Previous reviewer may not have realised that Somerset Performing Arts Library (PAL) is only the top floor of the building. The study carrels, internet access etc are part of Yeovil main public library, ground and first floors.
The PAL is on the top floor, and is the only one in the south west apart from odd shelves in other libraries. This one has an entire floor, with dedicated staff, and huge stocks behind the desk which you don't see till they roll out the shelving. There's also a Sibelius computer with lots of fancy software for composing and printing music, and again helpful staff to guide you. I'm an acoustic musician & haven't used Sibelius but I go in to do some of my own work most weeks and love it. Fine modern architecture, big arched windows so the work-space. about 5m square, is light and airy.
They stock playscripts, music scores, CDs and books about performing arts. You can borrow sets of music scores & playscripts (up to 30 copies) for your group if you register -- costs £30 a year, unlimited borrowing, I think -- or one copy at £1 a time. CDs and ordinary books can be borrowed with the usual free Somerset library card. Content ranges from all the classics, Shakespeare and Beethoven and whatnot, to modern jazz, early music, 20th-cent theatre. Some contemp e.g. rap, garage, but you can't expect a public library to spend lots of taxpayers' money on CDs that may not be current in a year. Hundreds of books on performing arts covering time from prehistoric to modern, and space from every known country to cyberspace, religion and psychology.
Best aspect of PAL for me is the energy the hard-working staff put in to real arts. They run (or host) reading groups for all ages, knit-and-stitch and art groups, basic guitar / composing / singing, and a variety of one-off seasonal sessions such as Shakespeare and Jane Austen (each with historical dancing), Diwali festival, mumming plays etc -- all on practically no budget, normal for libraries these days. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that they've had to cut down opening hours to 0.75 week, so check before you visit. If you need a score, playscript, or book on mediaeval music, they'll have it! read more