an okay library ... more for academic purposes (obviously, being a part of university of london)…read more it's hard to find 'normal' books here so unless you're writing an academic paper or history of art essay, it'll be less helpful. there are great study spaces though and membership comes free with being a student.

The towering structure of Senat House Library dominates the skyline of Russel Square. Someone told…read moreme the building was even used for filming in one of the Ghostbusters movies, though I'm not too sure if this is true. With one of the largest collections available in the UK, Senate House Library is popular amongst students and academics alike. Situated in UCL's main campus, access and borrowing privileges are restricted to those affiliated with the University of London or those permitted for research purposes. I didn't use this resource enough when I was a student and this is one thing I deeply regret. The working environment is excellent and, once you get used to the rather higgeldy-piggeldy layout, it's very easy to use.

I haven't been a member of a library for quite sometime, and I managed to forget the incredible…read moreamount of free things that comes with being one. I have frequented Hackney Library ever since becoming a member a few months ago. First of all, free films!!! Amazing!! The only problem is that the collection of decent films will only keep you going for a couple of months. The library is probably the only interaction I have with c.d.'s in this technological age. They are free to hire and there is actually some really good stuff. If the c.d.'s and books have not been there for a certain amount of time then you have to pay a small amount to hire them. The book collection is huge and diverse, and the abundance of computers are free to use. There is also scanning and printing available. I can't believe I neglected the library for so many years.

I remember when this library was nothing special, but since they done up the building, this is…read morereally a nice and modern library. Almost feels like a book store. They have a great selection of books and an impressive selection of DVDs to rent. This may no longer be my local area, but I still have my Hackney library card!

I really like this library. It's very conveniently located for me and for many of the residents of…read moreEast Finchley on the High Road. I've always thought that the building looks exactly how a library should look-very old and historic! I think it gives a good feeling for learning. Inside the library doesn't take up a huge amount of the building and is actually qutie small, although they do have a seperate room for computers and children which I think is a really nice touch. The selection of books is pretty good and ordering books from other libraries is relatively cheap and doesn't take too much time. I've always found the staff there to be really friendly and while not always the most helpful of people it's not from lack of trying. Sometimes it feels as though they don't know their product quite as well as they should but they're so polite and friendly that it's difficult to fault them for it.

Great place! Have spent many a rainy day with the kids here. And the rhyme time is a great way to…read moremeet local mums

I really wanted to like this little library tucked away behind Leicester Square that is open to the…read morepublic and has free wifi, but my days of having access to the greatest academic libraries in London has quite obviously turned me into a snob. It's in a pretty and historic building; it has reasonably comfortable seating; it has free wifi; its location is tops, but its reference books aren't of any use to me and it only has one toilet. Really? I mean, really? Just one toilet? This is inconvenient, especially as some people come to the free reference library JUST to use the toilet. They should just rename the place Free-Public-Toilet Library.

An excellent reference library they also have play readings…read morehere & I get my free copy of West End Extra here too

Love this place. Located just off the high road behind the church…read more A beautiful, traditional building with a great selection of books regularly topped up with the latest titles. Separate child's library so kid's can enjoy their books and adults can do the same but in peace and quiet.

My mum always points out how amazing it is that the local libraries cater for adults as well as…read morechildren. Even more, she is always amazed at the facilities Londoners are offered, when you compare to the lack of them in El Salvador, I can understand her astonishment. It is especially great that the children's section is so complete, and that taking books out is free! (as long as you are registered) It is a good place to take your little one for her to socialise with other children and for you to take a breather from being alone with your child. On Mondays there is an event were a lady reads and plays songs to the children. It is on a first come first serve basis so be there early if not they might not let you in. It has happened to me before. Books are great for the grown ups and there are plenty to choose from, as well as, free internet access, CDs and DVDs to rent (for £1 or some for free). I have become more of a bookworm because of this library, and I guess that can't be bad...

Libraries are an endangered species with the rise of e-books and this one provided a nice sanctuary…read morefrom the bustling markets and foot traffic on Church Street. We were strolling along Church Street looking for antique door bell / door chimes - long tubular ones, but for the love of Gordon Ramsey's prix fixe lunch, I had a ticking time bomb in the back of my pants. This area, which is not far from the nice Regent's Park and the London Business School, seemed a bit dodgy. Wedged between stores selling grocery, sundries and other foodstuff on a street that is known for antiques, I was surprised to find a public library here. To my further surprise, their bathroom downstairs was super clean. After I destroyed the bathroom, we walked around the small, yet sufficient, library. After all, I'm not a hit-and-run type of girl. The guy checking out books was friendly and there seems to be a good variety of media (books, CD/DVDs, internet) with enough interesting topics to keep me reading for months. There are separate floors for adults, young adults and young children so everyone can enjoy the library within their age group. I hope the locals keep this library alive.

Extremely disappointed with the leniency in this library. I have complained several times about the…read morenoise people make, but to no avail. You've got one person snoring in the distance, another arguing (virtually screaming) at his wife in the middle of the library, and a person who thinks its okay to have a loud 20 minute phone call. I have yet to see a staff member ask them to keep it down. You need to put a strict policy in your library, and kick anybody who isn't cooperating out of the library. It is tedious having to travel to Paddington library when Church Street Library is a minute walk from home, in order to get exactly what I should be getting from ANY library: SILENCE.

The King's Maughan University is one of my favourite university libraries. It was near my campus…read moreand I would often head there to do some work. It is in a large handsome building between the law courts and Fleet Street. The library itself is similarly large, and seems to house Kings Humanities collection. It is a decent collection, and LSE is across the road if you need other social sciences books. The mix means that you can get a reading book if you get bored of your work. Rather than having large swathes of seating there a lots of little tables, and small seating rooms. The seats are incredibly comfy and there are dividers so you don't feel exposed. It can sometimes be a little chatty but if you need to crack on there is a beautiful dome roofed quiet work room on the ground floor and higher up there are individual cubical like offices where you can really concentrate. There is also a café in the basement where you can go for a break. Additionally, Kings Students are largely very friendly and there is a nice atmosphere about the place. The Kings Maughan Library is a great library that I would encourage ULU members and academics to make use of.

In a word, stunning…read more The building housing the Maughan library is absolutely magnificent. Housed in a 19th-century Gothic building, the library is beautiful and filled with period pieces both inside and out. However, because the library is in a grade II* listed building, nothing about it can be changed. Therefore, as a researcher, the labyrinthine stacks are not only intimidating; they are downright frustrating. No matter how many times one looks for the Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, one inevitably finds oneself wandering around the first and first-mezzanine levels cursing under ones breath at the journal's seeming elusiveness. (And if one is looking for a journal title starting with a Z for the first time, (s)he will be baffled to find it on the opposite side of the library and on another floor with respect to the REST of the library's journals after bewilderedly wandering around the majority of the library's journal titles for 30 minutes. Infuriating.) More often than not, I find books I desperately want to consult are checked out, and the library's holdings aren't as numerous as those at the Senate House Library. While the interior furnishings are comfortable, contemporary, and functional, the library's mezzanine levels seem to confuse people. That is, they seem to confuse people into thinking if they're on the mezzanine level that they can have rather loud conversations with their friends without disturbing people studying on the main floor just below them. After unwillingly being subjected to conversations about one too many a drunken antic of an undergraduate, the library has left me a little jaded. For this reason, the library is, sadly, simply okay. Considering its beauty, location and history alone, it is a five-star facility.

The Charing Cross Library is on the intersection between Covent Garden, Chinatown and Trafalgar…read moreSquare. It is part of the borough of Westminster and so open its residents, though you can request books for other libraries. The entrance to the building is quite discreet. The library itself is arranged across two floors. On the ground floor are books and DVDs. On the first floor are more books and the computers. The library has a decent fiction section and is notable for its large selection of Chinese language books. Charing Cross library is a small place but does a good job in trying to serve the interests of its community. It is worth visiting, particularly if you are looking for a Chinese language reading book.

This is my local library at work. What distinguishes this library from others is that it stocks a…read morehuge selection of books in Chinese. It also has a lot of manga/comic books, although these are in English and not in Chinese (unfortunately for me, because I am used to reading them in Chinese! Japanese translates better into Chinese than English!) There are two floors, a good selection of books, and they even sort the books into newly arrived, books you should read etc. near the door which I appreciate very much when I am just browsing for a new author. There are computer desks upstairs for use, and mainly reference books and language books there. Stocked downstairs are the Chinese books, Sci Fi/Fantasy/Crime and Children's books. The staff are quite nice and helpful in general, some staff can speak Chinese, of which I'm sure the Chinese community are very appreciative. The book reservation service is also very efficient. They sort it by name and stack the reserved books on a shelf so you can use the self check-out to borrow books. Yes, they have state of the art machines there, doesn't that make you just want to come and visit?