My fascination with words and language comes from My Pop. When he came home from work, after dinner…read moreI would sit on his knee and read or try to read the paper with him. I thought that was fun, but my favourite day of the week was Saturday, because that's went we went to the library. I always left with at least three books which I devoured and that is how I came to love libraries. In the past few years I've been dismayed by systematic closure of libraries across the country, targeted by short-termist local councils looking for easy budget cuts. Luckily for me my local library is still open for business and it's not half bad. It's friendly, vibrant and a nice place to visit. The library is housed within the Croydon Clock Tower Arts Centre which is a truly beautiful building. The librarians are helpful, if a little stern, but maybe that's just me reacting to having to be quiet for once! The children's section in the library is bright, cosy, well stocked with old faithfuls and a few newbies as well. If you're a student it's not so great, as I found out when I was at night school, getting my degree awhile back. A lot of the standard text books I needed were out of date (an unfortunate testament to those darn council cuts!) and the computers (which you have to book) aren't strictly top of the line. Photocopying costs 5p a sheet, buy yourself a photocopier card if you are photocopying chapters and also to save you messing around asking for change! Overview the library may not be the coolest place in the world to hang out, but it remains an essential part of our local community and I hope it remains for many years to come.

Croydon Library really sets the standard for public libraries. Located across three floors in…read moreCroydon Clocktower, with a separate children's library on the ground floor, it really has something for everyone. In addition to the books, CDs and DVDs (which include films, instruction videos and recordings of opera and dance), the library also houses a local studies section with extensive records of Croydon's history, as well as the tourist information office. Internet access is free and there are lots of computers for public use; if you have your own laptop, you can also take it along and borrow a circuit-breaker to plug it in. Desk space can be at a premium, however - particularly at weekends and during school holidays. Overall, though, it's an excellent resource and something I'm quite proud to have in Croydon.

Updated library in new complex with Sainsburys so while away some time shopping and then pop in for…read moresome tranquil time and reading. internet usage available-great! staff friendly. easy to park in sainsburys-busy at peak times. always able to help there-good prompt service.

Used to go to this library a lot of times with my mother when I was in primary school-plenty of…read morebooks to choose of many genres and a quiet area make reading books and taking them (having to return them after 2 weeks, I think) very convenient.

As well as this place being a gym it also has a library which is hidden upstairs from the main…read morereception. And downstairs there is a mini cafe and a large seating area. Every Tuesday morning there is a local market held in the centre which sells food, clothing, household goods and many more items at affordable prices. The car park has plenty of car park spaces and even if that does become full you have plenty of off street parking, and even if you don't travel by car there is a bus stop directly outside the centre. I've only visited this gym in the mornings but considering I'm there early in the morning the staff are friendly, welcoming and even can crack a joke! The gym prides itself on the security and cleanliness as there are security cameras everywhere and a cleaner who is always whizzing around with her trolley cleaning. I swear in one corridor I must of seen 6 cameras on the ceiling! The changing room is clean, has several long mirrors and small and large lockers with access to the showers which has three assisted showers as well as 8 cubical showers, and this is just the women's changing room. I can imagine the men's changing room is like for like. There is a large hall with is divided when classes are booked, mainly used for badminton , tennis, even trampolining. There's a exercise room where they normally hold aerobic, body pump, yoga, Pilates, Zumba classes. There are a lot more classes but you will need to check out the timetable on the website. Then there is the gym. It is smaller than you expect when you see the size of the building but you have a view of the car park and their exercise machinery is slowly modernising to the standard of their other centres. I've never had an issue fighting to get into machinery as the gym is never busy and the regulars that go there is a wide range of ages and all at different levels of fitness! So don't worry it's not your typically tanned and toned gym goers and it's also not a fashion parade, you can feel comfortable here working off a sweat and stretching in your Lycra! The free weights section is small but there are a good number of different exercise machines and a small area for stretching.

Wimbledon Library is conveniently located on the high street but more towards Wimbledon Hill away…read morefrom hussle and bussle. It was opened in 1887 and the building has a very nice feel about it. It has recently undergone a bit of a refurbishment as previously it did look a little cramped in the main area. The usual areas are all there with Non-fiction, fiction, reference. I have used it quite a bit for studying in. The study section is located at the back of the library and there are a fair number of desks. The newspapers are also in that area so it can get quite busy. The library is all on one floor and off to one side is the Internet section. If your a registered user you can get an hour a day on the internet. It obviously is fairly busy during peak time but the 1 hour limit helps. I am not a parent but the library does have a good childrens section and often there are workshops happening for mothers and babies/kids. Another good thing is the library is on the Merton library website so you can search for books online and I believe they are adding online renewals.

Free internet Quiet(ish) working area…read moreFree computers No public toilets!!! so don't stay too long

Once again, drilling down into the memoirs of youthful shenanigans, it was at this library that I…read moremanaged to single handedly piss off several members of staff by screeching loudly and chortling over a dusty copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover. I guess anything sexual was just inherently funnier when you were a teen, the cynicism of adulthood prevails!

A nice local library, with a good range of books and nice features such as "100 albums you must…read morelisten too". The geek in me also like the automation, you can check the books out yourself and a you return the books to a robot which then send the books to the appropriate trolley, you can also ask them to p t your email address on the system so when your book is overdue it will email you, it must be said it would make more sense though if it told you before it was overdue. they also have activity for the kids like baby "bounce and rhyme" and they also have a drop-box so you can return your books out of hours

New, shiny, clean, quiet, friendly…read more You can also rent DVDs for a small fee.

Lovely staff with easy to use self service machines. Airy, well lit and nicely laid out. The study…read moreand computer areas are generally quiet, however the most common rule breakers are the librarians themselves! I've never used them but know there are children's reading groups and a wide selection of foreign language and local literature. What I would like to see is a silent reading area with comfy chairs to relax in

Penge is an exceptionally small library providing a collection of popular fiction and non-fiction…read morefor adults, teenagers and children including material from basic and popular up to GCSE level. The collection in here is quite basic and fiction wise you are more likely to find current Richard&Judy's summer reads side to sidee by the mills & boons type novels. There are Key Skills books and Travel guides on popular destinations. The library will of course order in any books you request from the central library. There is also a children's reading corner and there are children themed activities on offer during the week. There is also internet access available (4 computers) and you do not need to be a member to use this.