Adorable little library with a good selection of new releases and fiction. Friendly, knowledgeable…read morestaff make this little gem a must stop spot for your summer reading. This was my first visit to Martha's Vineyard, invited along by long time visitors, and I wasn't disappointed. The library card gives you access to all of the libraries on the Island plus the cape and for a small fee, you can have one of your very own. Great for those lazy rainy afternoons! Comfy couches and large windows on the main floor provide a great place to sit and eat. The downstairs offers quiet work stations and a large program room. Call about drag queen story time

A quiet place for…read moreinformation The Vineyard Haven Library is location on the quiet part of Main Street just outside of the center of the busy town. It's only a ten minute walk from the ferry but it's in the opposite direction of all the stores and restaurants so most people visiting the island never even know that it exists. That's too bad because visitors to the island are frequently in need of information and directions and this is a great place to find it. The librarians here are patient and friendly and can tell you just about anything you want to know about the island. If you happen to be staying in the town for some time, the library is a great place to read a book or magazine, take advantage of the wi-fi or just relax. I've always found pleasant people to talk to and and discuss things with. The library isn't as quaint or historical interesting as some of the other ones on the island but it is very clean, comfy and efficient. Over 50,000 items are scattered around the building and some great old maps and pictures grace the walls and tons of info on the history of the town and island are available. The library has lots of classes and programs for the local folks and for a relatively small place certainly offers a lot. A great place to go when you have something you wish to know.

A library that…read moreevolves The first library in this area was formed back in 1882 when a whooping total of 33 books was kept in the back of a store. The present Chilmark Library has now has about 34,000 items, quite an evolution and improvement over time. As with many small town libraries the books during the library's early years were moved around from placed to place and didn't really get a permanent home until 1956. In was in that year that the library was moved into a home originally built in 1790 and become the location of the present library. Of course the small old home went through many modifications over the years. In 1963 a huge addition was added and then in 1990 and 2003 other major improvements took place. So many changes that I'm the folks who built the house back in 1790 wouldn't recognize the place today but the basic theme in all the additions has remained the same and the library flows from one area to another gracefully and without notice. The present library is a wonderful place that serves the community as well as the occasional guest. Lots of comfy places to read and relax as well as the usual computers and wi-fi and I enjoyed my brief stay here. I suspect this library is not done evolving and will continue to change to meet the needs of the community.

A gift from…read moreAndrew By any standards Andrew Carnegie was a very generous man and gave vast sums of money to many different charities and organizations. However when it came to libraries he really opened up his heart and wallet and was responsible for hundreds of libraries being built throughout the world, 85 in New England alone. In 1904 Carnegie and a local resident named Caroline Warren donated money to the town with the stipulation that a library be built. Carnegie didn't want publicity for this altruistic act and although this building is official known as the Carnegie building nowhere do you see his name or picture. Most people simply call this the Edgartown Library and that is the way he wanted it. The library is well used and has a huge number of special events and classes and it is definitely is a lot more than just a place to store books. Even though the building isn't large by many library standards, it manages to cram in roughly 40,000 items and still has cozy little spots to read and relax. The old building has been expanded three times over the years but has reached a point that makes further growth impractical. Fortunately plans and money for a new library are being developed and possible by 2015 a much larger and modern facility will be available. What will happen to the old Carnegie building once the new library is finished is still unknown but I'd like to think that it will continue to serve the Edgartown in some capacity that would make Andrew proud.

Famous. Founded by Andrew Carnegie at the turn of the Century…read more Holds close to 40,000 volumes. An older, classic building. Located in beautiful Martha's Vineyard. A perfect spot to write, do research or simply borrow books. An excellent public library.

WHAT A NICE LIBRARY!…read more We were visiting the island with 2 kids the weekend before Halloween. It was rainy and I had found the library was having a Halloween party. Not going to lie over the last few years I have been to a few library parties and Oak Bluff took it up a notch! Their decorations were creative! Some purchased, some hand made. They made a tunnel for the kids to crawl through with decorations inside! There was a massive spider web with a word intricately placed inside it over a large window. There were do many hands on things to do... Halloween twister, decorate a bag, coloring, ball toss, the maze, etc... The staff were dressed up, they served cider, popcorn and treat bags for every child. There were stickers, and sticky hands and jeez! What a great party for the kids! On another note, the library is spectacular! Outlets available on every table, super clean, organized, spacious... I wish my library was this nice! Kudos to the staff and thanks for making our kids smile!

A new library…read more The first library in Oak Bluffs was started way back in the 1880's. In fact the town wasn't even called Oak Bluffs back then but was still referred to as Cottage City. As with most small town libraries the books really didn't have a permanent home but were moved around and stored in different buildings throughout the years. Finally in Oct. 2005 the library finally got a new home, the first time the library was ever in a building that was designed and built especially as a library. Obviously someone gave a lot of thought and effort into the the place because it is stunning. Even though it is a new and very modern building it's absolutely beautiful on the outside and in. Roomy, spacious and bright, the perfect place to relax and enjoy reading a book or doing a bit of research. All the facilities of a much larger library are present but it still has cozy little spots and special areas emphasizing it's island heritage. Of course the librarians are friendly, knowledgeable and pleasant and are more than willing to help with any problem you might have. Oak Bluffs Library is a great example of how a new and very modern library doesn't have to be mundane and boring but can still be unique and special.

A little red…read more library The Aquinnah Public Library is an extremely cool little library located in Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard. Most people I know still call this area Gay Head but the name of the town was officially changed in 1998 to Aquinnah, the Wampanoag word meaning "high land". Many people pass the diminutive building on the way to the cliffs and great lighthouse at the tip of the island without even noticing it. I was looking for the building and ending up biking by it. One of those magical places that seems to blend in with the environment until you actually stop and take a good look. Only then you see how special this library is. It looks like the classical little red, one room New England schoolhouse and that is indeed what it was. Built in around 1844 and then moved to it's present location several decades later it served as the town's school for a long time. The first library in town was first founded in 1901 but like many small towns didn't really have a place to store the books. They were just sort of shoved into the town hall and it seemed the poor books were always in the way and moved from one location to another. Finally when the little school was closed in the 1960's someone had the brilliant idea of using the old schoolhouse as the library. A short time later the town finally had a real library of it's own. The old schoolhouse roots are still very obvious both from the outside and in. Very few changes have been made to the building and even the old chalkboards are still visible as well as the hooks on a wall where the kids use to hang their coats. Fascinating stuff. The library makes the most of it's space and is a very warm, friendly and inviting atmosphere. Certainly not a large library by any measure but I have seen smaller ones, this library managers to incorporate modern computers, wi-fi and efficiency without losing one bit of it's cool, small town character and history. Just looking a the old school house is fun but what really makes this library so special are the great librarians. Friendly, knowledgeable, and proud of their library, they realize fully that the job of a local library is a lot more than just to give out books. Their warm hospitality lit up and made the small library come alive. Certainly not the easiest library to find but definitely worth the effort.

cute small town library, a solid selection and a dedicated staff…read more Located in downtown Aquinnah.

History and…read moreconvenience The very first idea for a library in the town of Falmouth was back in 1792. At first the books were stored where ever there was room and eventually ended up in the town hall. The library finally got a permanent home in 1901. As the town grew the need for a larger library also become obvious. So in 1966 an addition was completed. And again in 1978 another addition was added. And finally in 2008 major renovations took place and now the library is a whole lot larger than the original one but still has the charm of the very first building. The library is beautiful, both inside and out and the additions and renovations blend in extremely well with the original concept so it can be difficult to see exactly where the addtions were added. The seal of the town of Falmouth is even embedded on a dome in the ceiling. The library has lots of very comfy place to sit or study as well as a great local history room, kids department and community room. A lovely and very useful library that has grown along with the town.

We went to this library a lot when our kids were little. They loved it and we loved it. We had not…read morebeen back for a while but wanted to see how it had fared in recent years. It's a small town library that's really crowded during summer tourist season and never used to be crowded at all in the off season when we were often in town. It was jam packed on a cool drizzly summer day. It still has a large lower level children's section. And it is still the place to be with wonderful creative updates. The book areas are nicely delineated by age groups and book styles and there are lots of inspiring posters even on office and closet doors. A creative playhouse is at one end. A local garden having a butterfly release on Saturday was nicely featured with all the details of the event and displayed many correlated books. The librarians were very helpful and parents circulated through the areas with their kids. There did seem to be lots of locals socializing with each other but also some obvious tourists enjoying the facility. The building still has lots of historic charm but there are updates to some areas as well as the exterior. There appeared to be an addition since we were last here and we heard maybe yet another in the near future. Parking was a real problem this week but I would guess they can handle the off season/school year just fine.

This is the quintessential "small town" library that has a surprisingly diverse range of books…read more They have unique programs year round such as the "All Ages Coloring Club:" (last Tuesday of every month, 4:00 to 5:00 PM) and children's book clubs. Everyone knows that libraries now offer more than books for loan. Of course, most libraries also offer movies on DVD's and books read aloud on CD's, e-books, and museum passes. (The Woods Hole Library offers all of these items as well as passes to seven different museums). What might not be so well known is that some libraries offer all sorts of "other things" on loan. This growing trend has long been in place at the Woods Hole Public Library. For instance, as a result of a gardening workshop series started five years ago, two sets of "soil block makers" have been available for several growing seasons. Every spring there is a waiting list of people eager to use them. The library also loans a Kindle, a Home Detection Kit for energy conservation, a digital projector, and a portable projection screen. This past summer, two sewing machines joined the line-up of items to borrow. They are both easily portable; one is a Singer "Featherweight" beloved by generations of seamstresses. The other is a Singer 457, notable for its zig-zag stitch. Don't miss the book sale in the basement!

The Woods Hole Library is a charming little place with a view of the Martha's Vineyard Ferry…read more Despite its smallness, they have a diverse selection. The cooking section has official Woods Hole cookbooks (yes, seafood predominates) along with diverse selections like Allison Bechdel's Fun Home graphic novel, books about the Shakers in New England, and weighty Joseph Conrad tomes. They also have several DVDs. The children's room is extensive and has a bird feeder. The place is very old school when it comes to checking out books; it has limited parking, along with odd hours. Housed in a historic 1875 building, it has a beautiful view of the Atlantic. A place for opening the mind.

A cool card…read morecatalog The library was built in 1892 and it is one the the increasing rare and wonderful places that has never changed. Walk through those doors and you are back in 1892. Small, dark , cramped and with a wonderful odor of ocean air, books and old wood the building is intoxicating to all the senses. I believe the librarian told me that it holds almost 20,00 books. Considering only a few dozen people actually spend the year on the island, it must have the highest ratio of books to people anywhere. Of course the numerous large, stinky, but very friendly island dogs go in and out as they please, they are also part of the library's decor. What the library doesn't have is Internet access or computers. Again, this isn't a complaint, they say it with pride. God help the insensitive, self absorbed dolt that pulls out a cell phone. The sweet librarian will quickly insert the cell some place where it was never designed to go. If you actually find the library and choose to go in, you will find a sundry collection of tomes inside. Lots of very light reading paperbacks and the typical library reference stuff but also some great historical books on Cuttyhunk and the surrounding area. Great old pictures, maps and drawings are everywhere. They even sell some cool book bags and shirts. Hey, they have to make a few bucks to keep the place going. Even though the old, historic books are cool, the greatest resource is the librarian. She not only deals with the books and library but also serves as town historian, visitor center and very probably disseminator of local gossip. Anything you wish to know about the island she will tell you in a very kind, knowledgeable and very cool way. Just don't be stupid and try using a cell phone in her library. You might not survive the experience. Cuttyhunk Library. A very cool and enjoyable place to visit, look at some books, learn a few things, met and talk to some great people or just sit and absorb the great atmosphere. Ocean air, old wood, books, interesting people and big friendly dogs are a hard combination to beat. You might even get to use a card catalog.

I come here mostly for their baby coalition classes. We love it. Wish the play area was a little…read morebigger as we tend to travel to Falmouth Main library to hang out with other parents and their kids, but lots of kids books and friendly staff! I read myself and enjoy coming here as the library itself is massive and seems brand new. Lots of selections and staff have always been helpful, knowledgeable and nice.

More than a…read morelibrary The Mashpee Library is a new library that replaces the tiny library that served the town before for many decades. Opened in early 2010, this library is huge, modern and very impressive. Lots of space to find a place to read and lots of computers available for public use. A fantastic kids area and beautiful staircases and comfy chairs to sit on. The library also serves as a community center and has a whole bunch of rooms for different programs and events. Reading, arts & crafts, movies and a whole bunch of other things are always going on. A wonderful new library that has just about everything that a town could ask for.