this library is classy inside and kept in great order. friendly old woman working. nice and clean…read moreambiance. would recommend overall

I really like how organized the children's books area is laid out and also how the books are…read morepresented. Very clean and fun toys for the kiddos to play with.

Love the public library! You can request books via the MVLC app and they notify you when your books…read moreare available to pick up in person! So convenient! COVID precautions taken seriously, highly appreciated.

A library by the…read moresea This quaint and lovely library is actually in a town really called Manchester By-The-Sea. I guess they really wanted every to know that the town is indeed right on the ocean. The library was completed in 1887 and is built from New England ashlar stone. Designed by the famous New York architect, Charles Makim, it is a wonderful and lovely library that has hardly changed during the decades. A children's room was added in 1965 and some renovations done in 2005 to bring it into the 21st century, but most of the library still looks, feels and probably even smells like it did when it was built. A relatively small library, it's certainly not a place to find some obscure tome or do some serious research. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the anachronistic ambiance and décor. All kinds of cool paintings, sculptures, lighting and woodwork all over the place. Everyone here is friendly and talkative and it's as much as a meeting house as it is a library. Small, cramped, and difficult to walk in places upstairs, there are books and stuff placed where ever there is room. A very, very cool and unique library, one that seems so right for a quaint and odd little town called Manchester By-The-Sea.

The best librarians around - incredibly dedicated to helping you find just the right book - their…read morekids' recommendations never fail! Amazing "library of things" to try at home like a GoPro, giant lawn games, an inflatable outdoor movie screen and a ton of board games. Free online NYT Cooking subscription plus access to tons of other online magazines, a CreativeBug subscription for craft how-to videos, and so much more. Free museum passes are key if you have kids!

this library is very small overall imo and is pretty quaint and quiet. selection isn't very grand…read more Their hours are pretty good not terrible but not outstanding. Staff were friendly.

Great memories here! Wonderful selection of books! Loved bringing my kids here when they were…read morelittle. Children's librarians were super sweet. Good graphic novel section, too. A great resource for us in Beverly.

This library has great story hours, my kids love them. I overheard some nannies, at the story hour,…read morementioning how much the kids they work with also love the story hours here. And the story hours are offered at more varied times than many other public libraries.

This is a great library. It was quiet and a great place to study. The study room I used was clean…read moreand well kept. I will definitely be back here.

this library is pretty nice. the upper floor is very creaky and even a bit shaky. the ambiance is…read moreokay. staff were nice. i think the masks signs still being up in 2023 is a bit extra.

On the other side of Essex Street from the Salem Public Library is the Salem Athenaeum. For the…read moreenjoyment of the tourist as well as the Salem resident is this beautiful building located within the McIntire Historic District. Usually in front of the building is a posting of whatever is current within the Athenaeum. Upon entering the building, immediately to the right, before the central corridor, is the room dedicated to current exhibits. When I was visiting last May, there was a display of 1st edition copies of Mark Twain books from the collection. Further into the Athenaeum is found the shelves of new books for subscribers. It is very interesting to compare this set of books with the new books across the street at the public library. I remember hearing the sounds of Mandarin emanating from the second floor--an example of an activity taking place at the Athenaeum. A glimpse of the lovely rear garden is visible from within the Athenaeum. If you are lucky to be walking in front of this building during open hours, take advantage of the opportunity to spend time inside.

Great subscription library that is available for all. Many lectures, events, and concierge service…read more Gem of Salem!

this library doesn't have very vast study spaces but overall is pretty nice. the layout is pretty…read moregood. nothing crazy tho. they do have a good selection.

Great selection of dvds and has free computers and internet. Really nice insideread more

I was passing by and decided to stop by. This library is in the middle of a neighborhood. It's…read moregorgeous you can see it from far away. It looks like it used to be to be a house and they turned it into a library. As soon as you walk in there in there is a staircase to go upstairs or downstairs. This place is bright nice and open . It's very clean and they have a lot of new books. I went on a warm day and the air was blasting. Very nice library highly recommend checking out if you're in the area.

I love this library a lot. Personal is friendly and helpful. They do their best to do pleasant…read morethings. Recently they organized seeds bank - it was great idea! I hope they do it again in spring.