We love books and have been to our fair share of the best libraries in Charlotte. While my oldest was little, I worked part-time, which meant my two days home were usually spent running errands, or enjoying downtime with her. When we moved from PA to NC, I found myself a newly minted stay-at-home-mom and knew just one family in our new town.

I decided the best way to make new friends, was to take my little one to activities that would introduce me to some new moms, and her to new experiences. We went to many local parks, and I discovered storytime at the local libraries, which was free (score!) and a great way for her to socialize, and me to talk to another adult.

While we are out of our story time days now that our kids are older, we still frequent many of the libraries on this list and enjoy them very much. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library system is vast and one of my favorite qualities are that you can put books on hold at any location and have them delivered to your home brand for pick up.

Each branch also has a huge amount of actives for families outside of just story time. There is lego club, craft classes related to certain book readings, mahjong classes, teen groups, the list goes on and is very extensive. Most of the programs are free, but many do require registration.

1. ImaginON Library

300 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202

I have to start with one of our personal favorites. We love to read in our family, and the sheer volume of books at this location makes it worth a visit. It is a library dedicated to kids. There are two stories, with smaller kids books on the first floor, and books for older kids on the second floor. They often have different exhibits that travel through, again making it worth a visit at least a few times a year to check those out.

It’s not super close to our home, but we make it a morning trip to get lunch and check out the new exhibits and books. ImaginOn tops our list for the best libraries in Charlotte for story time.

They have baby, toddler, preschool and family story time at this location and it changes based on their calendar of events.

2. Matthews Library

230 Matthews Station St. Matthews, NC 28105

This is such a cool location. it’s actually located in the bottom floor or Matthews town hall, which is right next to an old caboose and the old train depot. Because of the historical relevance of trains in Matthews, there are a lot of train theme details in this library, making it perfect for the little train lover! This location has been called a “hidden gem” and is also known for its fireplace, making it a nice, quiet, cozy place to curl up with a book.

They hold, baby, preschool and family story time typically on Wednesday mornings. They also have a sweet program called Paws2Read where you can take your school aged children to read to local therapy dogs.

3. Myers Park Library

1361 Queens Road Charlotte NC 28207

In a super walkable, bike able location, but still quiet with cozy spots to read. There is a cute garden that greets you as you walk in the door and the book selection is pretty good.

They have baby and preschool storytime on Wednesday mornings. They also off Paws2Read where you can take your school aged children to read to local therapy dogs.

4. South County Regional Library

5801 Rea Road Charlotte, NC 28277

Another two story location. Kids books and videos are downstairs, with adults selection on the second floor. The parking is easy and Trader Joe’s is right down the road, making it a great spot to hit two places in one trip. It is a fairly busy location, so keep that in mind when visiting with little ones or looking for a super quiet spot.

They have baby, toddler and preschool storytime, as well as family storytime which occasionally will be held outdoors at Lake Park. They also have a sweet program called Paws2Read where you can take your school aged children to read to local therapy dogs.

5. SouthPark Regional Library

7015 Carnegie Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28211

With a children’s area downstairs and a more quiet adult area upstairs, this is great for the whole family. This is one of the bigger libraries so the selection is vast. The great things is that there is a play area for kids. If you get there on a good day, there may even be some free books to claim on your way out!

They have baby toddler and family storytime typically on Monday mornings. They also have a sweet program called Paws2Read where you can take your school aged children to read to local therapy dogs.

6. Pineville Library

505 Main St Ste 100 Pineville, NC 28134

One of the smaller libraries on the list, this is another location that shares a space with the town hall. The library is located on the lower level, and while small, still offers a large variety of books and story times!

They have baby, toddler, preschool and family story time at this location and it changes based on their calendar of events.

7. Cornelius Library

21105 Catawba Avenue Cornelius, NC 28031

This is the first of the 8 best libraries in Charlotte I ever visited for baby story time. It is a sweet little library in a sweet little town, right off Main Street, which is nice for entertainment and walkability. There is a room off the main library where they hold story time, which is much appreciated for moms of littles and trying to keep them quiet and contained!

They have baby, toddler and preschool story time on Mondays and Wednesdays.

8. Davidson Library

119 South Main Street Davidson, NC 28036

This is our go-to library and is right in the heart of downtown Davidson, making it one of the best libraries in Charlotte. While not the biggest library on the list, I feel it’s where you get the most bang-for-your-buck in terms of things to do. You could make a whole day trip out of visiting this library, doing to lunch at Mandolinos and grabbing Ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s- all within walking distance of the library and right on main street.

They have baby story time on Monday’s as well as outdoor family story time on the green. They also have a sweet program called Paws2Read where you can take your school aged children to read to local therapy dogs.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the 8 best libraries in Charlotte for story time and can add one of these places to your calendar!

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