What I can say personally of my experiences is that each time I go I have found that the Staff really goes that extra mile to help me get the information or location in the library to complete my project! I want to give a shout out to two really helpful Staff that made my time there seamless. The first one was SYDNEY, actually left the desk and guided me to the right location and used the equipment to get my project done since I was unfamiliar how to maneuver it! She directed me to another floor where another Staff member DUSTIN, guided and helped me complete project! I hope the Supervisors know how wonderful these two Staffers are! Thanks for all your help! read more

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There are so many things to love about the Thomas Crane Public Library, that this review will become a "listicle" style of review. So... without further adieu: - Library of Things: It's already amazing enough that libraries have books, movies, music, magazines, and other media. Thomas Crane also has an ample select of items that can be checked out: wellness and sport, hobby, tech, tools, home, and many more. - Green Space: There is a large outdoor area with a handful of benches and trees. Not enough to call it a mini-park, but enough to be noted, and great for reading or relaxing outside on a nice day. I think they have Wifi available outdoors, too. - Staff: everyone I've interacted with has been patient, friendly, and kind. - The Richardson Building: This is a wing of the library from 1882. The wood throughout, lighting fixtures, stained glass windows, all are from, or inspired, a different time. It is like a special, permanent exhibit in a museum, and something I loved to have in my local library when I lived in Quincy. - Common Space: I hold that libraries are one of the few public spaces where one can exist without spending money. While this isn't shopping mall, its not a bad place for someone to spend a few hours. - Cafe: I never bought food or coffee, but it's gratifying to have a cafe available in a space like this. - Bookstore: While as with the cafe I haven't bought any books, it's cool to have a dedicated space for buying books the library may want to sell for whatever reason. - Parking: need I say more? A lot with more than enough space for library patrons. I don't recall their ever not being a spot when I needed one. - Collections: While not as large as Boston Public Library, Thomas Crane has an impressive collection of materials and media. Everything is well organized too. There's even board and card games available to borrow. The one and only complaint I have is that some of the furniture, namely the carrells are a little worn. read more

This is Quincy's largest library ! It's got a couple floors and different areas where you can find a book and sit to read or get some work done. Great place to come with family; there's something for everyone! Staff is kind and helpful. Parking: Parking lot for guests!! read more

Love this library. Friendly, helpful staff. Easy to park. They lend different things, like good quality pots and pans, Nordic Bakeware and sewing machines! I recently borrowed a kitchen aid stand mixer and am putting it to good use this holiday season! read more

About 90 minutes here until the battery on my laptop ran out (I'd forgotten the power cord. Oops.) on their wifi. The library is very quiet, even in the areas by the windows that have study carrels. Each of the carrels has built-in power outlets. The collection looks quite large and the shelves are nearly stacked. Plenty of space and not crowded at all. One complaint - a steady stream of sugar ants at the desk where I was working. The library does seem to allow beverages at the study carrels, so that's perhaps related. read more

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I always like going to libraries. I still read books old school although I have an electronic reader. There is something about holding a book in your hands and flipping the pages through whatever is unfolding in the story. Makes me feel a part of it somehow. Now being a mother I always judge a library by their Children's section and Thomas Crane does not disappoint. Come to think of it I haven't been to any library in the last 5 years that didn't have an AMAZING Children's/teen section but I digress. The staff here are very very accommodating. They can see you struggling to figure out the printers or copiers and they don't even wait for you to put your pride aside and ask for help, they are already beside you telling you what you need to know. I always get what I need from this library and I haven't had to order a book in over a year as they have the ones I am looking for. Another great experience. read more

Thomas Crane Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

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I have been coming to this library more often the longer I am in Quincy. I like working on the 2nd and 3rd floor in one of the cubicles, and sitting next to the windows (you can pull down the blinds if the sunlight is too bright). However if you have a bulky laptop charger, you might need to relocate as you won't be able to charge your laptop at one of these cubicles. On scanning & printing: If you are in need to scan items there is unlimited FREE scanning on the 3rd floor. It is fairly easy, but it is a little manual process so be aware that if you have multiple pages to scan into 1 PDF, you will need to scan each page individually. Place page 1 face down, scan, remove, place page 2 face down, scan, and remove until finished. If you need to print, there is a $0.15 per page charge and I needed some help setting this up as you will need a passcode in order to print your pages. Also, it takes a few minutes once you have received the passcode for the printer to recognize the number so I had to enter this number 3-4 times before the printer recognized my print job. The printer takes coins (no pennier), and bills ($1 included). There is free 2 hour parking at the library's parking lot, and then there is also plenty of parking along Hancock street. If you want to take a break, you can walk along boba tea shops in Quincy center. read more

Update: Cleaning really needs an overhaul here. There are ants at the study carrels upstairs that crawled on my arm a minute after sitting down. Gross! Library could be nice, but staff is letting it go to utter crap. Please spray down the desks- honestly, it needs to be daily. Not that hard or hire staff that knows how and wants to do their job. read more

I love this library and I'm very lucky that it's in walking distance from my house. My husband & I stop by multiple times a week. We even have a family membership to the Friends of the Thomas Crane Library group. It's a beautiful building, so I highly recommend just walking around on your 1st visit to explore. The room they house their magazines in is worth a visit. It feels like you've gone back in time, but in a good way. The staff is friendly and helpful. They'll gladly explain how you can borrow e-magazines for your tablet, for example. The hold system available with your library card is great too. You can reserve books online from other libraries and they'll be sent to Thomas Crane Library for you to pick up. You get an e-mail when the books arrive, so you don't forget to visit. And using the museum passes available with your library card is great for a fun day out while saving cash on admission fees! There is also a bookstore attached to the library that's open on Saturday and Thursday. It's definitely worth a visit. The prices are cheap so you can find hidden gems easily. I've bought cook books for $1 and my husband has teared up over finding a book he loved as a child for 50 cents. read more

Wonder place to go and read. Plenty of space and reading collection. And a great place for the kids.

The Good: The main branch of the Thomas Crane public library is GORGEOUS both inside and out. It is less than a 5 minute walk from the Quincy Center stop and close to coffee shops and cafe's. There are literacy programs, concerts and super helpful tech people that help you connect to the free wifi! I was there one afternoon and happened to walk in on a Christmas quartet playing music for an hour. There are sections designated for silence, quiet, and conversation as well. The Bad: 1) There is limited parking. The Ross Lot is right across from the library and free on nights and weekends, but there is only two-hour parking, so you'll have to take the T if you want to get work done during the day. 2) I found the furniture to be uncomfortable. A lot of it is wood, and there are very few cushioned seats available. Reminds me a bit of my high school library. 3) There are a TON of rules. No putting your feet on seats, no outside food or beverages other than water, no talking above a whisper in certain sections. These rules are fairly strictly enforced, so I would recommend going to a nearby Starbucks if you wanted a bit more freedom. While there aren't too many study spaces in Quincy, this one is near the top! 4/5 stars. read more

You can borrow anything including DVDs, CDs, books, and other things with any library card. I use my Weymouth library card. There's many free movies in the theater, free music performances occasionally, and lots of free stuff for the kids. There's also computers and Internet plus free wifi. Unfortunately, the café doesn't accept credit cards, or any electronic payment, and they never open or close on time. Sometimes they open hours late. It can be incredibly hot or cold on any given day inside. Some sections of the library are incredibly dusty. Since there aren't many places for homeless persons, or drug addicts, in Quincy the one place they can find refuge is the library. This is a good and kindly aspect of the library. However, it often causes a lot of odors and uncomfortably pungent lingering smells inside the building. It's very common to smell body odor, men passing gas, or belching, strange food smells, pungent tobacco smells, and security guards will escort people out for falling asleep in the library on the furniture. I don't know why the town of Quincy does nothing else to help these lost people. But, they are always here especially when the weather is bad or cold. People are not supposed to bring dogs into the library but there is an uptick in people bringing dogs into the building. Service dogs ARE allowed. In the summer, people can be found everywhere outside. It's nice for taking photos. There's tons on Pokémon everywhere! A great place to play Pokémon GO. read more

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Great library: beautiful historical buildings, good collections, reading seats, cafe and little courtyard. The staff are friendly. It is really a good place to visit for the local community. And the bookstore is full of books at very low price. read more

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It's a nice public library if you have kids. They usually have craft time every Friday 11a-12p. It's also pretty spacious so there is a lot of room for kids to walk around and explore. We usually also take advantage of discounted tickets to museum of science, aquarium, zoo, and other spots in Boston. Tickets are reserved online so the availability depends but you can usually find something weeks out. read more

This is the better funded library in Quincy. There are seperate floors for computers, children, working spaces. The library has collaborated with other organisations to have pop up galleries and workshops. read more

I've loved this library since girlhood. They have a great website and, if your local branch doesn't have the book you are looking for, they will get it from another library in one of the Old Colony participating libraries. Also, the main branch of Thomas Crane provides other fantastic services, usually free. A few weeks ago I went to a demonstration on pies - how to make a crust and a great fruit pie. They had a wild food foraging trip, guest author presentations, art exhibits and more. If you are a Quincy resident, they also offer museum passes free or for a discount. This library is truly one of the best resources on the South Shore so use it to your advantage! read more

This place should get 3.5 stars. The staff at the circulation desk are friendly and helpful but I had to detract a couple of points because the quiet study area ain't quiet! I went upstairs to study for my big exam in July and while the people parked in this area were respectfully engaging in their books or art, the noise from the atrium below floated up the entire time and the patrons who went up to talk to circulation staff on the second floor were very loud and distracting! Like straight up shouting at one point, and disturbing the peace. The circulation desk is right next to the quiet zone. AND someone came behind me to loudly sharpen their pencil (it was a mechanical sharpener so the noise level was sustained for quite some time). I think I'll either need to find an actual closed door room dedicated to quiet study (which, let's face it, would be a smarter design rather than having "quiet zone" be in an open space!) or I'll have to study elsewhere. The space itself is clean and the restrooms are well kept, which scores huge points - in comparison, Barnes & Noble locations tend to have the worst, smelliest restrooms. Another bonus: wifi is free woohoo! The outside of this library is absolutely beautiful - historical looking building with manicured lawns. I also saw that there's a cafe, too, which is a nice deal. Going to need to explore further for a better study spot. read more

I used to live in Providence and they have some great libraries but Thomas Crane puts them to shame. I love this place. It is in a convenient location it's huge quiet and well used. The network of libraries for borrowing is Insane. You can hold books from libraries all over the state. LOVE IT! some of the staff are a little cranky sometimes but nothing that would knock a star off. read more

This library is one of my favorite places on Earth. I love being able to put things on hold from other libraries. Going there just lifts my spirits every time. They also present movies, have lecturers, give language classes, outdoor summer concerts and have a sweet little bookstore in the back. If/when I leave Quincy this will be the place i miss the most. I just wish they'd figure out a better system for the cds. It's just too crammed and it's tough to browse the lower sections which are basically at floor level. read more

Great library. Just being there makes me feel intelligent(in reality it doesnt take that much ). The reference room is amazing. They got this really tiny staircase, makes me feel like Im a princess walking in my little castle. The staff is friendly and willing to help, although there are not a lot of librarians there. Budged cuts, what are you going to do? Organization is good, but can be confusing. But you got to understand that the building doesn't really allow to have separate sections. Loooooove, the building. Very nice, beautiful architecture, not somethign I was expecting, considering its in Quincy. They also have a little cafe place, and there is a good sized childrens section and when I was there, they had a little reading and the kids were having a great time. Highly recommend. read more

I don't know who would read a review of a library to decide if they should go there. I mean, you only go to YOUR library, right? Regardless, TCPL is fantastic. The building is lovely, and has been nationally recognized for its beautiful architecture. The recently done-over half has been praised for retaining the style and feel of the original library building. The old building now houses the periodical section and is worth a peek just to take in. The newer section is clean, airy and accessible. The librarians always have great modern selections out as suggestions as well as selections from 'yesteryear.' The staff are, I admit, occasionally grumpy, but I've always been able to disarm them with a smile. There are quiet study rooms and lots of nooks and crannies to hang out in. The reserve section is self-serve, which is nice. There's a large multimedia section (CDs, DVDs). The Children's Room is bright and fun. There's something going on in the meeting space almost every night: movies, book clubs, job fairs, etc. I wish they had more lecturers, but what they do have is fantastic. I love going to vote at the TCPL. Being in such a beautiful and useful public building makes me feel very civicly inclined. :) I have never been in the cafe on the ground floor but it always smells good. As for outside, the green space, entrances, walkways, parking lot and benches that surround TCPL are gorgeous. I'm really focused on looks here, I guess, but you can access any book in the state from this place so I guess my focus is on my surroundings. My one complaint is that the ground floor (Children's Room & cafe) is open to the main circulation desk and it can get very loud in the New Books, Large Print or Reserve sections, which are closest to the front desk. This happens when there's a kid's event or in the summer, but during the days it is mostly quiet. I love the Thomas Crane. read more

This is a decent library they are nice and they have a good selection of books, movies, video games etc... Computers old building with lots of character. They show free movies and it is located in the heart of Quincy Center close to the T station Quincy Center small parking lot area pretty good library. read more

Being a total book nerd, I have always loved going to the library and am still not sure why it took living in Quincy for a year to go get my card. The building and grounds are really beautiful - straight out of a college brochure. The inside has lots of study carols and nooks to hide and read in and the staff is friendly and helpful. The only negatives are that some of the patrons are insanely rude and unnecessarily noisy. I didn't think quiet in the library is a new concept... There can also be an element hanging around the outside of the library that can make one uneasy. These things aside - this is a great place to get lost for an hour or two. read more

It's my home town library, they went through some construction few years back and add on an extention to the original library. So now it is much spacious. BTW, the library building is ranked 43rd out of 150 works of architecture recently selected as AIA - America's Favorite Architecture. http://thomascranelibrary.org/aboutus/architecture/richardson.shtml Great resources for many things like movie DVD, magazine, chinese novels, museums passes!!!! Too many too list. I love the fact that you can search the library computer catalog for movie DVDs...put it on hold/wait list if it's not available. They will cross reference your request to other OCLN libraries and email you when it's available for pickup at the library you chose. They also have semi-annual booksale that supports the library (April and October). Soft cover books are $0.50 and hard cover books are $1.00. It's a great way to support the library and get some cheap books. The library also support local artist that would like to exhibit their work. You can submit an application for the library exhibit committee for review. Based on schedule, you can exhibit your work for a month at the library (free of charge). I just had my photo exhibit here last month, the staff was very helpful to coordinate my exhibit. read more

It's very hard for any library to compete with the BPL in terms of size, patronage, and catalog but this one comes pretty darn close. The Thomas Crane has a new and old building (you can tell by looking at it which is which) and both are beautiful. I like the old building better myself and it has awesome study rooms where you can plug in a laptop and write a paper. The new section is nice too, houses most of the collection, the electronic catalog, and the children's area. This library is a stone's throw from my apartment and I walk by it everyday. I love that it's a little part of my everyday routine. Wifi is spotty, which is the only downside to coming here. I really wish the signal was better and the connection was more consistent. The TC library is my local voting location and is always super organized. read more

This library is fantastic! It is spacious, comfortable, and very resourceful. I do quite a bit of research here for almost every one of the pieces I create. You can usually find me in the art, travel, or biography sections, as well as over by the CDs. If they don't have what I'm looking for, I search for it on the computer catalog, and usually another Massachusetts library has it. So then, I put it on hold, and in about a week, I can go pick it up in Quincy. In fact, I just did that for a Czech language 6-CD set! So, before you rush out to buy a book, CD, or DVD, remember to check your public library first. read more

Thomas Crane Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

A historical stone building designed by Richardson. Excellent selection of books, newspapers, magazines, and DVD's. Decent sized parking lot plus street parking. Located in downtown Quincy. Has a small cafe with tables where you can just hang out and use their wifi. The second floor has about 30 or 40 computers, at least, that anybody can use with printers that take change. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Very professional. You may order books from their interlibrary program. Quincy residents can get steep discount tickets for museums like the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Aquarium, etc. read more

I live in Quincy Point and I use to go to the Thomas Crane Public Library to read when I was a kid, and sometimes I would do my homework there, I really miss it and I am so glad it is still there and doing so good. read more

After moving to Quincy from Dorchester, it took me a few months to switch from my local Boston library to one out here. I thought, "There's no way I'll be able to get the books I love at such an isolated library." Of course, I was wrong. The staff are awesome, even giving me reading suggestions when I check out. The Do-it-Yourself holds and check out system is great. The local high school kids can get annoying, but I'm usually just in-and-out, so it's not a huge deal. I am so in love with this library! read more

This is probably one of the coolest libraries I've been to. The outside has beautiful architecture, not something you'd expect to find in a smaller city or suburban town, especially not Quincy. But inside. When you walk in, there's a little cafe. Who has a cafe in the library? That's pretty cool, because say you're reading and maybe you're reading a cookbook, you're bound to get hungry. But if it's raining or something, you don't even have to leave the building. You can eat in the cafe! There's also some museum type thing inside. My two gripes with this place is 1 - there isn't a reference librarian around EVER. If I'm looking for a book, I either have to go to the computer terminal or ask one of those librarians behind check in, which can possibly mean waiting in a long line to find out. This wouldn't be such a problem if 2 - the books were organized in a more rational manner. Yeah, so they do follow the dewey decimal system and alphabetical system for fiction. However, I feel like they just randomly place it. Like the other day, I was looking for travel books. That's 914-917. So I walk along the aisles. 300, 400... 700. Wait, where's 800 and 900? I need my damn travel books! Yeah, no sign by 700-something that the remainder is upstairs. Thanks. I looked all over the main floor for 10 minutes for nothing. A little organization please. Other than that, a fairly good selection. read more

So... as long as the older libraries aren't working who type with tthe whole hunt and peck method its pretty great. There are always new books that are hot off the presses and what everyone is looking for. You can put them on hold which is nice and you get between 2 and 4 weeks with them. It is a gorgeous place that has lots of little reading nooks and places where you can bask in the sun, but there are quite a few homeless people milling around so be careful. My favorite thing is to look for the older books that have that old smell and crinkly sound as you turn the pages. read more

I have given up on trying to study in this place. It is so stupidly set up. The "silent section" is the loudest part of the library. The past two Sundays I went to study, there were legitimate concerts going on in the "silent" section. Considering that the rest of the library is not designated as "silent," wouldn't it make more sense to host these concerts literally anywhere else? And the concerts are not half as distracting as the chatter of the people who come to watch them. Secondly, also in the "silent section," there are conference rooms that have signs on them that indicate that the walls are not soundproof so to be quiet in the conference room. Well they're not kidding, the walls around the conference rooms are paper-thin and even when people conference quietly, it is extremely audible in the otherwise quiet space. That being said, people are very often loud and obnoxious in those rooms (probably because they assume the walls are there for a purpose) and the library attendant never monitors them. The irony of the silent section being louder than any other section is laughable, but also infuriating when you are trying to practice a timed test. The "silent section" of this library is the last place you should go if you need to focus. read more

I recently moved to Quincy and I'm excited to use this library. It's a beautiful, historic building with modern updates. They seem to have a full calendar of events. I'm sad to hear that they will no longer be open on Sundays due to budget cuts. I'm also thankful they are open pretty late on weekdays (9pm). Good location - plenty of street parking. So far, so good! read more

I just moved to the area and decided to check out this library. It's nice! I like the cafe when you first walk in. There's a good sized children's room on the 1st floor as well. Large selection of materials. My only complaint is that the non-fiction is spread over a number of floors and it's annoying! read more

The building is beautiful. Parking is easy and free. The children's room and the cafe are nice and they have interesting events. They are open generously long hours. BUT it's not easy to study or concentrate quietly. There is very little quiet. People talk on their cell phones. People have conversations like they just met on the street. The librarians shout across the room (not kidding). You can hear music from people's MP3 players even though they are listening on headphones. read more

Thomas Crane Public Library - Thomas Crane Public Library 2001 addition - Libraries Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

My favorite library, of all times. It's a fantastic place to study, seeing as how it's always quiet in the work areas, or at least whenever I've been there. The librarians there are great, always super friendly and helpful. The building itself is beautiful, and I've never really had any difficulty finding anything for my research. Everything you can look for in a decent library! read more

Located in historic Quincy, this is the most beautiful library in the area (second to the BPL, of course) and it also has a lot of events, especially in the summer. There are plenty of spaces for quiet study and a lot of computers for public use. Sometimes the staff is a little unpleasant, but so are some of the guests. Since it is located in Quincy Center there is always a diverse group inside and outside on the benches. There are plenty of areas to explore though, so it is easy to find a quiet nook if that is what you're looking for. I worked as a tutor at the library for a while, and they have extensive resources for Adult Literacy, ESL, and GED tutoring. The Quincy Literacy Program is based here. TCPL is a part of the Old Colony Library Network, so you can place books on hold online or get them delivered from other libraries in the network. I recommend visiting the library in person every once in a while though - the architecture adds to the experience. read more

Growing up next door in Weymouth, I am used to their terrible library system (closed on weekends in the summer! How does that make any sense?!?!). They don't even have certain James Joyce books. No lie. So moving to Quincy and discovering this beautiful library literally minutes up the street has made Quincy overall a LOT more appealing! I love this place! Beautiful, spacious library with an excellent selection of books. I am mainly a fiction reader, but the last time I was there I wandered the extensive nonfiction stacks, which went on for a while. They also seem to have a HUGE selection of audio books. Plus it is part of the Old Colony Library System - which means that if Thomas Crane doesn't have what you are looking for they can get it for you from any of the other libraries in the system, which comprises most of the South Shore and Cape. There are reference and geneology sections. There are indie movie showings. There are numerous classes and tours. I don't have kids myself but the children's sections looks immense. There is a cafe and wi-fi throughout the library. This is an excellent and apparently well-funded and supported library system, which to me is such a difference from what I grew up with. Not to mention the architecture and feeling of the building in general adds a lot to Quincy Center. The only reason this is 4 stars and not 5 is because of the organization, which several other reviewers have mentioned. It takes a bit to get your bearings, especially if you are looking for some of the more obcure sections. I don't think this is entirely the librarians' faults - the layout of the rooms is a little funny, so the stacks don't necessarily flow the way you would expect them to. read more

Beautiful Library and the microfilm section is wonderful and good place to learn about the history of the town of Qunicy through the archives of the Patriot Ledger and the staff is very friendly read more

It seems everyone is crazy about this place; let me be a dissenting vote. Observe how the place was designed by sadists: The new part built in 2000 has a steep stairway to get to the main lobby. No landings, no nothing. Once there, observe the poor librarians who have to reach way over the stupidly-designed counters. Good luck trying to find a place to put something in those wretched bathrooms. For a laugh or two, feel how much heat is being lost through the windows. Then walk over to the section built in the "free to all" 30's. Forget about going to the gym when you can get all the excersize you want by trying to open the 34,000 pound doors. Then take a jaunt to the original Crane Library from the 19th century. If you wander in the book aisles, better not lose your balance once you bang your head on the things in the way. The railings are only about 2 feet high. But don't get me started. read more