Needham Free Public Library

Favorite things about this library:
– Pretty good CD collection
– Always accepting book donations for their Friends of the Library sale
– Statue out back of a little boy and girl sitting on a bench learning to read
– All the signs around downtown Needham featuring the library. It’s like they’ve decided the whole area is going to be the «library neighborhood»

This is a great library with a lot of resources. I come regularly to check out books and DVDs.
Pros
–staff is generally very helpful and friendly.
–large selection of books and DVDs
–hosts workshops
–lots of computer terminals
–can reserve a room for meetings
–can scan documents for free
–email reminder when your items are due
–you can borrow headphones
–lots of places to sit and study
Cons
–wifi connection extremely slow
–sometimes tough to find parking
–printing is a pain. Machine most of the time does not read my card.
–some of the staff member can be rude, but it’s very very rare.
Overall this is a great library and I wish they would extend the hours that they are open.

I agree with another Unilocaler about the books sales at this library. They are wonderful!!! But this library in general is helpful and always has good books, and Brand New Computers!!!

This is a very nice library– great reading areas and computer areas, great tables and chairs and couches. Also a very cute children’s area with lots of play things for the little ones, including a puppet theater. They almost always like the books I am looking for. But the BEST thing about this library is their book sales. They have them all the time– and the best ones are the bag sales, where you can get a paper bag full of any books at the sale for $ 8. It’s an amazing deal! When you walk in and see all the books laying out before you. it’s like dying and going to book heaven.

I needed a place to study and since my usual comfy chair at Starbucks was full, i decided to try out the Needham library which I had driven past so many times and had never gone inside.
I had my books, walked in and did not notice the no beverage sign, and instead of someone politely telling me there was no coffee allowed, this man YELLED at me in the middle of the library! I apologized and he gave me such an attitude, so I went to the front door and stood there to finish my coffee (because who wants to throw out an entire drink?) and this woman comes over and gives me attitude about it so I apologized and just left. I understand the no drink rule and did not see the sign, but it would’ve been much more polite to calmly say hey, no coffee allowed which I would’ve appreciated much more than someone storming up to me and yelling at me.
I have never encountered such rude people at a town institution welcome to all, and I’m sure it’s a nice place to study, but I am certainly not going back here after the way I was treated.

The Needham Public library is a huge, old fashioned looking building that is thoroughly modern inside. There are plenty of outlets to plug in your own laptop, and lots of computer stations set up if you want to use a library machine.
The space itself is bright and airy, with a huge selection of tables, armchairs, or study rooms in which to spend your day. The library has a large reference desk where any and all questions can be answered, as well as an impressive collection of DVDs and cds for when you’re finished with your work for the day.
The parking lot here is huge. I think there may even be a front and back lot for patrons.
My only issue was at about 3:30, when a local school let out for the day, the library was swarmed and kids were sitting at tables talking on their cell phones, running around, and generally behaving as though they were in a gymnasium rather than a library. If the librarians treated the place more like a library and less like day care, this library would be 5 stars, hands down.