Canton Library

Not the largest library and like other have already pointed the central library isn’t that far away. There is a large selection of DVDs, CD’s and audiobooks and if you are in the area and want some time to yourself then it is a nice place to sit back and read a book. This is certainly a place that one is more likely to walk to as there isn’t any parking although as someone has pointed out there are several car parks nearby.

Chapter Arts Centre has single-​handedly turned an unremarkable corner of Canton into the cultural heart of Cardiff, sending local property prices spiralling in the process. Whilst the newly renovated Chapter is an excellent spot to catch an esoteric movie or relax with a coffee and a book, this part of town is not the best place to acquire new tomes — outside of the City Centre, Cardiff suffers from a serious shortage of quality bookshops. Libraries, however, are a different matter, and this smartly turned out literary oasis is an excellent example of how a local library can sit at the heart of a community.
While it doesn’t have the full range offered by the town centre library the helpful staff are more than happy to order anything in you want, and the building is a wonderfully peaceful place to browse or sit and read. With great facilities for children, including storytimes and craft sessions, it’s also a wonderful (and free) place to provide nourishing entertainment for your little ones.
With local libraries under threat from the sweeping Public Sector cutbacks that are about to be unleashed, this wonderful facility deserves your support — go and check it out, or you may find in years to come it won’t be there to enjoy.

Canton Library is well-​located in the heart of the busy shopping area along Cowbridge Road East, near the police station and not far from Chapter Arts Centre.
Housed in a solid old building, the selection of books, CDs and DVDs isn’t bad for a local library — but with Cardiff’s central library only about a mile away I’d rather walk there and get tonnes more choice. It is pretty popular with local mums and their children during the daytime, however, because it’s easy for them to walk to — and there’s a story time and craft session every Tuesday afternoon. There’s also an adult reading club that meets monthly, with set books to read and then discuss.
There’s no really convenient parking outside the library, but it’s within a short walk of about four different car parks including the free one behind Chapter.

When I was a child I was a little bit of a Matilda, in that I used to go to this library very regularly, and spend hours scouring the shelves for new books to devour. Situated in a classic old stone building, this library conforms to all those lovely ideals of what a library should be.
There is a very wide selection of books, CDs and DVDs at this government branch library. They have an especially good children’s section (from what I can remember!), and there are regular storytelling sessions for children.
A couple of years ago, Canton Library suffered severely from fire-​damage. Since then, the interior has been redecorated well, and new books have been brought in. So out of tragedy, comes a nice selection of slightly crisper books than there might have been otherwise.
This is a beautiful old library to go and while away an afternoon in.

The Canton branch of the Cardiff public library system is very small. Not a lot of choice in fiction– the library seems to cater mainly to people wishing to use the internet services and to small children. There is always a ‘book sale’ cart near the exit door, with very reasonable prices! The library is not kept particularly clean and there are generally unpleasant odours. It closes for lunch breaks for the employees (from 1 to 2 pm on a Saturday!!) which is somewhat inconvenient for patrons. Staff are friendly and generally helpful.