Aberystwyth Public Library — Attraction in Great Britain

3 Stars — Aberystwyth Library

The library in Aberystwyth is truly an architectural and cultural gem. The building itself is stunning — modern, clean, and beautifully designed, both outside and inside. It’s quiet, welcoming, and very well maintained. There’s an amazing children’s area, as well as a fantastic exhibition space that adds a real cultural dimension to the library experience.

However, my visit was unfortunately affected by some disappointing access issues. According to both the tourist information center and the official website, the library was supposed to close at 6:00 pm. We arrived around 5:30 pm, having made a long walk from the town center — only to be told that the exhibition area upstairs was already closed. The security guard began closing things down early, and we weren’t allowed upstairs, even just for a quick look.

Additionally, we were told we needed a library card to access certain areas, including the main library space, which was unexpected. We weren’t even allowed to walk through briefly, which felt unnecessarily restrictive — especially as we were visiting from outside the area and genuinely interested in the space.

It was a real shame, because we could clearly see how wonderful the library is, but left feeling a bit disappointed and turned away. Hopefully the timing and access policies can be made clearer and more flexible for future visitors.

Still, this library is well worth a visit — just try to go well before...

The female employee in her 30s was rude, dismissive, and incapable of service. She exhibited clear signs of impairment and had a strong, undeniable odor of cannabis, making it obvious she was under the influence while on duty. The greatest disappointment is the clear failure of company employment policy to prevent such conduct. Tolerating an impaired, rude individual serving the public is a serious breakdown in professional standards that management must...

Never really posted a review like this but had an unfortunate experience with a unprofessional and rude member of staff. They were not only the opposite of helpful but had no intention of having a normal conversation without patronising. and passive aggressive remarks. I feel like theres no need to have your conversation interjected by this type of attitude when you just want to go into the library to ask about...