The Wheeler Library is gorgeous and was once the town's public school, but before that, it was a…read moreprivate school. The upstairs was used as dormitory space, and the restoration retained much of the beautiful woodwork. Meanwhile, the downstairs is inviting and the renovation is more recent but attention has been paid to making it quite attractive after it having served as an office space for many years. Be sure to catch the many busts of famous people on the second floor and also the monthly artist's exhibits.

Lions schools and…read morebusts The Wheeler Library was open in 1900 from money donated by the Wheeler family. Constructed with huge blocks of granite it had a duel purpose. The upstairs served as a lovely library while the bottom floor was an elementary school house. The arraignment lasted for almost 50 years until the town decided to get rid of the 15 little one room school houses and consolidated them into one large regionial school. So the school left and the library expanded into the entire building. Most of the library is now on the first floor and the higher level is a grand room with absolutely stunning widows. cool old photos and lots of busts of old dead guys. The library is lovely in an odd sort of way. Very square and symmetrical, the huge granite blocks look like that will last forever. Not as elaborate as many other libraries but it definitely looks solid and two cool lion statues guard the entrance. The inside is a different story. The first floor has the books and usual library stuff along with a very pleasant librarian but a trip upstairs is what really amazes. A huge open hall with stunning windows and ceiling and cool stuff whenever you look. A few old books are up there but it's most open space. I suspect they use the area for lectures and concerts. The library had some major renovation in 1992 and is a useful and practical facility. But it's the buildings uniqueness that makes it so cool. There are no other library that look quite like this one.

Slowing down time…read more The Preston Public Library was started in 1898 and still does a whole lot of things that it did for decades.. You can read a book, do some research, ask the friendly librarian stupid questions or just sit and relax. The difference now is that the library has five computers for public use and free wifi and other modern amenities. The Preston Library also offers a great kids area and all kinds of different programs ranging from arts & crafts to story telling. Things don't change much in a small town like Preston and that is usually a very nice thing. The library manages to keep it's small, quaint and unassuming feel of the 20th century while offering the latest technology of the 21st. .

Such a great library. Everyone is helpful, its cozy and quiet. Its also beautiful. So lucky to live…read morenear this place. They also have two cats.

A magnificent library…read more The idea fom this stunning building started back in 1891 when Captain Elihu Spicer decided that his home town needed a library. So he donated money and ideas and by 1894 the Mystic and Noank Library was open for business. The good Captain Spicer started out as a cabin boy at an early age and eventually became masters of several ships and acquired quite a fortune. He became a philanthropist in his later years and spread his wealth around generously. The library that was built is absolutely magnificent. Granite was moved by barge from quarries in Ct., sandstone from Ma., marble from as far away as Africa and tile floors from Italy. This is more of a palace than a library and the building is worth seeing even if you have no interest in books. The place is stunning both inside and outside. The building was expanded in 1951 and another 6,000 ft were added in 1992. The architects did a fantastic job and the venerable building retains its stately, archaic and majestic flavor but has all the conveniences and amenities of a modern library. Truly the best of the old and the new. A grand place to savor, enjoy and be amazed at, libraries like this will never be constructed again.

Nice library located in downtown Norwich. Seems very diverse and appealing. Lots of books to choose…read morefrom. Book sales held twice a year. Nice staff as well.

Books genealogy and…read moreOtis The first Norwich library was built in 1849 with money donated by Deacon (Joseph) Otis; Like most of the libraries back then it was a subscription library and only became a free library in 1891. The old Greek Revival building was pretty cool but it was just to small to accommodate the growing community and so a new, larger but more ordinary building was built in the 1960s. Over the years the new building also proved to be inadequate so the library managed to receive a 4.5 million dollar grant in 2004 for renovations and improvements. This was the largest library grant in state's history and certain turned the library into a wonderful place to research and visit. Unfortunately over the last few years money has been scarce and the library has been losing funding, resulting in loss of hours and programs. Hopefully this will change in the near future. Lot of open space, cool places to sit and a extremely useful local history and genealogy room. A lovely area for kids and even a pleasant little courtyard outside. Not a historical or stunning building like lots of the many of the old libraries in the area but one that has a charming and friendly atmosphere and is a library that is a very pleasant place to work, learn or just look around.

I'm challenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island this year. This…read morelibrary was the fifth one I visited. The first thing I noticed that made this library unique was the park in the backyard of the library. It's huge and beautiful, especially in the summer when the plants and trees bloom (I imagine), and there are statues and fountains. I walked around the park before heading inside to check out the library. There are so many nooks and crannies in this library, it's like everywhere you turn there's a cozy spot to do homework or read a good book. There was a book club in session while we were there. They also had a maritime museum, where they had artwork on sale and it was pretty cool. One other thing that caught my attention was these plants they had growing in little glass tubes in their plant library section. Downstairs by the entrance they also have a healthy variety of plants that look well taken care of. I really enjoyed my time here.

A grand old…read more library Westerly Public Library was opened way back in 1894 to commemorate the volunteers that fought in the civil war. It was built on land donated by Stephen Wilcox and originally held about 5,000 books. Actually a pretty large number for the time. Since then it has changed and grew and doubled in size with the additions in 1992. It now has 170,000 items including audio books, cd's and of course computers. However, even with all the modern additions and conveniences, it has never lost the cool, old feel and ambiance. The outside of the library is impressive. Like some grand old Victorian home or mansion. I have heard that when the library first opened it held a bowling alley and gymnasium. They are now long gone but it's easy to see how they could have fit because this library is huge, with all kinds of spaces, hallways and cool little study and meeting rooms. The library is a very efficient place to work and the librarians are helpful and friendly. However the real charm of the library is the building itself. Such a cool place just to walk around and look at the architecture and cool decor. Lots of places to sit by yourself and read of just look out a window. If you get tired of being inside you can stroll around the grounds or sit outside on a bench and admire the grand old building from the outside. There are lots of libraries in the world. Most are friendly and efficient places to work or get information. However few I have seen have the impressive grandeur and sense of history of the Westerly Public Library. It would be a very cool place even without the books and computers.

Nice new building lots of books…read more comfy chairs and a big lizard Exeter Public Library was opened in 2004, which makes it the youngest library in the state. Everything is still very clean and smells really nice. No disgusting stains on the carpet and no wads of gum under the tables. The kids haven't had time to mess it up yet. Hopefully the floods of the last few days haven't washed it away. The library isn't particularly large but does have a decent selection of new books, periodicals and reference sources. Not a lot of cool ancient books or historical material but considering the age of the library that isn't surprising. The library is spacious and well lit. Not a bad seat in the house and lots of comfy chairs and places to spead out. The people working here were very gracious and helpful in answering my stupid questions and seem pleasant and amiable. Outside is a nice size parking lot and even a playground for kids that need to burn off some energy before going into a quiet and confined space. The library has the usually bake sales, used book sales, plant sales and you can even get a tote bag and a crummy t-shirt with the libraries name on it. Various lectures and some cool music performances are held. The library is a nice place to stop when going thorough the small town if you need directions, some reference materials or to use a nice clean bathroom. They even have a cool lizard and some nice plants. It might be the newest library in the state but it is also one of the friendliest and most pleasant.

A window to the…read moreworld The Ashaway public library was established back in 1871 when a group of people in the area decided the town needed a public reading room. In 1907 the library moved into it's present location and has been modernized and expanded throughout the years. In recent years two major additions has dramatically increased it's size and capabilities. Although not still not a large library by many standards, the Ashaway Library offers the usually reference materials, biographies, history, mystery and classics. Plus more than 40 periodicals and audio and video tapes. Like most of the smaller community libraries, Ashaway has programs for kids, book discussion groups and lots of annual events like book, bake and plant sales. Holiday strolls, sing alongs, teddy bear picnics, ice cream socials are also put on throughout the year. A lot of things going on in this place besides just books The librarians working here were exceptional friendly and helpful and went out of their way to tell me the history of the library and town. The library is only partially government funded and most of the financial resources come from volunteer fund raising, local businesses, individual contributions and philanthropic foundations. Ashaway is a great model of how a small local library should operate.

I have not been to the library for a decade. I came by with my teenage son. He is very picky about…read morebooks and needed to write a Senior essay for school. He has ADHD so it's very challenging for him to read and remain focused. The two librarian were so impressively patient and knowledgeable. They worked hard with him to pick his interest. They managed to find him two great books. And I walked out with a new library card and new book. I'm so excited to start reading again.

A whole bunch of…read more Bills The history of the Ledyard, CT area is filled with Bills. Not only is this library named the Bill Library but another Bill Library is in the nearby town of Groton. All these Bills makes the history a bit confusing. The beginning of the Ledyard Bill Library actually started in 1878 when a fellow named Ledyard Bill decided that a Civil War monument would look nice in town. So he got together some money and erected a nineteen foot high obelisk and stuck it on a little plot of ground near the town center. Ledyard's brother Henry Bill liked the monument so much that figured that a library would look nice in front of it so he donated the money to have one built. The obelisk now stands behind the library. The library today is quaint, pleasant and pretty impressive for such a small town. Like most small town libraries everyone is friendly and the library has lots of programs and demonstrations. The other Bill library in Groton was donated by Frederick Bill in memory of his two sisters and curiously also has an obelisk in the back of it. The Bill Library is a nice part of the town's history. It's pretty cool that what started out as an obelisk turned into a library.

I have been a member of this library for 66 years, and it has grown with the public it serves into…read morean amazing local treasure. The librarian and all of the personnel bend over backward to provide the very best customer service possible, and the selections are always fresh and exciting. In addition, the special programming is fun for adults and kids alike.

A beautiful building in…read more a beautiful borough The Stonington Free Library is located in a lovely building that was built way back in 1900. This was in the time before most towns were broke and when they still had money to spend on making libraries more than just warehouses to store books. The building would be a cool place to visit even if it didn't have any books at all. The site selected was where the famous Wadawanuck Hotel stood a few years before. This was when Stonington was still a hopping transportation center with a multitude of steam ships and trains stopping here between Boston and New York. Before things changed and Stonington became a the quiet little borough it presently is. The library is relatively small by the standards of larger towns but has been expanded several times over the decades but still managed to keep it's charm and unique character. It was built to be more than just a place to store books and that idea has never changed throughout the years. Sure the library has books, a whole bunch of books. plus the usual periodicals, computers, videos, Cd's and other mundane library stuff. The library also has a nice children's department and has various lectures, events and demonstrations. Of course the friendly and smiling small town librarians are present to assist and eager to help with any question or difficulty. But the magic of this library isn't in the books but the wonderful building located in a wonderful and historical town literally surrounded by water. A great place to read, do research or just walk around, look, smell the ocean, and wonder what this town was like a hundred years ago when the library was built.