in here turn…read moretheir noses up and say it has the perfume of old people. It holds the feeling of how you'd imagine the restricted section of Hogwarts. Free to enter, check in with security, it has allotted times now where you can head in. As the oldest public library in the UK, and all those lovely beams- it's worth a look around.

I am sure we all have had one of those blah days which suddenly get very exciting with a new…read morediscovery...I had one of those days last week when I dropped my very close friend at the train station (was a little sad, emotional cow that I am) and then met a friend who was walking home with me just to point out this incredible library. Its located right above the pub Bank (I used to call it 'The Old Man's Pub') which is very close to Piccadilly Gardens. The minute he pointed out I wanted to go in and see what it is like. The most interesting entrance ever, because we had to ring the door bell (very old English style bell) to enter. Very Cool and Very British. The moment I walked in I felt like I am in a Sherlock Holmes movie.. yeah its Grand and so mysterious. This is a 19th century library, with books from the late 18th century (whoa) and a little fun fact the librarian told us ... John Dalton wanted a membership here which he could not afford so he was asked to clean the grand clock (which btw was made by the same chap who made the clock for Big Ben) instead of paying the membership fee! How awesome is that? This used to be the hub for the rich and the famous once upon a time but sadly not many people know about it now and barely a few visit. *sigh*. The space inside is incredible and perfect for art exhibitions and guess what they actually do have quite a few of those. There are book reading sessions here too, so next time you complain about not finding a good place to do such cultural stuff, you know where to go! The membership fee here is as low as 175 pounds for the whole year and you get to access every book and much more... Verdict : *Phew* I am totally bowled and sold! Can't wait to go back again!

This place is my little escape from the city, a step back to times of tail coats and top hats…read more. perhaps even a monocle or two! The library sits on top of the bank pub (once upon a time the entire building was a library but the library now rent the downstairs out to the pub to help fund the restoration of the antique books they house upstairs). Anyone can visit the library, there's a little black door around the side, you need to ring the buzzer and wait to be let in. There's an art gallery and café that is open to the general public but only members can actually read/borrow the books and there's a members lounge at the back that is AMAZING, please see attached picture. The interior is stunning, ask the staff to give you a free guided tour and they'll explain all the features, the wind dial and various coats of arms to you. I find this place so comforting. I love tucking up in one of the huge leather armchairs reading one of the many glorious books, wondering who else much have cast their eyes over the same words in times gone by. Membership is around £110 (cheaper for concessions) a month and members can take their guests in to the members room. You can order lunch/drinks and enjoy them in the room too. FUN FACT: the oldest post box in Manchester, which happens to be Victorian is located just outside the bank pub, it's still in use and bears Queen Victoria's coat of arms.

To do this review I suppose I have to think what makes a good workspace. For me it's good lighting,…read moresuper fast internet and coffee. I am happy to say this place had two out of three but because of its central location I can overlook the coffee options. The staff here are super friendly and cont do enough for you making this this is a nice space to be productive, creative or what ever you need it for.

MadLab or Manchester's Digital Laboratory if we're being specific, is a unique business building in…read morethe heart of the Northern Quarter. It is a place for those looking for large office/open community space to get their creative juices following in a laid back but professional environment. If you need somewhere to conduct a presentation, this is the place. If you need somewhere to hold a hackathon, this is the place. Basically it's for anyone who is looking for the room and freedom to do something they can't usually do with their colleague in the office/at home/work space that they have. It's a fantastic concept and something I feel more cities are in desperate need of! Today we had a training session and were involved in a Google Hangout meeting in the upstairs room. The room itself is vast with a large conference table and chairs, projector and small table in the corner with refreshments. Yes it's simple but that is the beauty of it. It's quiet, you won't get any interruptions or distractions, you can be focused and you really feel like your head is in the games when you're there! Sadly I can't help you out with the information in regards to reserving the areas/costs at this time but I'll make sure I update my review the next time I stop by!

If you like a little schnitzel with your noodles then get yourself to the Goethe-Institut and have…read moreyourself a bratwurst of a time. Sausage jokes aside, Manchester's German Institute is the place for all things Deutsche. Situated in the same offices as the Alliance Francaise (upstairs in swishy Churchgate House on Oxford Road), The Goethe-Institute is a brilliant cultural and language centre slap bang in the city centre. Offering language courses from the basic to the fluent as well as German cultural events and festivals, the Goethe-Institute is a wonderful place to learn, network and mingle. There are several large learning spaces as well as smaller classrooms and a library. There are racks of German newspapers (current and dated) as well as magazines and a selection of fiction and non fiction books, maps and textbooks. The centre also runs a drama group which put on German productions and dance groups. There are plenty of spaces in the office to chat and learn, as well as regular German movie nights showing some classic cinema as well as current offerings. With friendly staff and great learning resources, you'll soon know your sauerkraut from your frankfurters.

I've studied German at the Goethe-Insitute and although its one of the more expensive language…read moreschools its so worth the money! I've been to to other schools in England and they're not comparable to Goethe. The teachers are great and super structured. They have the ability to explain the most complicated grammar rules in a very easy and understandable way. I improved my German so well in the Goethe institute that I am now a freelance editor for a German company!

This library is the lesser-known of the two main University of Manchester libraries and is of most…read moreuse to the students based on the former UMIST campus (now North Campus). It is located on floor E of the former Vimto factory - the Sackville Street Building. The layout of the building is confusing, but there are plenty of friendly engineering students on hand, should you get lost. As an arts student based on South Campus I came to this library surprisingly frequently. I often found that books which I needed had all been taken out at the John Rylands University Library, but that there were numerous copies available at the Joule Library. Obviously this depends on which subjects you study, as the library mainly focuses on Maths, Science and Engineering books as well as subjects such as Linguistics, which they used to teach at UMIST. Alongside the books and study areas, there are 55 networked PCs, three photocopiers and a microfilm printer. They also offer several food-friendly areas, so that you can scoff down your brain food and guzzle energy drinks whilst cramming for exams. Although this library is not as large or traditional as the JRUL I find the atmosphere much calmer, there is usually no trouble finding a place to study and no danger of getting lost in a labyrinth of corridors.

So I headed down to the Joule library, to have a look at the bling, the gold, and the jewels, and…read moreit turns out they don't have any jewels at all. They aren't a Jewel Library at all. They have books. That's all. Not even books and jewels, which would make it a Dual Library. Its not Dual and it doesn't have Jewels. Basically it's a branch of The John Ryland's University library. Rather than keeping all the books in one place, they occasionally annoy you by making you go to a different location to get your book. Supposedly these books are subject-specific ones at subject-specific libraries, but in my experience its almost completely random. A nice place to work, but its irritating that the Joule Library has to exist in the first place. Plus, no jewels. I like jewels. They're shiny.

It's the big lunch at 'The Place ' Fallowfield Library, this was a really relaxed event…read morecelebrating the UK's Big Lunch, which brings people together to share food, and chat Everyone brings a contribution of food to share with others. There was curry, chili, Greek salad , sausages, cheeses pie, rice a selection of salads. Home made cakes. Smoothie making for the children , and cherries galore . This was a social event bringing people in the community together. A couple of years ago the Library was on the government closure list . Now with the hard work of Lill Lockham and a Hughe group of volunteers they have managed to keep it open. The venue brings the local Community together. With a 10 p book sale on Saturdays, after school Club twice a week. They run an art class which is open to everyone, lots of personal help and advice sessions. All in all a great place to spend a Saturday afternoon with the kids or just pop along for a coffee maybe but a book or two, if you have any books you know longer want then why not donate them.

Exchange Square in Manchester is one of the cities coolest, more modern areas, located at the back…read moreof the Manchester Arndale, here there is the entrance to the Printworks, and even The Corn Exchange, which has also been revitalised recently, with so many more eateries being added there such as Pho and a new restaurant from Gino, the chef from This Morning. Exchange Square was one of the areas hit by the 1996 bombing of Manchester from the IRA, and since then they seem to have done a great job bringing it back to life again. There is a new metrolink station from Exchange Square, providing travel across Greater Manchester, and it is a short walk to Victoria Station, Manchester's 2nd largest station. In Exchange Square, there also is a Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, which adds a higher-end feel to the area, but still it is a nice place to shop and look around, and defiantly worth paying a visit when in Manchester, as it is really central, just being outside one of the exits to the Arndale. There also is a lot of coffee shops here with Café Nero and Starbucks all having stores, Second Cup also opened their first ever store in the UK here since expanding into the nation and now have 3 stores, including stores in London and Birmingham. The Wheel of Manchester was also located here before it was taken down as the owners were not paying their rent. There isn't much else to say about Exchange Square but it is quite a nice, cool area of Manchester which has been greatly improved and they have worked hard since the IRA bombing of Manchester in 1996 strongly affecting it.

Exchange Square is a lovely part of Manchester, and clever too. Cleverly reconstructed after the…read moreinfamous IRA bombing of 1996, this area is a perfect sun trap in Manchester. Well fitted with rows of seating and a large screen autotuned to the BBC, this area is very rarely empty. It's sad that the wheel has left this area as many people knew where they were due to the landmark and now many people (including me!) can be found wondering why we've taken it down and replaced it with a pop up bar which has missed the nicest weather Manchester has seen in a while? Something to do with the new metrolink city crossing I'm sure. I often walk through this area on my way to guide at the Cathedral but have also been known to watch the ballet here when it was beamed and screened from London. Lovely area but the 3 stars reflects some of the eateries and general lack of atmosphere in the area. Great when the beeb is screening something engaging or when the sun is out but otherwise a bit neglected by the masses.

Great surroundings. Large space. Everything you need from a library…read more Easy access, and hours. Love the exterior.

Not to be confused with the John Rylands Library on Deansgate, this library is located on the South…read morecampus of the University of Manchester and is a great place for students to find literature for their courses without having to pay the hefty prices of buying new texts from Blackwell's. I missed my library tour in fresher's week therefore I was always completely disoriented when it came to exploring this library. I mainly stuck to blue 2 and 3 where the books on languages and linguistics are kept, occasionally branching out to green or orange and getting lost in the labyrinth of corridors before finding somewhere to sit. I tended to avoid the library in exam time as the chaotic atmosphere and queues for the computers (when you really need to look something up and half the students are on facebook...grr) are irritating and not conducive to revision. The short loan section is on the ground floor and is really useful to find texts which have all been taken out in the normal library. I learnt to photocopy and return the texts straight away as the fines are hefty and soon mount up at £1 a day. You can then reward yourself with a coffee in the little café next door to that section. My favourite memory of the library was as part of a tutorial for my course when we got to go to into a special little room tucked away in a corner. The room was complete with a lady with white gloves who showed us some of the earliest forms of European printing including Gutenberg's Bible, which I think had been brought over from the other John Rylands library. Wow! If there's anything specialist and delicate that you'd like to see then you can make an appointment at the front desk.