Great quiet library. Nice children's section for all ages. The librarians were very friendly.read more

On a bit of a roadtrip down the Connecticut coast, we arrived in New Haven a little after 3pm, and…read moreI knew I had only had a little time before things/attractions closed at 5pm. So after hitting the Yale Center for British Art, we speed walked (sped walked?) over to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Why? Google it and you'll understand when you see the pictures. Beinicke is Yale's rare book and manuscript library - not their main university library or their law library. The reading room is open to registered researchers only, but the public are welcome to visit the library's exhibition hall. And everyone visiting New Haven should! The library was built in 1963, and the the architecture is incredible. The building is a granite veneer shell, fastened to a structural steel frame. Inside that structure is a glass-enclosed tower of book cases. The granite was milled to 1.25 inches thick to allow filtered daylight in - in the afternoon/early evening, the marble turned an amber color. We walked back past it at night for a different view of the building. It is really incredible architecture, and the library hosts exhibits you can see in the exhibition hall when you visit to enjoy the building (when we visited, the exhibit was "Taught By the Pen: The World of Islamic Manuscripts"). The building is incredible and definitely worth a visit if you're exploring the Yale campus!

One of the largest collections of rare books and manuscripts. Rotating exhibits for the general…read morepublic. During my visit, it was testimonies from Holocaust survivors. The general public has limited access, and this will be a short stop for most people, depending upon the exhibit. Let's be honest--most people stop by for a photo op, for the architecture and the huge column of books. I got a few great photos, got to say I've seen it, and it's cool. Worthwhile. If you're in the area.

This library is great. It's beautiful on the inside and spacious for those who are still…read moreconscious of social distancing. There is plenty of room to sit and read or study. My favorite thing about this library is the computer room. There offer classes and there is always a knowledgeable person to help you with technical issues. I bought a new laptop and had problems with my settings :::shaking fist at Microsoft Edge::: and the bearded individual helped me to get the settings right. I really appreciate the available resources and the friendliness this library offers.

This library was my go to place to study during school. I am so glad I had the opportunity to go…read morethere. The facility is immaculate, clean, and well staffed. Went recently and was so delighted to see it remained the same beautiful and dedicated library that it always has been.

Quality library with a nice variety of programs. Saturday social is well attended and well worth…read moreattending.Tom is highly skilled at helping with computer questions. Jamie and Anthony who were are directors at different g times at considering patron requests for programs and both did are doing their best to make this library meaningful to the community during these unprecedented and challenging times

Cute and homey! The librarians here and knowledgeable and helpful. This is a great place to cozy up…read morewith a good book, get work done, or look and see what the librarians are loving reading currently as they have their own section with shelves of current reads. Adorable! I know they're in the middle of renovating the exterior so I can't wait to see that.

Stopped in here with our 3 year old to check out the kids area. The area as a whole is nice,…read morehowever, the kids play room is slightly outdated and underwhelming. The play room was unorganized and the toys were run down and outdated. The book area of the kids section was nice and had some stem activities. The rest of the library looked nice and they had a small concession area which was cool.

This is my favorite and most frequented library so far for studying (and I've been to 9 different…read morelibraries this year). There are 3 floors. The 3rd floor is a designated quiet floor. And the 2nd floor, although it's not specifically a quiet floor, is usually quiet enough for me to not need headphones. Also, because there are 3 floors, I am almost always guaranteed to find a free table. There are over 30 tables throughout the library (not including cubicles). They also have a little eating area on the first floor which is great if you plan on being there for an extended period of time/during a meal time. They have some snacks you can buy there as well. You can eat non odorous snack foods in the library, but if you have a sandwich or got food delivered, you need to eat in the cafeteria area. Overall, this is my absolute favorite library. Plus all the staff has been very kind to me and super helpful. 10/10 would recommend if you need a quiet place to study for the day!

Nice little library m. Staff are very friendly and super helpful. Lots of room for different…read morefunctions.

It has a nice general collection of books and DVD's, as well as a variety of activities. The views…read moreare appealing and there is an outdoor balcony. Wifi works well. But it is not a place for quiet work; both librarians and patrons are very chatty and don't bother to keep their voices down.

I have been going to this library since I was a kid and I love how far the library has come. It has…read morealways been a good library and it continues to improve every tear. The modern, abstract, and colorful re-modeling really makes it stand out. The children's programs are amazing and I wish I knew about them when I was younger. They also have great adult programs which I highly recommend for those looking for free, inexpensive things to do with friends and family. If you are an out of district patron, you are more than welcome to check out books but you do have to go to the Customer service desk to make an out of district card that is good for a year. After you have that you can checkout most of the materials and have access to a select few programs.

My old library is still here and going strong. I grew up in the area and used their resources for…read moremany school projects and reports. Dropped in recently to check it out. They remodeled since my past days here to a more modern design aesthetic. Plenty of programs for children and adults, along with events. A multitude of book categories for those who like to read. Nice seating all around. Even a small cafe here now to grab a drink and snack.

I can't say enough about this library. It's so beautiful inside and out. It's always meticulously…read moremaintained. All of the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. I have so many fond memories visiting this library as a child and getting to see the mummy hand in the attic. The children's programs are excellent, we look forward to attending every week!

A library that will…read more never be built again I have been to a lot of libraries. big ones, small ones, old ones and new ones but i don't believe I have even seen one quite this physically impressive. It looks more like a medieval castle than a library. Being right next door to a 135 foot high obelisk, a cool old fort and great views of the Thames River certainly doesn't hurt. The money for this library was donated by an extremely generous man named Frederic Bill. He made his money in the linen business back in the 1800's and wanted to give back some of it to help his community. He ended up helping to build churches, schools, and of course this library. The library was opened in 1890 and constructed of huge blocks of granite floated down by barge by from the quarries at Stony Creek in Branford, Ct. The library originally held about 1,750 volumes but has grown a lot since then. It had major additions added in 1907 and 1994 and the amazing thing is that the additions blend in so well with the original structure that it all looks like it was built at one time. The inside has all the modern conveniences of most libraries but never lets you forget that you are in a very special place. Something cool to look at in every direction, this is far more than just a place to store books. This is a library that will never be built again. Look inside and you see all types of unique architecture and creative art, if you happen to take a peek out the window you see a monstrous obelisk looming overhead or perhaps an old revolutionary fort. The building, grounds and location are just so damn impressive that the books almost become superfluous. Walk slowly and breath deeply when you go through the doors, this is a very special library.

Wonderful Library! The collaboratory is one of a kind. The staff is friendly and helpful. I'm so…read moreglad we found this Library and it certainly is well worth the drive from Northford!!

As a self proclaimed library connoisseur, this is definitely on my top 3 libraries I've been to…read more The place was huge, like a campus. I've only explored the children's section which is where I spend most of my time because of my toddler. They had clean family bathrooms. There was a book case shaped like a train and a little play train station. There was a baby section for them to crawl in; toys, play kitchen, and train table. I loved that there were little reading nooks built into the walls. In front of the librarian desk, there's a huge play tree where kids can go in it. On the side, a big craft room with blocks and magnetic tiles. They had a fish tank, a tank with worms/isopods, computers, and so much stimulation for the little ones. I'm sure they have great activities, events, and resources as with other libraries. The librarians were friendly; it was a busy Saturday afternoon because it was kind of rainy out. The little kids were being rowdy at one point and the librarian shushed them in a stern but friendly way. All of us parents were trying our best, but things got out of hand when you mix a bunch of little kids together lol. Overall, I wish this library was closer to me, I would be there often!

This place is clean, welcoming, and especially great for families with toddlers. There are regular…read moreevents for little ones, and a dedicated kids' room on the second floor that serves as a fun play area. You can request toys from the librarian, which adds an extra layer of engagement. Plus, the book selection is impressively large, making it a great spot for both kids and adults.

This place is fire I enjoyed the teen section, got my homework done, 10/10 made some new friends…read morewith the librarians and chopped it up with the staff