I came for some magazines and found a movie that interested me. I decided to watch at least half so I stayed 2hs, I went to the 2nd floor for my magazines there was a woman in the desk. But when I got downstairs for almost those two hours NOBODY sitting in that desk. I called the attention at two woman who were passing by one even didn't say nothing even when I said "excuse me" and the other "give a minute" and she never came back I had problems with the DVD but I left it So many walking by and nobody to help. Maybe they are not happy working over there read more

Newton library a big one compared to others I've been to three floors the kids room is good baby area not sure about in the way of if the clean the toys or soak them on a daily basis parking isn't that bad definitely like the coverage for the cars definitely a lot to do and different statues to see all in all pretty nice library read more

The newly renovated children's room is pretty nice! The play area has a lot of building toys, a few younger baby toys, a table for playing with cars, and a large play kitchen (and obviously plenty of books). There's also a parent/baby work and play station for a parent with an infant. For other library needs, the connection to the minuteman network is great for being able to access pretty much everything, and the "Library of Things" is neat. read more

See all

Newton Public Library is great! It is huge, and has so many books. Most of the time when I look for books there, they are available, or they get them for me quickly! They have an entire children's section of the building. I used to go there growing up, and loved it. I also have been there to get books for children since. Additionally, there are many quiet areas to study, read, or work. This includes many private study rooms as well. I worked with friends on group projects there many times. There is plenty of parking in the lot, which is helpful. read more

Here's a tip. If you ever find yourself in Newton, MA watching two grandchildren between the ages of 1 and 3 for the weekend, you really need to know about this wonderful library. We spent a few very pleasant hours there on Saturday and our little grand-kiddies were super entertained. The first floor Children's Room is enormous, with all sorts of tabletop games for the young ones to play with. The variety of books is dizzying, and there are couches and all sorts of leisurely seating options everywhere. But the Crown Jewel of the Children's Room is the organized schedule of entertainment for the kids. We went to the 11:00 am "Story Time" for a half hour of sing-alongs, stories, props, and lots of fun. The kids sang, acted out songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider anyone?), and got their hands stamped at the end to make them feel extra special. The room was full of about 30 munchkins and their parents and it was a blast! read more

See all

Newton Free Library has a long history, dating back to a time when many libraries were private collections -- or even enterprises -- available only to wealthy collectors and blue-bloods. A house that was a part of the Underground Railroad stands nearby. Ask the librarians to tell you which one it is (Hint: It's on Comm Ave). The third floor has a well-stocked Audio/Visual section, chock-full of British television serials, Japanese samurai films, and Kentucky bluegrass. The second floor is home to a decent fiction collection and a solid teen section. This is also where you will find graphic novels, while the teens give you maf side-eye. People have complained about the parking. The parking lot is actually fairly large, but it's *always* filled with cars. I think that speaks for the success of this amazing library. read more

The is a great local library! I've come here when I needed to study and now that I have a son I come here for their story time. The only thing I hate about the library is the parking. You would think the library is popping with the parking lot full but it is shared with city hall next door. There have been times when I waited and circled around for a space for ten minutes. People eventually make their own parking space and park wherever. The times for story time for ages 0-4 changes almost every semester so it's good to just check their websites for updated times. There's lot of open tables and plugs for lab tops to study. They have a few private study/group rooms in each floor but I feel like it's always occupied. There's no reservation process so you have to just wait. read more

Newton Free Library - Childrens room - Libraries Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

Effing. Awesome. Library. NFL makes you feel like you should still be going to libraries, even when you don't because you love the Internet. In addition to all the books, there are DVDs, CDs, and art exhibits too! Requests were easy to do and they had a self-check out station before the grocery store said that it was cool to have one. The staff there is really nice and it's a great quiet place to get some work done. You won't have any trouble finding a good spot. This is one of the reasons why property value deserves to be as high as it is in Newton. read more

This is an AMAZING library. Ok, I'll admit it. I was extremely upset about Newton deciding to close the branch libraries. It was very sad and (in my opinion) a bad decision by the city. YET, it seems this library is able to offer more without the branches operating by the city (and now by volunteers...). The Newton Free Library provides EVERYTHING. TONS of space to do work, huge kids room, HUGE adult book section (more than I've EVER seen anywhere else!), great DVD section (and the way they are organized is brilliant!), a constant book sake, and they even have an art gallery. Additionally, they show movies every month in the Drunker Auditorium. Staff are friendly and hours are great (M-Th 9-9, Fr 9-6, Sa 9-5, Su 9-1). Also, a great place that has a WORKING printer with great computers. Great place. No complaints. 5 stars. read more

See all

Great to study at ! Definitely recommend to any students in the area. There's quiet areas and study rooms available

Among the best libraries in the region -- including gigantic browsing sections of nonfiction and fiction genres for kids and adults. You can also check out a ukelele if you want. Plenty of seats both indoors and outdoors. The website is robust and user friendly. read more

The pros- big and bright with lots of space. Fairly good selection of kids programs and activities to choose from. Convenient location. The cons- always seems a bit dirty and shabby. The children's staff, while knowledgeable, are always so grouchy. I agree with others about the noise- tough to find a quiet space to do work but it is a bustling city library. Parking is tough and I actually find the catalog lacking-especially DVD's. Lots of better libraries In surrounding towns. read more

This library was always noisy and now it is unbearable. Even first thing on Monday morning. I watched for 15 minutes as a grandfather played tag with a toddler through the stacks and reading rooms. I used to take refuge from the noise in the periodical room but that has now been moved to the second floor right outside the bathrooms, pinging elevators and staff lounge. Speaking of staff, they make no effort to lower the volume and in fact, talk at the top of their voices which echo up the atrium. And those bathrooms, even after the renovation they stink as early as 10:00 in the morning. If I owned a car, I would go to Wellesley instead. read more

A beautiful facility with excellent staff. We are very fortunate to have such a large, clean, modern library - it has a well-stocked kids section with lots of scheduled activities, a new teen section, lots of references as well as DVDs if you still do those. People shouldn't let their kids run around and go berserk. It happens, but that's not the library's fault. read more

I've regularly used libraries in Boston, DC, MD, ME, and NH, and this is still my personal favorite. It has a huge selection of books that is very well organized and easily browsable. It also has a good selection of CDs and a decent selection of movies. It's worth your while! read more

Newton is lacking a lot of things, but a good library is not one of them. Even after spending eleven years in this town and even having my first paid job in the Children's Room here, this library continually blows me away. Few other libraries can even come close to the collection this one has, whether you're looking for books that have been out of print for decades or DVDs that came out last week. And even more exciting - that little blue library card comes with tons of perks outside of this building, from free museum passes to access to tons of ebooks. The staff is fantastic and helpful in everything from helping you find a book in the mammoth stacks to organizing events. Basically, if there's one thing Newton got right, it's the library. read more

4.0 Stars Starting with the bad, because it is easier: Wish the hours were better. The HVAC is inconsistent (hot spots, especially in the winter). Some of the power plugs do not work. The parking lot is usually filled and can flood in heavy rain. See, easy! The staff is friendly, helpful, and laid back. The collection is decent (the graphic novels, music CDs, unabridged audio book CDs, and DVDs are what I usually rummage) and it is easy to get any book on the Minuteman Network. There are a handful of study rooms that fill up fast but plenty of other places to setup camp. Free wifi is convenient. I like walking in and seeing the art in the hallway and listening to the concerts occasionally playing. There's also a little cafe for coffee and vittles, but have not tried it. I enjoy rummaging through the book sales and free magazine bin as well as getting rid of old magazines there. We visited often on working weekends, as it was few distractions. This is also our library we go to even though there are many more closer to where we live because we like the staff, layout, and convenience. Compared to some of the other libraries in the Minuteman Network, we like this the best. read more

The best library I've ever been too. I've come here for books I couldn't find elsewhere. I've come to sit on a couch in the periodical section & read magazine. When I've been unemployed, I'd come with my laptop to use the free Wi-Fi and do some job searching. I've studied for professional exams here and done homework for graduate classes. The Newton Free Library is big, clean, quiet & bright. There are tons of small & large tables & desks along the big windows. They have private study rooms. You can always find a spot to plug your laptop in. They have a gallery on the first floor that always has great, interesting artwork from a local artist on the walls. I wonder through here on every visit. read more

This library is great for long study sessions. There is always a place to sit and focus on work with minimal distractions. The study rooms are perfect for group work and easy to book. This library is clean and comfortable so I really don't mind spending hours on end here during midterms and finals. Although the parking can be tricky there is always a steady flow of people leaving so just be patient and a spot will become available​ within a few minutes. However, I am not giving 5 stars because - my goodness - the bathroom situation needs to be improved. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to use the bathroom to find: no toilet paper, no soap, no paper towels, and sometimes just seeing the condition of a bathroom makes me search for another one to use. read more

The facility is great, the staff is not. Time and again when we visit the staff are impatient and unkind. To cite only the most recent example, I was trying to check out a book I had on reserve and was having some trouble with the computer. I politely asked a librarian for help, and she glared at me and said "You can't do that!" then walked away briskly. Other times the front staff have been sarcastic and patronizing; generally if I have to go in I make sure to have a plan and use self-check out so I can avoid being made to feel like I'm always doing something wrong. If you can go somewhere else, do. read more

This is the best library. My kids even love it! We went for one of the song and story classes, my 2 year old had a great time. She loves to pick out her books and scan them to return them. My 8 year old loves the autonomy of picking out his own books. He is now into reading chapter books (which he used to avoid). I love that he is starting to love reading, and I know The Newton Free Library is a big part of that. As a grad student in Vocal Pedagogy, I am always looking for books on voice and voice science. The library has an excellent stock of scores and books on music, and they go out of their way to secure inter library loans for me when they don't have what I'm looking for. Going to the library is now an exciting part of our week! read more

Big. Lots of light. Tons of tables/study space. Free Wi-Fi. Small food cafe with VERY SIMPLE food, but will do for a quick snack. A couple study rooms if you have a group, but I'm not sure if you can reserve them ahead of time. Free parking!!! read more

Normally, the Coolidge Corner library and I are joined at the hip. We're BFFs. We even have those little necklaces with the heart split in two. But when it's time for some serious study time, the Newton Library is where it's at. Shh. . . don't tell Coolidge Corner. The main study area is bright and open. Seating is easy to come by, and outlets are plentiful. I've never had a problem with the Wi-fi running quickly. My only gripe about this library is the staff themselves (and the parking. Oh, the parking. Why is it so hard to get a spot in the middle of the day in suburbia?) The librarians clearly don't understand the definition of "indoor voice" and shout to each other across rooms, or talk to patrons as if they're at a Patriots game. Whisper please. It's a library, people. read more

Great library with tons of areas and options. Fantastic children's section and children's programs. Love the building and location. The staff is usually quite pleasant and they do have an excellent movie collection. The downfall of this place is that there are a lot of people who spend the whole day there and camp out in certain areas which can get in the way of looking in the various sections. Love the movie nights here for my young daughter. read more

Finally made it down to the Newton free Library and was pleasantly surprised. If you're not happy about paying property taxes come here and You'll feel like it's worth it. Everyone was very helpful at the front desk and we look forward to coming with our son often. read more

On the plus side, this library is a beautiful building and has a great selection of books and DVDs. On the negative side, many of the staff members are extraordinarily rude. This library is way overstaffed as it is and there a lot of people just sitting around doing nothing. I have traveled around quite a bit and am a serious library lover. I have never encountered so many instances of sheer attitude and rudeness as I have here. Most of the staff members are perfectly nice but there are a few people that are jerks. Examples are eyerolling when I asked a simple question, refusal to tell me where a room was for a meeting because the meeting was not run by the library and a shelver literally shoving me out of her way. The building is overheated in the winter and inadequately air conditioned in the summer. I think the parking is pretty good although other reviews have complained about it - sometimes it is hard to find a space but it's a good size lot. read more

I love this library - I'm always here doing work or just reading a book. There is a glass roof which of course is so much better than artificial light when working. The staff is very helpful and they have a great selection of books and DVDs - better than the Boston Public Library, I think. They have a reasonable sized parking space, which is very helpful. read more

First off, I should say, I'm a really big fan of buying books. I really like the feel of a fresh book, cracking the spine for the first time, etc... But, with as much as I love to read, and given limited dollars and bookshelf space, I've been trying to be better about going to the library. Did you know they'll give you books for free?! In an effort to consume and accumulate less, the library has to be key on anyone's list. Enter the Newton Free Library. They've got everything I could be looking for! Books to learn new chess moves? Check. Personal Finance guides? No problem. Their new book section is top notch. And then as of late, I have been taking major advantage of the AV room. Good DVDs of popular TV shows abound! Personally, I've been making my way through the complete seasons of West Wing. The website is also really easy to navigate and easy to search stuff to put it on reserve. As long as you've got a Mass ID, I think you can get a card for Newton, even if you're not a Newton resident. Go to this library, and learn from books! read more

Amazing library! 3 levels with sofas, study carrels, dedicated children and teen sections, and beautiful artwork. Foreign language section pretty hefty and leaning towards Russian. Definitely stop by if you're in Newton. read more

Great facilities, nice ambiance. However, be aware that the group study rooms are not for groups.. Yes, that's the perfect logic of the director of the library... A single person was occupying the group study room and when we (a group of 3 people) asked her nicely to leave the room because we needed the group study room she refused and went to see the director of the library. The director not only didn't support us but treated us with really bad manners. It's really a shame, since this is one of my favorite libraries in the greater Boston area and I'm going there quite a lot.. read more

Newton Free Library - The group study room ('reserved for group study only'!!) that is not a group study room according to Newton free library.. - Libraries Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

Why do you even go to Blockbuster when you can just take out movies from the library for free? The Newton Free Library has the widest selection of films, including hard to find ones (Hello Cassavettes box set)! Not to mention that the book thing this place has going on is great. Ton of those things if your into that. read more

Great library. If they don't have a book, they'll generally get it via inter-library loan or even buy it, if you can make a good case for it. I'm also a big fan of the online book reserve system. Library building is pleasant, though I do wish they'd control the little kids who run around. Of course, that's really up to their parents. read more

Best library I've ever been to. Beautiful building, great staff, and tons of quiet places to study. What truly makes this a stand out library is their movie collection. Holy cow. If you ever feel sad and nostalgic about having to browse for movies online instead of in a video store, COME HERE. They recently separated their movies by genre so it actually feels like a video store now, plus their collection is more phenomenal than any blockbuster I went to as a kid. And the kicker? They're all free, and dvd rentals last a week! And you can get as many as you like (up to 65 I think). Criterions, foreign films, and blu-rays galore! Also video games if you're into that. I'm so lucky I work and live close by! read more

As much as I love my home library in Wellesley, this might be my favorite in the Minuteman system (despite being the only one where parking is often an issue). The selection of CDs, especially jazz, as well as DVDs brings me back again and again. Also a much larger foreign language books section than most local libraries. read more

REGARDING THE MAY ART EXHIBIT, 2014 The NFL is a wonderful place to study, read and contemplate the meaning of life for an afternoon or two. It has always been one of my favorite venues since I could drive and get there on my own at the drop of a hat! However, this May the library has stepped up its game for sure-at least until May 29th. It has joined the ranks of the the famous art galleries like that of the MFA and the Louvre with the delightful and wonderfully pleasing artwork of the talented local artist, Rebecca Wallach's exhibit hanging within its walls for the next week or so. You must get there to see the work of this young, bright artist. It is different, fun and warm. It certainly deserves your time and is appropriate for all ages, of course. Hurry before it leaves the NFL and ends up further away, where you'll have to do more than just drive down Walnut Street and walk in the doors of the NFL to have a complementary casual viewing! This young lady is headed for the big league! Keep your eyes open you will see her work on the Sotheby's Auction Block soon enough. I'm sure of it. read more

ive been 2 many libraries across the nation but this one is high on the all time list. i would have to say its better than the BPL copley sq. Its nearly as big, cleaner, not as much computers but has less people in there at any given time compared 2 cop sq so it works out. all in all, i luv it. read more

Very Very Very good library. The only-thing holding me back from the 5 star rating is the fact that the library has limited hours on the weekends, and in the evenings, especially since i like studying at night. The library has great desks and tables, and even private study rooms. The kids section seems to be a popular section, but despite it's popularity, the noise miraculously does not spill out to the rest of the library. The book selection is good, parking is pretty easy, and they even have free magazines that they give away at the front of the library. read more

Pretty good library i think. It's usually quiet (just like it's supposed to be), there are books and movies in many different languages, the clerks are usually nice, but the best part is that it's free. The big pain is the parking. There is a small parking lot next to the library and that's it. Way too small. read more

This library looks nice and has a large collection of books but as far as studying goes, this is not a quiet library at all. As a student, a quiet environment is key for studying. Not only are the staff loud but they do not try to keep the library quiet. The majority of the time, the staff are louder than library users. I've seen and heard kids screaming and people socializing loudly and they will totally ignore it. What a shame. No wonder why there are group study rooms being taken up by 1 person. What not? Since that is the only way you will be able to study without distractions. By the way, the groups study rooms can not be reserved by library users and it's on a first come first serve bases. You don't have to be a party of 2 or more to use it. read more

My God, this place is a dream come true for a person who needs to work in a quiet spot far from home for a few hours. The library is clean, airy, and bright, with windows overlooking beautiful trees. Wifi and electric outlets and desks aplenty. The decor makes you feel you are working at an art museum or some other swanky place. I often have to be in a neighboring town for work with several hours to kill before meetings - and this is a great place to hole up during that time. Plus, it is walking distance past a beautiful cemetery to Whole Foods if you need a snack. read more