Totally agree with everything vixff said, but I'd just like to add that you can also pick up new…read morerecycling bags (the orange ones), and leave used batteries at the library (I never knew what to do with these before). They also have a selection of daily newspapers, magazines, and information about local activities and event. Local artwork is on display throughout.

This is generally a great library with a good kids section and a good reference section. It is also…read morevery quiet so is an ideal place for studying for exams and the like. The librarians are always helpful and knowledgable and can help you find a book, order one in or reserve one. Overall a great library.

For a small local library, this place is really quite cool. I always liked the vibe of this…read morelibrary, it's "split", if you like, into two parts - the reference library and then the main library. The reference library is nice and quiet, a perfect place to research, study or read. The staff are helpful and the surroundings make you feel your in the inner sanctum of old newspapers and manuscripts - I really like the heavy old wooden interior. The main library is much more modern. There's a great selection of books and you can use the internet here too but I much prefer reading in the reference library. Overall, a great place for books. I used to love coming in here to read and reflect, a brilliant local library.

Really cool library. Good selection and nice atmosphere…read more And they are so high-tech! I was late returning a book last week, so they emailed me with a reminder and a link to renew my books online! So easy and so convenient!

This is a great library with really helpful staff! They have…read morehomework clubs, baby song groups and creative activities. You can check your own books in and out. The CD and DVD library are very good. Their are computers available and a photocopier. You can park in the car park to the rear of the building.

Following the long awaited refurbishment, Eltham Library is now located within the new state of the…read moreart Eltham Centre. The Eltham Centre integrates the library with a leisure centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, a cafe among other things besides. Talking purely about the library itself, I am pleased because they have bought more computers for us library users. I like the new self-issue terminals, so you can check books in and out by yourself and I like the fact that they have a quiet study area for people to use. They have even got scanners and CD burners to use, which is remarkable, because you don't tend to get those type of IT facilities in many libraries.

If you can remember the rather eccentric opening hours this library is actually a bit of a find…read more The staff are not fast but they are friendly. The book range isn't great but and this is why it gets a mention they will order you any book from any where in Lewisham and it always gets there really fast. It has free internet access as well so instead of going to one of the internet stores you can surf the net in relative peace and its usually completely dead here. Ok I know it's a pretty standard library offering but its always empty so go in and get a book

New Cross library is a vital resource for this area. It is a small but perfectly formed library,…read morewith a good range of books for all ages and requirements. They also have a good selection of CDs for different musical tastes. There are some table and chairs available for quiet study. It is a quiet library, but it is well used. There are about five computer terminals for free Internet access. The opening hours are a bit limited, but what do you expect from a small library, so I won't be too harsh about that. I have found the library staff to be very helpful too.

Chislehurst library is a lovely quiet library. It has a really good selection of adult fiction,…read morenon-fiction and children's books. It has got great Reference materials too. You can get free Internet access here, without even needing to get a library card, which is great. They have a lot of local information and leaflets, which they keep up to date. All in all, a great library.

The Chislehurst library is the idealistic library. It is exceptionally quiet and offers the…read moreadvantage of having a few computers. There is an amazing range of books from reference to fiction to non-fiction as well as children's books. Anyone is welcome there due to the range of books and there are areas for children to sit and read. It is also very well situated because it is next to a primary school which will encourage all aged children to read. The library is perfect and is suited to anyone and I would definitely recommend it as your local library and it would be for a very long time.

A small library, this is never going to be able to live up to its bigger cousins in teh area, yet…read moreit's a brilliant local resource for kids and people who don't mind waiting for their books to be ordered (or taking random pot luck). The building itself deserves a mention; stunning old Victorian redbrick, with a modern scultpure outside that draws the eye in. The children's section has vastly improved of late; when I first took my son there it was just a few scrappy and well-worn books; now they seem to have lots of new stuff each time we go back. The online resources are always well-used and they have lots of activities throughout the month for library users. A nice oasis in Crofton Park.

This is a great resource for the locals in this area. Admittedly, it is a smaller library so of…read morecourse the selection of books available is limited in comparison. I was however impressed with the number of computer terminals available for people to have free Internet access. I also like the fact that this library makes a real effort to attract children and families to the library. There are regular Under 5 sessions and story-telling events that take place. Despite its size, I still think this place is a gem!

A wonderful library space with a lot of useful books, in multiple languages as well (e.g Mandarin…read morefor example). It is worth getting a library card or coming for a visit just to check out the books or work in the space - it's the same building / door right next to the one to Canada Water station. It's right across from the mini lake by the station, so has pretty views. Sometimes there are children's events on the first floor of the library which involve singing and shouting, hard to concentrate in the rest of the library when that occurs. Three stars is mostly because the internet is unusable. It's unfortunate because otherwise the library would be a perfect space to work. The WiFi is unsecured but requires a pop up log in page to access. In the case you are able to get the log in page to load and enter your library card password log in after 30 minutes of waiting, you'll probably promptly get dropped off of it. There are various coffee shops and restaurants in London capable of hosting a WiFi connection that works for the same amount if not more people, why not this library?

The new Canada Water Library is amazing! Especially from the outside! My hubby and I think it looks…read morelike a Sand Crawler out of Star Wars, which gives it a big tick in our book and we hadn't even been inside yet! I was slightly disappointed that there wasn't a bigger fanfare about it opening (opened in November), but that might be because I don't read the local news! This library is really convenient, being right next to the tube station. It's also very well designed, with a coffee shop on the ground floor and some conference rooms/meeting rooms that can be rented out. The library seems to have a big range of books and it all feels very informal. On the upper floor, they have the special interest books, study areas and a lounging area with a great view of the pond. It's also a self-service library (like the Idea Stores in Tower Hamlets), which means (hooray!) no queuing! The variety of books seems wider than Idea Stores, which already appeals to me. I'm really happy to have a library which is so close to where I live!

My fascination with words and language comes from My Pop. When he came home from work, after dinner…read moreI would sit on his knee and read or try to read the paper with him. I thought that was fun, but my favourite day of the week was Saturday, because that's went we went to the library. I always left with at least three books which I devoured and that is how I came to love libraries. In the past few years I've been dismayed by systematic closure of libraries across the country, targeted by short-termist local councils looking for easy budget cuts. Luckily for me my local library is still open for business and it's not half bad. It's friendly, vibrant and a nice place to visit. The library is housed within the Croydon Clock Tower Arts Centre which is a truly beautiful building. The librarians are helpful, if a little stern, but maybe that's just me reacting to having to be quiet for once! The children's section in the library is bright, cosy, well stocked with old faithfuls and a few newbies as well. If you're a student it's not so great, as I found out when I was at night school, getting my degree awhile back. A lot of the standard text books I needed were out of date (an unfortunate testament to those darn council cuts!) and the computers (which you have to book) aren't strictly top of the line. Photocopying costs 5p a sheet, buy yourself a photocopier card if you are photocopying chapters and also to save you messing around asking for change! Overview the library may not be the coolest place in the world to hang out, but it remains an essential part of our local community and I hope it remains for many years to come.

Croydon Library really sets the standard for public libraries. Located across three floors in…read moreCroydon Clocktower, with a separate children's library on the ground floor, it really has something for everyone. In addition to the books, CDs and DVDs (which include films, instruction videos and recordings of opera and dance), the library also houses a local studies section with extensive records of Croydon's history, as well as the tourist information office. Internet access is free and there are lots of computers for public use; if you have your own laptop, you can also take it along and borrow a circuit-breaker to plug it in. Desk space can be at a premium, however - particularly at weekends and during school holidays. Overall, though, it's an excellent resource and something I'm quite proud to have in Croydon.