The Georgia Historical Society is housed in Hodgson Hall, the headquarters and main library of the…read moreSociety and this building was designed by architect Detlef Lienau, being built in 1876. The Society itself was incorporated in 1839 and now holds the world's largest collection of materials germane to Georgia history. Hodgson Hall is a delightful building with a commodius interior and fine iron-work on the exterior, making a visit feel like a trip to a grand library at one of the world's great universities. Architect Lienau, though German-born, was one of the founders of the American Institute of Architects and though not as well-known as some of America's nineteenth-century architects, did some very innovative work including this building and it is fitting that the Historical Society is housed in a building of such note and merit. The collection itself is not only large but varied and while a lot of it understandably concerns the colonial and Civil War periods of Savannah's lengthy history, it also has interesting architectural and social content regarding the modern and contemporary history of the city and region. The Society also conducts frequent talks and events including special programs for schoolkids, partnerships with local colleges, and other efforts at outreach.

It's a beautiful, historic building, older than the whole city of Seattle (hey, Seattle is where I…read morelive, I can't avoid comparisons) (and yes, nearly all of the buildings in downtown Savannah are beatiful, old and historic, bear with me), and one of the perks of majoring in history at Armstrong in Savannah is that eventually you'll be admitted to the innermost sanctum of the Historical Society (after getting a membership, of course). You won't be able to do your Methodology paper without access to the boxes kept in a climate controlled environment that you have to sign for and can't leave the building with, but it's worth it to leaf through the 90 year old Grand Tour diary of the 10 year old son of a doctor who was one of the earliest users of the X-Ray. I think he died of radiation poisoning. Imagine that. It's a cool and quiet library with big wood tables, little lamps and a gallery running around the room. Just what you'd picture. The people working there are cool, quiet, smart and helpful, and if you appreciate libraries, history, books, and/or architecture, you should visit.

A great library with fun kid programs! I have also rented out their rooms for public functions and…read morehave had questions answered in a timely manor and the process is simple to use!

Stunning library! Amazingly huge windows inviting an intimate view of the trees from within as…read morewell as the beautiful architecture of the surrounding historic structures.... Very helpful staff.

Let me start by saying , how can a library not get five stars it's a self-service place . If you…read morehad a negative view of the library maybe you need to look deep inside yourself. The staff is super nice and if you'd like an item that's not available they'll have it shipped to any one of the libraries throughout the entire county . They even have dogs on some weekends and the kids read to them which in turn builds up their confidence. I cook a lot so I get a chance to read and make some of the recipes in the cookbooks & if they're great I can purchase them knowing I made the right choice .

I visit this library several times a month as it is the closest one to downtown Savannah …read more The first floor of the library is the kids section, with the second story dedicated to the adults. The library as a whole is very nice with an extremely helpful and professional staff to assist you. With a Live Oak library account, you can check out and reserve books, DVDs or movies . Children who attend school in the sourounding counties can obtain an account with no overdue book fees. That seems pretty nice This evening I went to see Shawn Gaskell play the Kora (21-string West African Harp) in concert. It was conducted on the second floor of the library. He also explained how the Kora is constructed and told us several stories of his travels in Ghana. As always, I enjoyed my time there and I am looking forward to my next visit.

What a shitty, shitty library system and leadership. Losing a whole county and just how antiquated…read moreservices, offerings, and the collections are is inexcusable.

Excellent. I'd like a better selection of new releases. Perhaps better marked as well. Staff is…read morevery friendly.

Nice airy Library. The checkout desk is very polite and helpful. I get most of my books through…read moreHoopla so I am not aware of the complaints about limited selections.

It is smaller but nice the vibe- it has Beaufort historical things there -…read moreStaff is knowledgeable and friendly There is parking but it's usually full- I park At city lot and walk up. They have a few computers to use

Five stars for a comfortable library where I was able to connect and get some online work done…read more This is a big library (certainly bigger than McClellanville but not as big as Mount Pleasant) but it absolutely had everything I needed today. It would be nice if the parking was free, but I guess too many people were parking in the library lot all day and going elsewhere. I found a work carrel where I could plug in both my laptops, though it was a bit of a stretch to the power outlet (I need to start carrying a small power strip!) but quiet. I took a Zoom call or two here without disturbing anyone and still got a bunch of work emails done. Lots of books, DVDs and reference materials. Of course, you need to be a local resident to borrow any of that but anyone is allowed to use the library and the wifi is free for anyone to use. [Review 19473 overall - 1045 in South Carolina - 443 of 2023.]

What a cool looking library. The exterior signage is very…read morestrong. Simple and strong. Savannah is a great city, especially after that bore fest called CHARLESTON.

The kids section at this library is everything I ever wanted as a child! Great place do spend an…read moreafternoon especially to beat the heat or rain. The restrooms even have a kids sized toilet which our potty training toddler loves!

I was an avid reader as a child. I remember coming to the library every 2 weeks with my mom and…read moresiblings and spending what seemed like hours trying to find the perfect books to check out. As soon as we checked out our books I was anticipating our next visit. When I walked into the Southwest library that feeling came rushing back. Even the smell brought me back to childhood. There's nothing like the smell of a freshly cracked book and the feeling of physically turning page after page. It's why I refuse to purchase a Kindle. The library is located on the southside of Savannah, basically across the street from Target which is connected to the Savannah Mall. The library is huge! Two floors of books, multiple reading areas, a children's room and so much more. The wonderful lady at the front desk greeted me as soon as I walked in and helped me renew my library card, which is free. You just need your ID in order to receive one and they're good for 2 years. Lots of help was offered to me as I walked the aisles. I knew exactly where to find my book as I browsed the website earlier in the week. But I couldn't help walking the aisles and taking in the moment. The serene quietness was amazing. In a world full of constant sounds it's nice to have a quiet place to visit, even if it's only for a few minutes.

Our library is a fantastic resource for the whole family! The staff is always helpful and kind, and…read morethey offer a variety of activities, classes, and author visits throughout the year. There's something for everyone, making it a true community hub.