This is one of the weirdest places I’ve ever stayed – and I’ve been a lot of places in the world. A nice way to describe it is “character.” I stayed there a week while I was taking a summer course at the U of M. Here are the positives, negatives, and “potential negatives.” Positives: Location is fantastic (walking distance to campus); inexpensive; breakfast was decent; there was an upstairs kitchen, if you want to cook while you’re there; the owner knows a great deal about the town; and the library theme is cute, although it wasn’t really an impressive collection of books – but then again, I’m not fan of the Ann Coulter genre. Negatives: Extremely cluttered. It’s crammed with junk, and not just books. It’s tough to find a place to put stuff down sometimes. The shared upstairs bathroom is particularly bad. There are enough rubber ducks and Michigan memorabilia to open a store themed after either one of those topics. I was there for five days and she never cleaned my room or the shared bathroom (some rooms share a bathroom). Note: With all that cluttered stuff, it does get a little dusty. “Potential negatives” (I didn’t mind them, but you may): Some of the rooms are extremely small – mine was tiny. The rooms do not lock; so put away your stuff. She has several downstairs cats. They do not go upstairs, where guests stay. In fact, I never saw a single cat hair upstairs my entire time there. But you have to eat breakfast down stairs, where the cats do live. They’re also in the kitchen while she cooks. One morning I did have some cat hair in my coffee. I have a cat, and love animals generally. So that type of thing doesn’t bother me, but I can see how it would bother some. Overall, I would recommend the place if you’re looking for a cheap place with a great location. But just be forewarned about the stuff I mentioned.

My mom and I are both librarians, so staying at The Library B&B while in Ann Arbor for a college visit with my daughter was a fun idea. The location is great! We walked to Pallio for a delicious dinner, and then the next day we were in perfect position for our campus tour. The owner's book collections and UM collections clearly eat into the usable space for guests, and this is an old, small house to begin with. I knew she had cats from the moment the door opened, so perhaps some attention to the carpets is in order. Fittings and furnishings are old. If you value character and location above all, this is a good fit for your travel plans.

My 17-year-old daughter and I stayed at this cozy bed and breakfast near campus and had a pleasant experience. The owner, Joan, is a kind woman who made her home into a cozy set of rooms with books of all sorts and interesting pictures and art. Looking over the walls of my comfortable room, I found this gem:When I was a boy of fourteen my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But, when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. Mark TwainI'll be returning to this great place in Ann Arbor, especially if my daughter and money go there.

The home has character, and Joan, the hostess, is a character! A performance pianist, sports aficionado, pilot--and of course, book hound--Joan is informative and fun. And the home is called the Library for good reason. Classic books, in full sets, by the hundreds. One could start reading and never leave the front door for years. But you should get out the door! This B&B is on the corner of the University of Michigan's main campus, which Joan knows well and on which we spent the entire day gawking (and eating). The home is also well-kept. The lighting, WiFi, fans, heating and bath was fully-updated and effective. The books are immaculately and artfully arranged. We stayed in the suite, which includes two libraries! The breakfast was outstanding, unique and generous. Joan has cats, which you will meet in the eating area but which have no trace in the sleeping area. This was one of our best B&B's ever, and we've been to many dozens.

I stayed with my lovely hostess Joan for one of the many Art Exhibits in Ann Arbor. Even by the time I arrived I felt like I knew her from our phone conversations! No one could have been more accommodating than she! I had hurt my back and I was worried about the walk, though it really was a short distance away I had never yet done it. Joan said Hold on, if you can wait till ___, I'll drop you! And she did. I am allergic to cats, so I don't know what possessed me to even consider making a reservation here, except I guess because I am in love with books, and now I am in love with Joan! I'm allergic to the cats, who are only kept downstairs, so I slept with the window open just to be sure. It was lovely. Her beautiful breakfasts were varied and fresh. Little tiny pea shoots sautéed under my morning scrambled eggs, sigh... She has a little secret overgrown ol' ramshackle house, crammed to the gills with books and U of M memorabilia. Read that sentence again, please. If that bothers you, don't go. If that sounds like heaven to you, and you wish you had an Auntie who lives right in the midst of U of M, then by all means call Joan. I stayed in the Mystery Room, and it's a wonder I ever slept, being surrounded by so many old friends I had all but forgotten. You may want to build a lot of Reading Time into your schedule! I had a very hard time tearing myself away!