Need a Place to Cool Off? Try Your Local Library

Slurping ice cream cones. Tossing water balloons. Skinnydipping.

These are all tried-and-true activities that will cool you off in a heat wave.

But why not cool off by reading a good book? There are added benefits.

As the ancient inscription carved into the walls of the Library of Alexandria (built in honor of Alexander the Great in 300 B.C.) has it, a library is "The place of the cure of the soul."

Luckily, Fairfield County is blessed with libraries that are free, open to the public, stuffed with books, computers, cafes and other diversions - and all come with air conditioning.

You may even chance upon a great work of art, such as the Pequot Library's original Birds of America 1860 engravings of John J. Audubon, currently on display in a glass case.

At the library, you can stay all day (and into some evenings) and no one will shoo you away as long as you mind your library manners.

If you'd rather write a book than read one, that's OK too.

Following is a list of area public libraries and their summer hours. Click on a link for more information, rate the library or tell us about other great free places to cool off!

Darien

1441 Post Road
Monday - Thursday 9 - 9
Friday 9 - 5
Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday 1 - 5

Easton

691 Morehouse Road
Monday & Friday 10 - 5
Tuesday & Wednesday 10 - 8
Thursday 10 - 6
Saturday 10 - 3
Sunday closed

Fairfield

1080 Post Road
Monday - Thursday 9 - 9
Friday 9 - 6
Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday closed

1147 Fairfield Woods Road
Monday - Thursday 9 - 8
Friday 9 - 6
Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday closed

720 Pequot Avenue, Southport
Monday - Friday 9 - 6
Saturday 9 - 1
Sunday closed

Greenwich

101 West Putnam Avenue
Monday - Friday 9 - 9
Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday 1 - 5

21 Mead Avenue
Monday Wednesday Friday & Saturday 9 - 5
Tuesday 10 - 6
Thursday 12 – 8

90 Sound Beach Ave , Old Greenwich
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 – 6
Tuesday & Thursday 9 – 8
Saturday 9 – 5
Sunday (closed until Labor Day, then 1 -5)

Cos Cob
5 Sinawoy Road
Monday 12 - 8
Tuesday - Saturday 9 - 5

New Canaan

151 Main Street
Monday - Thursday 9 - 8
Friday & Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday closed

Norwalk

1 Belden Avenue
Monday & Thursday 9 - 8:30
Tuesday Friday & Saturday 9 - 5:30
Wednesday 12 - 8:30

51 Van Zant Street
Monday - Friday 12:30 - 5:30
Saturday 9:30 - 5:30
Sunday closed

Monday, Wednesday-Saturday 9 – 5:30
Tuesday 12 – 8:30
Sunday closed

Redding

Route 53 and Diamond Hill Road
Monday Wednesday Friday & Saturday 10 - 5
Thursday 10 - 8
Sunday closed

Ridgefield

472 Main Street
Monday Wednesday & Friday 10 - 6
Saturday 9 – 5

Rowayton

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10 – 5
Wednesday 10 – 7
Saturday 10 – 1
Sunday closed

Shelton

Monday - Thursday 9 - 8:30
Friday 9 - 4:30
Saturday and Sunday closed

Monday 12 - 8
Tuesday - Thursday 10 - 8
Friday 10 - 5
Saturday 10 - 3

Stamford

One Public Library Plaza
Monday - Thursday 11 - 8
Friday 11 - 6
Saturday 10 - 5
Saturday 10 - 5
Sunday 1 - 5

115 Vine Road
Monday - Wednesday 11 - 7
Friday 11 - 6
Saturday 10 - 4
Sunday closed

34 Woodland Avenue
Tuesday & Wednesday 11 - 5:30
Monday closed
Thursday 1 - 7
Saturday 10 - 2
Sunday closed

1143 Hope Street
Monday closed
Tuesday & Thursday 11 - 7
Saturday 10 - 4
Sunday closed

Trumbull

Monday-Thursday 9 – 8
Friday-Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday 1 - 5 (September-May only)

Weston

56 Norfield Road
Monday - Tuesday, Thursday - Friday 9 - 5
Wednesday 9 - 8
Saturday 10 - 4
Sunday closed

Westport

20 Jesup Road
Monday - Thursday 9 - 9
Friday 9 - 5
Saturday 9 - 5
Sunday 1 - 5

Wilton

137 Old Ridgefield Road
Monday - Thursday 10 - 8
Friday 10 - 6
Saturday 10 - 5
Sunday closed