The 25 Most Beautiful Public Libraries in the World

The 25 Most Beautiful Public Libraries in the World

Alaska laughing- “Oh God no. I’ve maybe read a third of ‘em. But I’m going to read them all. I call it my Life’s Library. Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought all the books that looked interesting. So I always have something to read.”

[D]on't ever apologize to an author for buying something in paperback, or taking it out from a library (that's what they're there for. Use your library). Don't apologize to this author for buying books second hand, or getting them from bookcrossing or borrowing a friend's copy. What's important to me is that people read the books and enjoy them, and that, at some point in there, the book was bought by someone. And that people who like things, tell other people. The most important thing is that people read... ”

1. Vennesla Library and Culture House, designed by Helen & Hard, Vennesla, Norway

2. Central Public Library, Vancouver, Canada 

3. Kanazawa Umimirai Library, Kanazawa City, Japan

4. Bristol Central Library, Bristol, UK

5. The Royal Danish Library (the Black Diamond), designed by Schmidt, Hammer & Lassen, Copenhagen, Denmark

6. The Peckham Library, designed by William Alsop and Jan Störmer, South London

7. Stuttgart City Library, Stuttgart, Germany

8. Central Library, designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus of OMA/LMN, Seattle

9. Sendai Mediatheque, designed by Toyo Ito, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

10. Angelica Library, Rome, Italy

11. National Library, Belarus

12. Library of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt

13. Rijksmuseum Research Library, Amsterdam

14. National Library, Site Richelieu, Paris, France

15. New York Public Library, New York City

16. Villanueva Public Library, Villanueva, Colombia

17.  Royal Portuguese Reading Room, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

18. The Media Library and Cultural Centre, designed by Barbotin + Gresham Architects, Lisses, France

19. Connemara Public Library Chennai, Chennai, India

20. The Los Angeles Central Library in Los Angeles, California

21. José Vasconcelos Library in México City, Mexico

22. Stockholm Public Library

23. Amsterdam Public Library

24. Old Market Library, Min Buri, Bangkok

25. Taipei Public Library, Beitou Branch