This is a small library in a small town with not a lot of parking, but the interior is nice with…read morebeautiful furnishings and rugs. The conference room is open to the public and was in use by patrons. Staff are friendly and efficient. The area is very rural and not near a highway. You see signs of poverty from ramshackle housing to roads in rough shape so I feel the town is providing the library with the resources it can, they just don't have a lot. But it is put to use. It was especially good to see younger people there. In some towns the clientele is very geriatric and you wonder if support for a library will live on after they pass, but not here.

This three story library is beautiful. Modern and yet refined. Clean and functional and yet…read morecomfortable. The citizens of Holyoke have done well to put together such a fabulous resource! I was here for about three hours today, quietly ensconced at a study carrel on the second floor where I was able to spread out two laptops and my phone. I made (quiet) Zoom calls, sent emails and wrote Yelp reviews. I was not disturbed and in my time, I didn't see many other patrons. Y'all are missing out! Study desks and free computers, books, magazines, music, movies, reference materials and a free wifi. What more do you need? [Review 18422 overall - 1142 in Massachusetts - 1944 of 2022.]

"Lord, I recall my little town Coming home after school…read moreFlying my bike past the gates of the factories" (Simon and Garfunkel) Being my Birthday and Mother's Day, we wanted to enjoy the day with a small trip to a different place with some fun sights. Which brought us to Shelburne Falls in the foothills of northwestern Massachusetts' Berkshire mountains, around 15 miles from the Vermont border. It's a gorgeous little village on the Deerfield River with a definite Bohemian-artsy-counterculture progressive flair that reminded me a lot of Collinsville, CT or Great Barrington, MA. Main Street, Deefield Avenue, Water Street and Bridge Street represent the town's central business district which is loaded with restaurants, vintage shops, new age stuff, and plenty more. We had a blast wandering around town, visited A Heart for Art to pick up a unique wedding card, and stopped at Baked for lattés, a scone, and a macaroon. We walked over to the amazing Glacial Potholes and the Bridge of Flowers, probably the two biggest attractions in town. We caught the Bridge at a bad time, because the flowers were temporarily removed, and in the custody of "foster parents" while the soil in the flower beds was being replaced. The lovely lady at A Heart for Art told us the Bridge should be restored to its intended condition within the week. One of the very cool things we saw in town were the many beautiful mosaic tile murals celebrating local history. These colorful works of art are scattered throughout downtown, so keep your eyes open as you wander around. We fully intend to return to this sweet little village, stroll the Bridge of Flowers in full bloom, and enjoy everything else that Shelburne Falls has to offer.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! 5 STARS! It's Time to jump into The TimeMobile & scour the Earth & take you…read moreto places from a different time that you won't believe still exist! We have set the dial to the early1900's in Shelburne Falls MA. Shelburne Falls is a historic village in the towns of Shelburne & Buckland in Franklin County, Massachusetts This village looks like it's been plucked out of a novel from a far away time. It's a living & breathing time capsule. Time has indeed been turned backwards here. Instead of reading about history, you can come down to Shelburne Falls & actually be immersed in it & experience it for yourself! Now you can see what life was like a hundred years ago. Here's some of the really Cool Things to See & Do: walking across The Bridge of Flowers, a former trolley bridge that has been transformed into a garden oasis over the Deerfield River open from April through October. Then there's the Glacial Potholes & The Salmon Falls. There is also a Trolley Museum; & The Baker Pharmacy & soda fountain shop that serves ice cream just like they did more than a hundred years ago. There's a diner, some restaurants including pizza shops & a coffee shop. There's Bookstores, a Vintage Clothing store, a newsstand, & a community newspaper called the West County Independent that serves Shelbourne Falls & surrounding communities . They have a grocery store, a natural foods store & a country doctor. They have a Library, an artists' gallery & a Visitor's Center. This is also home to the second oldest bowling alley in America dating back to 1906 . And then there's the Mohawk Trail for hiking & exploring. They've got a lot more to do also but I'll leave that up to you to uncover. Most of the places are all walkable without driving in your car from place to place. And don't forget to stop on by the gift shop nearby called Native Views with souvenirs, Native American Merch, Local Foods & items & a Cool 20 ft tall Indian statue & teepees. Shelburne Falls has 2 listings as a Historic Site. First A 26-acre area has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Shelburne Falls Historic District. Secondly the Odd Fellows' Hall has also been listed on the Register. Because of the vibrant cinematic texture & rich history of the village, Hollywood has fallen in love with Shelburne Falls with lot of movies being filmed here. Here's a list "The Holdovers, Labor Day, Dexter: New Blood, The Judge, Winterbeast Video, Cryptid, The Wych Elm, Fragments of A Ghoulish Mind, Four Pins , The Earth Rejects Him, Fearful Devotion, Hank, American Playhouse Pigeon Feathers Episode. There's lots to do in Shelbourne Falls so you can spend the whole day here. On your traveling adventures, you'll discover that they have quite a few things that are inexpensive & even Free Stuff too including Free Parking! You can see my individual reviews of some of them for more detailed information. What a Really Cool Fun One of a Kind Unique Place! It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

During the pandemic, I basically didn't go above the second floor of any building. You don't…read morerealize how comparatively low that is to the ground until you're 24, 25 stories in the air looking down at the huge campus below like it's a doll set. This is a HIGH building, and we came just to see the DuBois center. It is not as interactive as I suspect it will be one day under the guidance of assistant director Adam Holmes. He was kind enough to talk to us for a few minutes about DuBois, and I've learned his original homestead was in Great Barrington. I look forward to coming back, and hopefully Mr. DuBois will be given the expansive display he deserves.

The DuBois Library is 26 stories tall, with an incredible view of a good portion of the Pioneer…read moreValley at about the 22nd/23rd floor (and a good place to work while checking out that view). It's an incredible feat, and quite awesome too. There's also a basement, and a coffee area. It's also open 24/7. From a personal standpoint, I basically lived here in the Spring of 2006, as my first graduate school experience was winding down. So I have that too.

Lovely spot for stroll. Pretty pond, interesting rock out croppings. Easy for kids.read more

This is an absolutely wonderful place to hike with incredibly interesting massive rock, boulder…read moreand shear cliff formations throughout most of the trails. The spot was formerly the hunting ground for native Americans who inhabited the surrounding; natural rock formations provided temporary shelter and living space while local tribes were on the hunt. All trails are clearly marked making this spot a fascinating way to spend and hour or two taking in the reservation's natural beauty.

I discovered Gaylord Memorial Library about two summers too late into college, but I was happy to…read morehave found it nonetheless. They have an incredible collection of leisure books be they fiction or non-fiction. They have an entire floor in the basement dedicated for children. Their movie collection is also impressive (and I personally found it more rewarding than the library for Mount Holyoke College). If only I had known earlier... The only caveat to Gaylord is its limited hours. They are only open Thursday 1:00 pm -8:00 pm, Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am - 12:00 pm so that maybe a little inconvenient. However, it is mostly run by volunteers and with a limited budget, I guess there is nothing much to be done. But it is really very easy to get a free membership and just drop by every now and then to pick up some good reads. This place also has weekly/monthly events for interested locals both young and old. They also have workshops for origami, knitting, etc. and various book clubs and teas. I still remember running by the library on warm summer afternoon and browsing through the shelves of romantic novels. So, I am putting this word out there mostly for my sisters in Mount Holyoke, and also the residents of the area: if you have not visited Gaylord library, you are missing out on a very good part of South Hadley.

Nice library, but it is privately owned with very limited hours. I accidentally returned public…read morelibrary books here and it was a pain to get a hold someone there and for them to find where they put them. Once i got someone who wasnt a volunteer, she was helpful in straightening out my fines with the regular library system.

My crazy puppy got loose and ran rampant for hours and I did know what to do but to call the animal…read morecontrol which was closed until Monday so they referred me to officer on duty. She was amazing! Went above and beyond

Was at a loss for resources in terms of dealing with a new rescue dog I have (sans documentation)-…read moredidn't think Noho police was the best option but it was the only option I had. Marly, who also works at a shelter, was incredibly patient and helpful with me despite the fact that I had little information to offer. They were so patient and gave me all of the information I could have possibly asked for and more, and offered resources I wasn't aware of. 5 stars for Marly!

The Smith Bridge is located in the small town of Colrain. It's right off Route 112, which happens…read moreto be a Massachusetts Scenic Byway - so your whole drive is pretty and the covered bridge is just the icing on the cake! It's a pedestrian only bridge. So I was only able to walk over it. Bummer. Since I love driving over covered bridges. According to the website coveredbridgemap.com, @The Arthur A. Smith bridge was beautifully restored in 2006. It spent the previous 15 years rotting in a cornfield." Now I'm pretty happy for Arthur that his namesake bridge is no longer rotting in a cornfield. But I do wonder - who was he? And more importantly, how did he get a bridge named after him. And a covered bridge no less?

It's a bridge, it's old but had a million dollar restoration a few years ago. Nice little place to…read moretake a dip in the North River