This is one of the most well-stocked public libraries I have used…read more It is crammed with all manner of lendable materials and they host useful community talks. The extensive bilingual section for children was extremely helpful to me when I was teaching in primary school. There is a great range of DVDs, language instruction materials and local area information. One star off for the staff. Not unwilling to help, but mostly unable. When I smile and say good afternoon, it is nice to have it reciprocated. That has never happened to me here.

Great library. It's improved immeasurably since it's refit, and it has a great stock of books. The…read moregraphic novel section in particular is very good with a great selection of alternative titles as well as the usual suspects. The staff are helpful and there's a nice atmosphere. There's a fair few PCs too, and members can use the internet for free.

What happened to signal in this library ? In order to caught signal you have to leave library…read moretrying to get it outside the library. Used to be very good signal, why nobody cares about it? they know about this problem , but do nothing , Very disappointing Others library don t have this problem at all!

Great library. It's improved immeasurably since it's refit, and it has a great stock of books. The…read moregraphic novel section in particular is very good with a great selection of alternative titles as well as the usual suspects. The staff are helpful and there's a nice atmosphere. There's a fair few PCs too, and members can use the internet for free.

Anyone around Ealing might know that a while ago there was a lot of fuss made about saving this…read morelibrary, and to be fair it is quite handy if you live nearby, however the choice of books/CDs/DVDs really isn't that wide. It has this book drop service, which allows you to renew books online, and return them into a slot in the side of the wall outside the library, which is really handy if you don't have much time/don't want to have the shame of explaining face-to-face to a librarian why your book is 2 months overdue, but if you're looking for a specific, less well-known book you would probably have to go to a bigger library.

Good bookshops are dangerous places, and Daunt Books is one of the most dangerous of all. You can…read morelose yourself for hours, browsing through the recommendations temptingly laid out on tables. And while you're queuing to pay, there are more temptations on your way to the till - for book junkies this is worse than the sweet counters in supermarkets! Daunt Books is a small chain of independent booksellers with an emphasis on travel and literature. I like the way they curate their shops and always succeed to find a gift here - but not without buying one or two books to keep myself.

A trip to Holland Park is in order when I feel like I want to treat myself to a view of upscale…read morehomes, eat fancy deli foods, and, a recent discovery, peruse the Daunt bookshop outpost tucked into the main drag there. Compared to the Marylebone locale--the only other Daunt that I've visited--this shop is smaller, quainter, and, on my trip, super quiet. Ahh. I found an interesting-looking book, 'Mendelssohn Is on the Roof', quickly bought it and went on my merry way. http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/05/books/trying-to-murder-a-statue.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

The Chiswick House & Gardens is a beautiful little garden in west London that many people don't…read moreknow about. I have been here during the fall when it is completely quiet, and during their magical lantern festival at night when it is packed with crowds. The grounds are well kept, and the lanterns are most amazing. The lanterns along the little lake are especially stunning thanks to the water reflection, but it's also extremely cold thanks to the water. There are three "rest stops": the cafe upon entrance, the marshmallow roasting station in the middle of the tour (but no warming huts which is desperately needed as it's humid and bone chilling in London), and a small fair ground at the end of the tour with hot food, hot drink, and a ferries wheels. The only problem is that it is so freezing cold, and their inadequate toilets especially for women created a huge problem: long queues, chilling cold temperature inside the loos, and generally uncomfortable dirty conditions. It is to be expected with any festivals but still the organizers could have done a better job at regular cleaning and providing directions.

We just headed here this weekend for the Magical Lantern Festival. Hence my rating and review is of…read morethe festival. However, we did see some gorgeous marble statues and the gardens (what we could see of them in the dark) and Historic House, looked like this place definitely merits another visit. The Magical Lanterns are stunning. After the London Lumiere festival, I was a bit skeptical of what would be on offer. But I was blown away by the displays. Budget 2 hours for the walk itself, especially if you are visiting on a night with crowds. We picked up hot coffees and churros at the entry. Feasted on hot chocolate and hot toddy from Beltane and Pop and roasted marshmallows on the firepit at the midway stop. And there was a good selection of meals at the exit point with a covered marquee to enjoy it in. We however decided that we wanted a proper sit down restaurant that was well warmed for dinner and hence walked across to Chiswick high street for a meal. Do note, that these are all pop ups and food trucks - I assume they are only here during the festival. They do have a permanent coffee shop on the premises that was open. But the number of wailing children on this occasion, kept us away.

One of the best things about living in England, at least for a bookworm like me, is the ability to…read morevisit a public library and borrow a book for free, to enjoy it, to return it when you're finished, and to start all over again. Since I moved to Hammersmith, I've used this library time and time again. And it's most definitely saved me a lot of money, which would otherwise have gone on new books I have no room to keep. The staff are always friendly and have helped me on the rare occasions I've been hunting for a specific book. The range of books is pretty good, although there are times when I wish the library was a bit bigger. The thing that makes this much less of a problem than I would have expected, is that Hammersmith Library is part of the network of Hammersmith and Fulham libraries - so if the book isn't here, it may well be somewhere else. It involves a bit of searching, and either an extra walk or an extra wait to get hold of a book that's not in your nearest branch immediately. But the system improves the choice so much that that's never really a problem.

Pretty useless library. Doesn't even have a desk area you can sit down at and plug your laptop in!…read moreI'd say go and try one of the other libraries close by as this one will disappoint! Also they have a way over the top process to get a library card, you need a bank statement as proof of address! Ha, I almost spat in her face when she said that.

I lived in London for six months and this was my happy little local library. As an American I was…read morevery excited that Mark Twain was at the grand opening in 1900 (http://www.brent-heritage.co.uk/Kensal_Rise_Library.htm). I would go here often to check out tour books of the UK and to borrow the endless selection of Bollywood flicks! The staff is friendly and I highly recommend a visit to this little gem right near the Kensal Green Tube station.

Wonderful - very child friendly library. I have been coming here with my children for the last 16…read moreyears. There is a warm and inviting children's library and a separate area for teenagers. It is also of historical interest - as mentioned in the other review it was opened by Mark Twain. But the library is now in danger of closure. Please support it and look out for ways of helping campaign to keep it open.