Irby library is the most traditional of the Heswall, Pensby and Irby libraries over on the Wirral…read more It;s got a really old school vibe to it, with big old wooden bookshelves and dated yellowed books. It's a really relaxing place to study and I would recommend it for this purpose over any of the other Wirral libraries. I often used to go here after college to get homework done as I found the atmosphere very relaxing and the staff incredibly obliging. They have internet, DVD loan and book loan facilities, as well as printing facilities from 5p per sheet. They also have a photocopier if that's what you need! They also have a back catalogue of phone books that goes back for years, this is good if you're trying to trace somebody in the area or you're a stalker.

Chester Library is spread over three floors, the ground floor holds all of the fiction along with…read morethe DVDs and computer games, the lower floor houses the children's books and reference and the top floor has computer access (which you have to queue for) more reference and newspapers. The staff are friendly and helpful although there can be quite long queues at peak times as there isnt much room for lots of servers at the counter. The book selection is ok although I have found that a lot of the books I would like to borrow are stored at the central warehouse and would require a 75p charge to order them. I think the libary could arrange stock rotation more frequently. They do have some shelves of recently returned and popular fiction which is the best way to find a decent book quickly or discover a title you didnt know existed. The DVDs and games are expensive to borrow, well at least as compared to the books. The online renewal system works very well so if you are a slow reader or if yo like to borrow several titles in one go then this saves you a journey as you can log on and reserve and renew books from anywhere with an internet connection.

Chester library not only loans out books, but you can also get DVD box sets on loan for a small fee…read more- cheaper than Blockbuster. They also have a loyalty scheme, after borrowing a set number of DVDs you get a loan for free. The library is well stocked and the different sections are clearly marked.

Allerton Library is at the end of all the shops on Allerton Road. A busy little library that you…read morecan walk around in about 1 minute. Small it might be but 100% better than Childwall Library which has definitely seen better days. Allerton Library is modern (it isn't dated on the inside) and well equipped with a computer suite, tables to sit and work or discuss the challenges of the day at and as you would guess many many books. The library is very accessible with a long ramp up to the entrance. There is no waiting about to take your books out, as if you are registered, you can take them out via the self service machine. The opening hours are pretty good Monday to Wednesday, but go a bit down the pan on the remaining days. Longer opening hours on these days would be good, or maybe that is just me - I guess it cannot hope to be a 24hr tesco's.

I may have mentioned this before, but bookshops and libraries make me need the loo if I'm in there…read moretoo long. Something about the bookshelves just makes me wanna go.... Anyway, this is not aided, in the case of Allerton library, by the smallness of it and hence the additional feeling of claustrophobia. From the exterior the building looks shabby and practically abandoned. Inside, it's a little gloomy. Chances are, they've refurbished it since I last went in (at least 5 years ago) but there's a good chance they haven't. Having been somewhere I went to almost on a weekly basis as a kid, I can't imagine it being that inviting in its current state. Still, like I say, it might been brought up to date. Some of the books definitely needed replacing and a few extra staff wouldn't have been a problem. Despite all this, it's a nice enough place for small family outings, and less formidable than the huge main library in town.

Wavertree Library isn't really anything special, it lives next door to the One Stop Shop which is…read morepretty handy. As you walk in towards the reception, the staff do look at you in quite an intimidating way, almost like "what do you want? The books are there and the computers are there"... Aside from the staff, it's a good little local library. There's around 20 computers which you can use for an hour (or more if it's not busy) for the internet or whatever you need. You can print at an extra cost - around 10p per sheet. To the books, what most people visit a library for. There isn't many of them if I'm honest. The children's area looks pretty good but I've never really paid much attention to it. The adult section is pretty grim, but I suppose there are a few libraries in the area so if they haven't got what you're looking for, somewhere will.

I used to live opposite this library, and although I've only been in it once, my flatmate was in…read morehere all the time and loves it. Though small, it has a good selection of sections (try saying that when you're drunk!) and, I'm told, a fantastically well-stocked graphic novel section. I've also been reliably told that out of every book picked up in the 'Suggested Reading' section, my flatmate has never read a bad one and thinks it's faultless. I just like the fact that you have a suggested reading part to a library, as if you walk into a massive room filled with books and not know what you want to read so much so that you need to go to a specific part of the library to look at suggestions. Surely that's as daft as the 'suggested serving' pictures on the front of food packaging?

Childwall Library is pretty ok and I think the staff are doing a good job. It is a little tired to…read moresay the least, but cute in a funny sort of way. If you compare it to Allerton Library not too far down the road, it makes it look even worse. However, despite what it looks like, it serves the community well and does have a purpose, with a computer suite and a good selection of books. A small plea to Liverpool Council to hurry up with the modernisation of the building... There is a good bit of parking so you don't need to worry about fighting off neighbours to find a place to park.

Blacon itself is a deprived area, but this does not reflect in the quality of the library. Staff…read moreare always very friendly and able to help with any concerns. There is a wide variety of activities going on, ranging between a parents/toddlers group, reading group, internet group and more. The library has the opening hours clearly displayed. The shelves are well stocked and well displayed.

In common with the rest of Llandudno the library is a beautiful example of victorian architecture,…read moreas you go in there is a circular mosaic with the towns name and crest. This really comes into it's own when you go upstairs to the library itself (ignore the tacky gift shop on the first level) and a mini-gallery balcony (showcasing a changing programme of local artists) that has a aperture looking down on the mosaic (so not one for the vertigo sufferers). It's a friendly place with all the usual features (internet acsess for members, comfy chairs etc) and a good range of books.

sice its refurb, the library has become a modern, vibrant and friendly place to spend some time!…read moreexcellent facilities for children and modern computers! excellent!

We took part in a walking tour of Liverpool with a wonderful guide and were lucky to have had an…read moreextended stop here in the Liverpool Central Library. What a gorgeous place with so much history! When you look at the building from the outside, you would never know, like many other sites in Liverpool, it was hit by firebombs during the blitz in 1941. Most of the inside had to be rebuilt with the exception of a couple well-preserved victorian-styled rooms. The damaged areas initially were rebuilt in a very uninviting way: having few windows, it was very dark so it was difficult to read the very books it held! The library had a make-over and re-opened in 2013 with lots of windows in a gorgeous, bright atrium with interesting Harry Potter-like stairways. We toured a special room which held extremely rare books including the The Birds of America by John James Audubon which is on display and features life-sized hand colored prints - one of the most expensive books in the world! We also toured the Picton Reading Room which was supposedly designed so that its unique acoustics can send a whisper echoing around the entire space. If I lived in Liverpool, I would be spending a lot of time at this library!

I've always loved this building ever since I moved to Liverpool in 1999 but since it's renovation…read morefrequenting this place has become even more of a pleasure. It's main central section (which is on four floors), bathed with light from the magnificent domed, glass roof above, is beautifully laid out and draws one in to look closer at the stacks and special displays. But the real delight (in my opinion) is to the right as you walk into the building, namely the Hornby Library, Oak Room (housing the famous and incredibly valuable Audubon's 19th 'Birds of America' illustrated book - well worth a look along with several other precious items in this area) and Picton Reading Room which is without doubt one of the most beautiful spaces in Liverpool. The children's library, housed underneath the Picton Reading Rooms, is also wonderful - a really great place to take your little ones for some cerebral stimulation. The icing on the cake of this stunning building however is the roof terrace on the fourth floor, accessible to everyone. The views are simply breathtaking, particularly on a sunny day. And the added bonus? There's a nice, spacious Costa coffee area to the left on the ground floor and a delightful outdoor terrace looking out over William Brown Street and St John's Garden's where you can read your chosen book and sip a very pleasant latte or cup of tea in the sunshine. Liverpool at its best? Without doubt.