The coolest place in town! NOT just for this suburban mom and small biz owner but for teens…read more(YES!!) and kids and the Mahjong players and.... the list goes on and on. Not only can they get you any book in print thru the vastly superior intra-library lending system in Somerset County, but they have stacks of dvds, classical music cds, audio books, magazines, the works!! AND, they're fun, kind, amusing people who seem to love what they do and the warm, friendly environment they've created here. I had no idea libraries could be like this. It's a new world!!

"Library" My definition: The stupid place where intelligence is stored. I started by trying to…read moredownload a book that was recommended to me by a mentor. The book exists in the Somerset County library system but they only have bound copies. Books? Isn't this 2018 when you just download it to your tablet? Why do we even need these stupid buildings in every town in the county that we pay for and receive no tax money from? I went to the main library branch in Bridgewater. Their copy is out and so is the copy from the Manville branch. It appears that a copy is available in Warren. I travel to Warren and get the number of the book. A very nice librarian with a very loud voice(for a library) directs me the book's location. I bring the book to the desk and then she needs to make a call while checking the book out. She is then tasked with the unpleasant duty of telling me that this copy can not leave the building. Of course I ask what makes this book unable to be borrowed when the others are being borrowed. No reasonable answer, it just can't leave. The librarian offers to have me called when one comes back to either Bridgewater or Manville. I thanked her but said don't bother, I can get it from Amazon for $15.00. As far as libraries go, it is clean, orderly and comfortable. The service was great but the fact that they buy hard copies of books and don't lend them, Stupid! I am convinced that library's just exist so the homeless can escape bad weather and high school students can escape their siblings.

Good library . One of the libraries in central NJ area. There are other libraries in Edison ,…read morePiscataway but I like this one better . Librarian is very polite and helps very well. Location wise it's good . It's just a bit wierd to get to the library with one ways and no left signals . We mostly miss the route and have to take the next turn to get in . Decent collection of books . Could be better but definitely better than other libraries around . Restrooms are clean . Quiet atmosphere around . Good experience overall. 4 stars

Please get the lady at the very front desk a new personality. She is borderline rude and doesn't…read moregreet customers with a smile or hello. She kept my license, called as I was on my.way back and offered no apology. I hate dealing with her.

I came to this library for the first time in a Tuesday to study, the staff was friendly and very…read morehelpful and my first experience was fabulous, it was so peaceful and quiet, I got a lot of studying done. I decided to come again today (Saturday) and it's a totally different experience. I cannot study in this place due to all of the chit-chatting that's going on. This is not just patrons, but staff as well. I might as well have stayed home and endured the distractions there. Long gone are the days when the librarian would tell people to keep it down. This is totally ridiculous, and I'm extremely annoyed.

Love this library. Great place to study during the day or afternoon, and it is filled with awesome…read moretitles and things to keep your mind occupied. I'm interested in the adult book group and in studying here for my current professional cert class online. The system also offers Udemy and Linkedin courses which seem really fun and useful!.

I needed to renew my passport and get a new photo. Who knew that you could do it at the library? I…read moremade an appointment on line. Greg was phenomenal -- a great resource. He reviewed my application and suggested a few things to ease the process. He took my photo, affixed to application and provided an addressed envelope. Greg made it easy. Thank you!

Unlike other branches, this one is location is big and comfortable and the right to silence is…read morerespected as other locations do at the designated area. It has a lot of space for you to choose where to sit to work on your computer and projects or If you want to sit down to read a book, it's always clean and organized but not everything is perfect and it must be emphasized that some Librerians are very rude, especially when giving instructions that not even they know how to use it very well (like how to print from the QR code). They should be a little more friendly and understandable; there are people who do not have the same capacity for knowledge or understanding as they do.

We come here almost every day with my 4-year-old daughter, so this library has definitely become…read moreone of our favorite places! She absolutely loves the children's room. There's so much to keep kids busy -- a play kitchen, puppet stand, LEGOs, little marketplace, toys, and kid-friendly iPads with educational apps. Everything is also very well organized, which I really appreciate as a parent. Their book selection is great too. We especially love the Wonderbooks and Beginner Reader section and almost always leave with a few books to take home. But honestly, one of our favorite things about this library is all the children's events. The programs are educational and fun at the same time, so the kids are actually enjoying themselves while learning something new. Their craft events are especially good. Even the smallest details are planned out so well, and you can tell how much effort the staff puts into preparing everything. My daughter always gets excited about what she made and bringing it home. The librarians are also very friendly and understanding with the kids. They know children are going to play, get excited, make some noise, and occasionally argue over a toy. They are patient about it, which makes a big difference when you're there with a young child. We genuinely love coming here. My daughter gets to read, play, learn, make crafts, and socialize with other kids. When your child actually asks to go to the library, you know they're doing something right! Definitely 5 stars from us.

Amazing place to get some quiet studying done. This place was my go-to spot while studying for my…read morelicensing exam. They have several cubicles (~20 or so) throughout the library with a plethora of outlets for all your charging needs. Several fast & free wifi networks available. They also have a quiet room with tables and a section with greenhouse-styled glass walls (as Pallabi G. mentioned), which doubles as an especially peaceful sanctuary when you're feeling the stress of studying for the biggest exam of your life and need to ponder about life. The staff initially seem a bit unfriendly (no hellos or even eye contact) however go above and beyond if you ever flag them down and need their assistance--anything from information to finding a book. Then again that's just jersey. Lacking of a star: other than 2 vending machines and 1 coffee machine (that were frequently out of order) there are no food/drink options. Any food options in the area are a bit of a drive, so I would suggest getting your morning caffeine on the way and pre-packing lunch if you plan to spend the whole day there. I also wish they opened earlier one or two days a week; they would almost always have a line at the door before their 10 am opening every day.

Large selection of books, and often not very crowded and appropriately quiet. The online…read morereservation setup and the ability to read many well known online newspapers and magazines is a really nice side benefit since they come at no cost. Staff is always welcoming and helpful.

They have a good selection of all sorts of media, the staff are exceptionally helpful, and the…read morefacility is comfortable and spacious. The actual building itself seems a bit older, but it ticks all the boxes. Its something nice to be able to have a well organized place to do research.

I come here with my kids at least once a month. They love it. The children's section downstairs is…read moreamazing, with toys and books and activities for all ages. I've never been to any of their programs, but I do see lots of people using their services. Having automatic renewals, no late fees, and no extra costs for renting media such as games, make this library branch my all-time favorite. Holds are always done very quickly, And I can always find something to read on their online book catalog. Staff have always been super friendly and helpful, although parking situation could be better. This isn't even my local library, but I come to the bound brook branch all the time.

This Library has always been my favorite destination when it comes to choosing a branch. It is…read morealways organized and clean and has a good selection of programs to the public, but lately it seems that the noise has taken over and for those of us who go to study it is likely impossible for those who need to concentrate and the librarians do not seem to mind that a lot.. Just this last week I had to clean gum that was on top of one of the tables around the "Quiet Area". It is very difficult to say but I think I will not be returning for a while until, as in other libraries, people are reminded that there are quiet spaces that must be respected. It is really not my intention nor my responsibility to tell the young kids to behave themselves when it should be part of the library personnel.

I love coming to this branch! There is a wide selection of books available. Whenever I place an…read moreavailable book on hold, it is generally a quick turnaround for pickup. The ease of the app and website make for fast trips. I cannot say enough about the amazing staff!! Everyone is always super friendly and helpful. Shoutout to Lisa M for above and beyond assistance and book recommendations. :)

This library is huge. It's has a great selection and the librarians are friendly and helpful. The…read moreonly problem with it is some of the front desk people aren't very helpful or knowledgable. They're the first people you come upon when entering the library, so it's kind of a bad first impression.

I'm a PhD Candidate in History, so I've been to and used many university libraries... and I love…read morethis place. Rutgers has many libraries (math, science), so it's important to keep in mind if you are doing research that it's collections pertain to the arts/humanities/social sciences. The collections are quite extensive, 3 stack floors, a separate floor for government documents, and another for periodicals. As a historian, I've been very happy with the history collection. If you are a student, if there is a book they do not have, you can request it from another library through inter library loan and they are quite fast! The basement contains Alex's special collections. When I was getting my masters I found them quite useful and the staff both friendly and knowledgeable. They have limited hours, do check the website. On the second floor is the East Asian Library. I'm not familiar with that collection for all the books are written in Chinese or Japanese, but I've heard it has some rare books and the head librarian is an expert. As far as places to study, there are three reading rooms with tables, outlets, and comfy chairs. Artwork is all along the walls and there are plenty of windows thst brighten the room. There is also a graduate reading room. The microfilm readers are also in the basement, as well as scanners and copy services. The circulation desk and access services staff are extremely helpful and friendly. I worked there as an undergraduate and made life long friends with the staff. I popped in recently to do research for my dissertation while home in New Jersey and they recognized me immediately. Is was like I never left. Rose, Jillian, Brian, Megan, Will, Rob are all wonderful people. What's really great about Alexander is that it is public. You can walk in and look at the collections or use selected computers with a guest ID and password. You just can't take the books out of the library LOL! Alexander does offer guest and alumni borrowing, which I think is great. As an alumni, you can get a library card and check out I think up to 25 books at a time. You can also obtain a guest borrowing membership, by paying a certain fee per year. I can't recall the fee of the top of my head, but it's not bad. Parking is annoying. Alexander Library is located in New Brunswick on college avenue. Your best bet is meter parking, where you can park up to 8 hours. There is a parking deck if you are a student or employee with the correct parking pass... but without it I would not pa rk there. Ticket city! I would knock the library down a star for parking but it's just the nature of the city and a public university. This is a great library. Enjoy.

I don't like how formal the library is... it's like why don't you just go by Alex?…read more Seriously this isn't a bad place to study but the parking isn't too good in the area. It got much worse when the meters got removed to put a bike line that it seems rarely gets used. I think the library on Busch and the one on Livingston are much better with easier parking.

The Somerville Public Library just joined the county library system this past January. I was not a…read morepatron of the library previous to the transition, but since the switch I have been greatly pleased by the service and ability to use the services provided through the county system as well as the local branch. I did notice that the tax documents were out for public consumption at a very timely fashion. This library isn't terribly large, but it has an ample number of computers as well as a fair catalog to choose from, both in the literary and visual media. One of my favourite parts is that the library has pretty good hours and is very conveniently located.

Hey, it's a small town and it's a small library, but it's a good one.read more