The World’s Coolest Libraries

The books found within them are fascinating but the buildings that store them can be just as cool.

As Kindles, Nooks, and other tablets flood the market, traditional bookstores and reading methods are on the decline. But after browsing this list of some of the world’s most beautiful, unique, and impressive libraries, you may be inspired to put the eBook reader down and make a trip to your own public library.

From richly decorated baroque spaces to minimalist cubes, there’s something for everyone in the world’s coolest libraries:

The World’s Coolest Libraries: Vancouver Public Library

Source: Jon O’Cane’s Travels

With more than two million items in its collection, Vancouver Public Library is the second largest public library in all of Canada. The library’s main branch, the Center Branch, covers an entire city block in downtown Vancouver, called the Library Square. The Center Branch is an incredible nine stories tall and is surrounded by free-standing walls that contain reading and studying rooms.

The Coolest Libraries: Stuttgart City Library

Source: Home Designing

Despite a classic white-on-white color scheme, Stuttgart City Library is one of the most visually appealing modern libraries to date. The stunning minimalist look is the product of the Korean architect Yi Eun-young. The German library opened in late 2011, and cost nearly 80 million euro to construct.

Source: Imgur

The building’s entrance was inspired by the “Cenotaph for Newton” by Étienne Boullée, though the structure’s interior draws influences from ancient pantheons. This library is not without controversy. Many people have complained that it looks out of place in an otherwise flat, ordinary city.

The World’s Coolest Libraries: Biblioteca Sandro Penna

Source: Dream of Italy

Seeing shades of “Mars Attacks” in this library’s design? Well, you’re not too off-base. The Biblioteca Sandro Penna was designed with a flying saucer in mind. The result is a futuristic, glowing library that makes a bold statement in Perugia, Italy, a city teeming with ancient history and architecture.

Source: Mimoa

The Picture Book Library

Source: Creative Arch Girl

Many adults can still recall their favorite childhood picture books as if their elementary school stint was just a day ago. In Iwaki City, Japan, this privately owned library contains more than a thousand picture books from countries all over the world.

Source: Ando Experimentando

In the Picture Book Library, books are fully displayed, creating much of the building’s decoration and color. Designed by architect Tadao Ando, the library opened in 2005 and was originally intended to serve three preschools in the area. Today, it draws visitors from all over the world.

The Coolest Libraries: Kanazawa Umimirai Library

Source: Bookcase Porn

Architects from the Coelacanth K&H Architects studio designed the Kanazawa Umimirai Public Library in the hope of creating the ultimate reading environment. Heated floors, an outpouring of natural light, and other features were specifically included to achieve this goal.

Source: Bookcase Porn

The “punching wall,” which comprises thousands of tiny openings, allows natural lighting into the building, enhancing the overall feel of the space. This Japanese library was opened in 2011, and reflects the appearance of many modern minimalist spaces.

Source: Ipppei

The Abbey Library Of Saint Gall

Source: Future Giraffes

While clean, minimalist lines command our attention, some of the most spectacular libraries are those that have been around for hundreds of years. The Abbey Library of Saint Gall is one of the earliest and most important monastic libraries in the world, as it contains an incredible number of medieval writings.

The site was considered one of the most renown centres of Western culture and science during the 9th and 10th centuries. In 1983, the Abbey Library of Saint Gall (along with the Abbey of Saint Gall) was listed as a World Heritage Site.

Source: Fotopedia

Source: A Long Desire

The World’s Coolest Libraries: Library of Congress

Source: Blogspot

In 1800, Congress established the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Fifteen years later, Thomas Jefferson offered up his personal library to replace books that were lost when when the British set the building on fire in 1814.

His books, which took nearly 50 years to collect, varied from texts on science, literature, and philosophy, to books written in a variety of foreign languages. Though considered one of the finest in America, Jefferson’s book collection created controversy because it contained a number of books that many found irrelevant to legislation.

Source: Twylah

Jefferson’s belief that all subjects were worthy and important in terms of American legislative history now directs many of the Library of Congress’ policies. These days, the Library of Congress offers more than 155 million items and the largest rare book collection in North America. The library also houses a copy of the Gutenberg Bible and the world’s smallest book which is 1/25″ x 1/25″, or about the size of a period.

Source: Wikipedia

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Centered in the intellectual capital of the ancient world, the Ancient Library of Alexandria was known for centuries as the epitome of knowledge and learning. Hundreds of thousands of scrolls filled the shelves, and scholars from all over the world flocked there to study. Sadly, a period of neglect, accidental fires, and continued war with the Romans, led to the ultimate destruction of this magnificent library.

In 2002, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina was opened near the site of the original Ancient Library. The new library is still home to many ancient texts, as well as museums, art galleries, and a planetarium.

Source: Foeda

The World’s Coolest Libraries: State Library of Victoria

Source: Tumblr

The State Library of Victoria, located in Melbourne, Australia, is one of the largest exhibiting libraries in the world. Though it originally opened in 1856, major renovations took place between 1990 and 2004. The La Trobe Reading Room is one of the library’s main attractions due to its visually stunning architecture.

Source: Daedalist

The sprawling lawn at the library’s front attracts hundreds of city folk each day, who congregate for lunch or to gaze at one of the many statues sprinkled across the grounds. The library currently contains more than two million books, as well as Ned Kelly’s original armor. Many people in the region consider Kelly to be a folk hero, as he exemplifies the 1800’s Irish-Australian resistance against the ruling class.

If you enjoyed seeing the world’s coolest libraries, be sure to read about mankind’s greatest libraries!