New Canaan Library

Just About the Ideal Small Town Library
You could literally conduct an entire business out of the New Canaan Library, which I believe some people have. Or write a Master’s thesis. The resources here are amazing given the size of the town, and the whole thing is laid out in a comfortable and friendly environment.
This is not one of those stuffy libraries where you have to shh all the time. (Do they still actually exist, in the days of cell phones?) It’s a modern, comfy place. Carpeting, soft chairs. Easy lighting with big windows. Automatic doors that you don’t have to lean into to get open. Staff that have been there forever and seem to love their job. Big smiles. A big collection given the size of the town. Unlimited internet, and you’re almost always guaranteed to get a computer for as long as you need. Ideal location in the middle of the village.
One secret is the upstairs study room. Sometimes I think I’m the only person who knows about it. You can be undisturbed as long as you want. Ask the reference librarian for the key.
I know this place like the back of my hand, and have only two issues with the New Canaan Library:
1) Sometimes things get a little too loud in the Internet area. People singing along to YouTube, etc. I’m not sure there’s anything the staff can do about that.
2) The architecture does get a little drab sometimes. Blame the 70s (or whenever it was built).
The new Darien Library is more grandiose, chic, and has a bigger collection and a café. But it’s also less cozy and not easily walkable from the downtown like the old one, a weird decision. The Darien Library is for research; the New Canaan library is for hanging around for a long time, days on end.