The library is quite large, as one might expect for a city as big as Fall River. This structure…read moreopened as the public library in 1899 and was recently updated and restored. In addition to the usual stacks of books, the library has computers available to be used plus wifi access, digital media to be borrowed and lots of space for study. I found a quiet study room under the back stairs that was first-come first-served and spent about three hours there, working and having my work Zoom meetings. Plenty of power, no noise and I was not disturbed. I was even able to keep my sneaky water bottle with me and didn't mind since there wasn't anything I could possibly damage with spilled water. Great space and a fabulous resource. [Review 18641 overall - 1221 in Massachusetts - 2163 of 2022.]

As a newcomer to Fall River, I've found that the library's atmosphere is great, a lot of books to…read moreread, comfortable chairs and tables, friendly and helpful staff. I've been to this place a few times and I wish I could go again to do my readings.

I visited this library today for the first time. I was drawn in by the old beautiful building from…read morethe outside. They have a gazebo outside that I could picture would be nice spot to sit and read in, in nicer weather. When I walked inside, I was greeted warmly and all the staff that I encountered were friendly. To the left was a room with a table and a fireplace, all decorated for Christmas. It was nice to look at! The library itself is small, but offers a good variety of books. Downstairs is an entire Children's section of books, but also includes a few different play areas. I loved this idea and could see kids having some fun here! This was such a great atmosphere, and I'd definitely be back again.

In praise of…read morePenny The Swansea Library is a wonderful old building. It was built back in 1899 out of huge blocks of lovely granite and just oozes charm and character. Friendly, comfy, useful and interesting. On of the most charming things about the library is Penny the kitty. She is about 14 years old and has spent her entire life in the library; There have been other cats calling this library home before Penny and it's been quite a while since there hasn't been a kitty here. Unfortunately early this year a rather self centered and attention seeking individual with a long history of litigation and desire to get his name in the news decided that he was offended by the presence of this quiet, clean and gentle creature and that Penny had to go. He threatened to sue the library, town and just about anyone else he could think of if Penny wasn't immediately removed from the library. No debate, no compromise. He didn't like Penny so she had to go. Didn't matter what anyone else thought. Fortunately it turned out that little Penny had lots of friends that were willing to take on the arrogant bully. The articles about Penny and the lawsuit went viral and thousands of signatures and letters started pouring in demanding that Penny be allowed to stay in her home. The support for Penny was overwhelming and all the attention made the lawsuit and man seem ridiculous. So as bullies usually do when people stand up to them, the self centered, attention seeking guy decided he was getting far too much attention and stopped his lawsuit. So Penny still sleeps quietly in her little box over the heating vent. Unassuming and beautiful she represents everything good about the library and small town. Good people did something and this time evil and arrogance did not triumph.

Time to retire…read more The Essex Public Library is a cool looking stone library that isn't very large. Built like it could last forever, unfortunately or perhaps fortunately it won't. At least not as a library. The cool looking stone part is fine but the isn't very large part is what dooms it. I'm sure it will survive as something, it is just to cool looking to destroy, but it's library days are almost gone. The library was built back in 1939 and the massive stone walls survived whatever nature could throw at it with ease. Cozy and very pleasant inside, the venerable old library just could expand no further. Just no more room to put computers and other new necessitates. So it was decided to build a new library that is much larger, more convenient, more user friendly and much more modern. It is scheduled to open in 2014. The old library is not very easy to get into, steep stairs get slippery in the rain or snow and it must be difficult for anyone with a handicap to manage. The library is wonderful once you manage to get in, cozy, comfy, with a great sense of history. The stairs down to the kid's department has a fantastic mosaic covering both walls. Absolutely stunning to look at, I hope this somehow makes it to the new library. Yeah, a new library is needed and will serve the community much better. But seeing this building retired will still be sad. Hopefully it can be turned into some type of museum or educational edifice. Time passes and the old fade into the mists of time and the new takes over. Doesn't matter if it's a building or a person, time will always have it's way.

It's a place where I can focus to read and make a work or thinking in create something. I enjoyed…read morethis space for a long time in my first visiting to Tiverton.

I'm challenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island this year and I…read morestarted with Barrington Public Library--I unknowingly set the bar high for the other libraries. I had reserved a room online and the staff was really helpful in helping me find the room. They do hold your reservation for up to 15 minutes if you're running late. The study rooms are spacious, a bit modern, and they even have more upstairs. I found that there were lots of different seats and sort of study spots around the library--wooden chairs, couch like chairs, tables, darker spots, spots by the window, etc. I loved that they had a puzzle that you could help with. I also think it's neat that they have a zone for each age group and it's nicely decorated plus clearly marked sections for different genres and type of books. I took one of their newsletters and quickly found out they have lots of activities each month, some of which I plan to attend. I was also in shock to find that they have a very nice auditorium where they have speakers but also show films. There was lots of parking, the outside of the building is nice, there are some cafes and stores nearby, and they even have a museum in the basement for the town of Barrington (although it does have special hours of operation). I love forward to coming back eventually and seeing how they decorate and organize according to seasons.

Such a good playground especially for a wide range of children. I love taking the kids I babysit…read morefor here because they have two sides of the playground, one for babies/toddlers and another for ages 5 (ish) and up. Makes it very convient to have a little bit of everything for everyone. Theres picnic tables, benches, and covered seating avaiabvle which is super nice.

This library is beautiful. It's always super clean and organized. The people who work there are…read morekind, knowledgeable and super helpful. It's always decorated for different holidays and seasons too. They have a large selection of children's books which I loved when I taught third grade just across the street! They have lots of private rooms that I used to tutor in for years. The amount of events that they host for the town is amazing too. It's such a good local library!

The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, whether they are dealing with young children or…read morethrough to the older adults! Always clean and having events for the public! So glad I started reading again!

Being the nerd that I am, I came here the day after my birthday. Since last year, I've been…read morechallenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island. This was the 11th one I visited. My friend and I came on a Saturday morning. I don't think they have a parking lot, but we found street parking right by the entrance. It reminded me more of an admin building when I walked in. To the left is a book sale, and to the right are the stairs to the main floor. There were lots of happy kids in the children's section. Down the hall, they have the walls lined with lots of information, including subsidized tickets to different events and places including the bird sanctuary nearby. They also have an extensive and well diversified library of tools and equipment to loan for a week including sporting gear, home repair tools, yard tools, games, and even a telescope. I was impressed. On my way out, I also saw a an ad for a free account to Mango through the library, which is a language learning platform (perfect for my journey to learning French).

Parking is easy behind the building. Staff are always so kind and sweet. The children's area is…read morealways such a treat for my kiddos to go visit and enjoy a little play time with friends.

This is my favorite library in the greater Providence area. The selection is great, and the…read morelibrary feels open, spacious, and clean. It is easy to find what you are looking for. Of particular interest to me is that the SciFi-Fantasy section is one of two book types arrayed around the circular computer section in the center of the library, making for very easy browsing. Either because the library isn't very busy or they are great at keeping up with their book orders they always have an extensive selection of new fiction (which you can only check out for 10 days). There is a lot of seating spread around the library, although plugs for laptops are few. This library has at least 20 computers so there is always space available if you didn't bring your own. One particularly nice feature is that even though it is only one floor, the teen's section is closed off and the kid's section is on the other side of the front desk/bathroom areas, so the library is quiet even when children are using it. Bonus: I've never run into anyone super smelly or shady at this library!

I am challenging myself to visit more of the libraries around the state. I had time to spare and I…read morewas in the area so I decided to stop by. There is a few parking spaces right in front of the building, a bigger lot at the rear of the building, and plenty of street parking so lots of options. I am not sure if the park is part of the library but there is a grassy area with a huge tree in the center and a play house in the far back for kids to play. I noticed the fish tank when I walked in, and later, their library of things (appliances, games, gadgets, etc. to borrow) caught my attention. There are a few good things in their collection, but it is a bit less impressive compared to other libraries. I noticed they had a plant corner which was really cool and were giving seeds away to encourage patrons to garden. The computer lab is in the center of the library, with tables to study along the perimeter of the library and books scattered throughout organized by genre. There is a rack with puzzles where you can freely take a box and give a box which I think is a good exchange program for those like myself who like to do puzzles but not store them. I am sure there were other cool things about this library but I did not do much more exploring. I think it was one floor only. There is a kids section and they do have clean bathrooms.

i always forget my old phone number and they help me find my account to issue a new card its niceread more

Wow! Such a beautiful library for a small town. My daughter was in the local hospital for a week…read moreand the very friendly librarians helped me with a temporary library card. They have a fair fiction section but lots of other useful amenities such as a computer area and games and movies you can check out as well. Huge parking lot, clean quiet space to work, plenty of materials on loan. Libraries are the best!

Excellent staff, overall good variety of books, videos, magazines, etc. The SAILS system is a great…read moreresource for getting materials that they might not have. I have been able to get books from other libraries thanks to a staff that is interested in doing the search required. BRAVO !

Beautiful public library. They kept the interior relatively untouched from the ages. Lots of…read morehistorical paintings. Parking lot is on the other side of Pierce St. Open Sunday - Thursday. Closed Friday/Saturday. Second floor is all librarian offices but the main seating area offers a quiet space to do work. Fast wifi. Computers for use. 2 quiet rooms are available for reservation via the front desk. A decent selection of popular and new works. There's a small courtyard area to the right of the library (on the main street) with benches. Staff is helpful and nice!

What a sweet little library! I found myself in Downtown Warren a few days ago with some time to…read morekill, so I decided to Google Maps where the local library was. Turns out that it was a convenient two blocks away from the Coffee Depot where I was hangin', so I decided to take a stroll and check it out. The George Hail Free Library may be small-ish, but the building itself was gorgeous (according to the librarian, it's about 132 years old!), and it was fun to walk around in the Beauty and the Beast-esque space and channel my inner Belle for a bit! There are amazing stained glass windows and meticulously preserved vaulted ceilings. It's almost reminiscent of an old church from the turn of the century. Pretty cool! The library is undergoing some repairs and renovations to the upper floor and the roof, so the shelves on the first floor are jammed with fiction and nonfiction books. It was a little bit cramped to walk around, but I managed. I unfortunately didn't have enough time to sit and read, but the worn leather chairs near the periodicals section looked inviting, and I will definitely take a seat there next time! The George Hail Free Library is part of the Ocean State Libraries system, so you can take out any of their books or media and return it at a different library in the system as well. Very convenient and much appreciated! A hidden historic gem in Warren that's definitely worth a visit!

A stunning memorial…read more Back in the early 1880's Martha Hail decided she wanted a lasting memorial to her husband, George Hail, so she decided to donate money to have a library built in his honor that would have his name on it. Like most of the grand libraries built during this time period it was more than a place for books. It was a stunning building made of blocks of granite and constructed in the Romanesque Revival style that seemed popular at the time. The library was complete in 1888 for a total cost of around 16,000 dollars. Seems like a ridiculously low sum now but back then it was a whole heap of money. Several other wealthy people also donated money for the completion of the building. The library is indeed stunning, both inside and out. This period of grand library building sort of reminds me of what the Egyptian Pharaohs were doing in the 4th dynasty, building massive memorials that would last forever. It not exactly forever, then for a long, long time. The library is wonderful to look at from the outside and the inside is just as amazing. Beautiful stain glass windows, lovely staircases, beautiful furniture and art and even a cool owl watching over things. The library was renovated in the late 1970's and much of it was restored to it's original appearance. It is truly a beautiful library to admire from both the inside and out. It might not last as long as the pyramids but it will definitely be around for a long, long time.