Cranston Public Library

I am generally a huge fan of spending an afternoon browsing through the stacks in any library. Cranston Public Library on Sockanossett is a small library with a decent selection and a few great reading/​study nooks. Where this library really stands out is in the library staff. I’ve never been to a library with a more friendly staff. They change out the new releases frequently too — so if you are one of those types to just quickly pop in to see what’s new, there is a great selection of new materials right by the front door/​desk.

I have had a library card as long as I can remember and that’s a long time… remember the bookmobile of the 70’s? Since my library account has been accessible online, which is about 10 years. I really only go in to pick up and drop off books. Believe it or not that is often enough for me to still know most of the library staff. Where else can you take out books, movies, music, art and enough get free or discount admission to many museums and local attractions. I treat my library account a little like my Netflix queue. I always request immediately any book or movie I’m interested in. That way I pretty much always have something coming in to read, watch or listen too. I feel strongly that everyone should get a library card and utilize this FREE treasure. In fact, I get kind of suspicious of someone who doesn’t have a card. Fugitive perhaps?

Friendly and helpful staff. beautiful facility. Was picking up and returning books for my mom, so I haven’t any knowledge of the quality of their inventory, but there sure looks to be a lot of books here!

This review is strictly based on the children’s section, not the overall facilities.
Our family is in the process of trying to find a public library with a solid kids section that we can visit woh our baby. Unfortunately, Cranston’s central location did not hit that mark. The kids section is small and not very ‘kid-​ized. By that I mean there are none of the pint sized comfy chairs or clean flooring surfaces you would find in an updated facility. It definitely doesn’t scream ‘love to read!!’. Also, all of their early reader programs are during the week– total bummer for us working mommies.

Solid selection
Good staff
Reciprocity
This is the central branch of the Cranston Public Library system, and has the selection and staff to match. It’s essentially what you’d expect in terms of a library — roughly Carter-​era design, technology about a generation or two behind, modest amounts of light, and shelf after shelf of books lounging in dust-​jackets and Dewey Decimal System sequence. The basic layout is the checkout/​circulation area, a children’s partition with its own dedicated staff resource, new releases and periodicals, audio/​video, and general reference beyond.
On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon, the parking lot was near-​capacity, as a testament to the still-​viable draw of a decent (or better) library. I found some good titles and was checked out efficiently, with three weeks to borrow the books. It’s now common practice that borrowing virtually anything in one library branch entitles you to return to virtually any other branch within the entirety of the Ocean State — so we have that going for us… which is nice.
I like it. My kids like it. Early returns are that you, too, would like it for all of your media-​borrowing needs. Four stars because of its robust offering, and because this is a solid library amongst a community network weathering some hard times despite still occupying a meaningful educational, research, and fellowship niche in modern society.