Cambridge public library Reviews

One of the best all-time libraries in Boston areas!

Beautiful work space with huge windows, natural light, a good number of desks, water fountains, and outlets. The ideal quiet place to get work done away from home : )

A gorgeous building with attached parking and an enormous children's book collection. My kids beg to come here because they can find every book from every series they're reading (and so can I, by the way). They then retreat to a sunny nook to read.

Very disappointed in their selection of newspapers. Five months after reopening they offer only two.

The best facility I've seen and the staff is helpful and knowledgeable

Beautiful place & lots of different books collection. Employee are so helpful..

Great selection, excellent reading room, wide selection of electronic audio books as well. Rentals are fast and easy, staff is friendly, policies are fair. Ask about getting fees knocked off and you may get lucky!

What a beautiful library with a fantastic collection of books. You can tell the community loves its library and has the money to support it. Great. Why 1 star then?

I was so excited to go there with my aunt today. She's staying in Cambridge while getting some cancer treatment and today we decided to go check out the local library to see if we could get her a temporary card to check books out while she's there (no, but she can go there all day...almost like she's there for vacation and not life-saving treatment, but anyway).

The problem arose when we walked into the teen space. As someone who A. works in libraries and B. LOVES YA lit, again I was excited to check out this collection. My aunt was feeling tired after her treatment and sat down to rest while I browsed and within 30 seconds the librarian was on us telling us we could only be there if we were standing and looking. I'll assume her bag of hospital paperwork and my bag with an umbrella in it made her believe we'd be "hanging out", but literally, she just needed a short rest to regain some energy. I 100% support safe spaces for teens...I also 100% support libraries with staff who recognize that patrons deserve compassionate service and sometimes adults want to read books for kids. Doesn't mean we want to hang out with them. Such a poor experience at such a lovely library.

Edit: I've been back to this library a few times since this original visit and have come across some wonderful staff members that have the kind of attitudes you should have to work in a public library. I still walk in there hesitantly without any welcome feeling, but these few staff members have made subsequent visits less miserable. Maybe soon I'll change my rating to a 2 to reflect these experiences.

Great place to go for a walk on the surroundings.
The library is huge and have plenty of books and areas to read, write, etc

Love the "Harry Potter" style of the old building currently hosting the science fiction and mystery books ((can't be more appropriate) and the new glass window new building with the comfy armchairs facing the lawn ( really nice to observe snow flakes during the winter months).