Great little library inside the Balmain Town Hall. It has a few free study desks with power points,…read moreand plenty of computers to use the internet if you are a member. The library is open plan with library staff being very accessible. So accessible that you can hear every word of their phone conversations and it's not the quietest place to study. But it is air conditioned, and the kids books are in a separate section to promote peace and quiet. Parking is on street, while there is metered parking directly outside the library try some side streets like Short Street and Phillip Street on the other side of Darling Street as there is 4P unticketed street parking.

Love the new refurbishments. Such a welcoming and friendly library. Love it how there are modern,…read morecosy chairs to read the newspapers and magazines. The general reference library isn't too bad; however for all of the books I have wanted to borrow; I have had to place them on reserve; and for $2 a pop this is great value; however if you always keep having to reserve books this can really add up quite quickly. Another minor pet hate is that for the books that I do not need to put on reserve; I always (usually without fail) have to approach the librarian to arrange for these books to come from Leichhardt library for me to pick up here at Balmain library for another time. Not to worry; it is two trips; however from the family home it is an extra walk and that is definitely a good thing; especially the walk from Rozelle to Balmain is so peaceful. Love the study area. It is easy to bring a laptop and get some serious work done. Love it. Also the bean bags are fun to lie down and read a book (or two) in. I really love this place.

New! This library building was designed by Kengo Kuma & Assoc. of Japan and occupies floors 2 & 3…read more The main floor has access to public computers, an inviting lounge, meeting rooms to rent, a Maker Space with 3D printing and all kinds of cool electronic bits for checkout. This is a community library and ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. On floor 1 there are a host of restaurants and bars! Out front there is seating and even a little grass area with tables & umbrellas. This is worth visiting just to see the building! As a tourist you could also relax, read & catch up on email~

Nice little quite space under town hall, with a perfectly nice cafe next to it. No books here (can…read moreorder and collect through the computers though) Great for getting a bit of work done in the middle of the city . Only problem is, the internet is atrocious, can't even perform a speed test as it disconnects. So you would need to use your own hotspot or something.

Whilst there are many things about Glebe Library than don't quite compare to the new and swanky…read moreSurry Hills Library, Glebe's older book house has a lot of redeeming factors that mean it still ranks pretty highly. The Glebe Library grounds are beautiful. Grassy and surrounded by big leafy trees, it's the perfect place to lie with a newly borrowed book. Inside the building however, things aren't quite as cheery, as the computer area is a tad depressing, and the carpet throughout the building gives it a musty feel. Sadly there is no free wifi unless you're a member of the library. This membership however also includes membership to all ten of the City of Sydney libraries, including Customs House, Surry Hills, Newtown and Town Hall. Internet/computer usage for non members is $3 per half hour. The library also offers information services relating to local history and are happy to help with most general enquiries (literary, historically or locally related). Glebe library has also jumped on the Green Team, offering the loan of Bike Repair Kits (also selling patches) for their cycling customers and you can borrow 'Power-Mates' which measure the amount of electricity each of your appliances uses on the basis of spreading awareness of electricity output. My favourite feature of the Glebe Library is, by far, their kids area. A fun layout including a Thomas the Tank Engine filled with books, this section makes me want to grab a pillow and snuggle up with a picture book before borrowing from their awesome toy library. The library also offers school holidays and HSC workshops, and my dream job, Rock'n Rhymetime and Storytime for ages 0 - 5. I'm looking forward to borrowing a toddler and falling asleep to the animated voices of the librarian.

Glebe's library is the exact opposite of the new Surry Hills library, both inside and out. The…read moreGlebe Library looks like an old Victorian mansion. The grounds are maintained well and the gardens are a therapeutic and relaxing. This library loans not only books, music, and movies, but also acts as a center of enquiry for neighbourhood. This includes things like parking permits, questions about waste and recycling, and graffiti removal. It's easy to become a member to the library. I did in on their website by filling out my contact information. As a member, you can borrow up to 20 items for up to three weeks. A membership also gets you access to free Wi-Fi in the library. This makes it a perfect place to study in a quiet environment. Its selection of books is okay and has available many classic novels. There are also many magazine titles and audio CDs to choose from. I've borrowed some audiobooks to download to my computer if I'm about to go on a trip.

Glebe Library is housed in a gorgeous house and it has a lovely welcoming vibe reflecting a warm,…read morecreative, inner city community of Sydney's Glebe. The grounds have big beautiful trees and lawns providing a peaceful sanctuary-like experience. Entering into the building you'll be greeted by the friendliest library staff that don't fit into the the stereotypical librarians I'm used to dealing with my local library - North Sydney's Stanton Library. You may have met some of these icy cold librarians with their 'please don't disturb' body language and they have a knack of making you feel like a pest for turning up at their counter and asking a question or wanting to borrow a book. What is it about most librarians in public libraries? I think the only reason these people work in libraries is that they love reading and let's face it - those who love reading certainly detest being interrupted and having to deal with bothersome customers wanting to be served. And this is the thing - they are there to 'serve' us - they are public servants. I'll stop now cos this is starting to sound like a rant - but really there are a lot of librarians who need to be more 'customer service' focused and less on their 'whatever librarians do when they're serving at the counter'. So anyway, back to the lovely friendly librarians at Glebe Library who truly get it - understand the essence of good customer service and make the customer feel good about being there. The both times I've visited the Glebe library was when I was invited to perform in the childrens program. (AKA Ukulele Baby Music www.ukulelebabymusic.com) an interactive childrens ukulele and singalong show The lovely Glebe staff give a warm cheery welcome - not just to me but to the little kids and their parents - and they seem to really relish being interrupted. What a pleasant surprise. And the programs at this library and others in the City of Sydney's library are awesome with book readings and music, face painting and circus and other cool stuff. Glebe Library is awesome and has real vision and passion for community building.