Albert Einstein once said, “The only thing you absolutely have to know is where the library is.” And he couldn’t be more right, as even in the digital age, libraries remain important community hubs providing knowledge and other useful resources (at no cost!) that are essential to lifelong education and learning.
To rekindle our appreciation for libraries, our Bored Panda team compiled a list of the dreamiest ones that look absolutely magical. Scroll down to find them below, and don’t forget to upvote those you’d definitely want to visit!
While you're at it, be sure to check out a conversation with librarians William Ottens and Dr. Karina Quilantan-Garza, who kindly agreed to chat with us more about libraries.
#1 Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal
Image credits: adKeeper_
#2 Corner Bookstore Selling Vintage Books In Buxton, A Market Town In High Peak, Derbyshire, England
Image credits: ManiaforBeatles
#3 Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland
Image credits: mana5280
"I found myself interested in librarianship when I worked as a reading teacher," librarian Dr. Karina Quilantan-Garza tells us.
"The schools I worked for did not employ full-time school librarians, and that made it difficult to promote a love of reading with my students. After speaking to a fellow colleague going through a school librarian program, she encouraged me to apply.
I've been a librarian for 10 years, and in that time, I have enjoyed connecting students with books they love, technology resources that enhance their productivity, and opportunities that showcase their creativity," she fondly shares.
#4 Juristische Bibliothek, Munich, Germany
Image credits: Ilia Bronskiy
#5 Stift Admont Bibliothek And Museum, Admont, Austria
Image credits: carrie_borden
#6 Used (Books) Bookstore In Edinburgh, Scotland
Image credits: nastratin
Similarly, librarian William Ottens was intrigued by the prospect of becoming a teacher but changed his mind when he realized there was an increasing focus on standardized testing.
"I decided then that I wanted to work where people came to learn because they want to, not because they were required to. For me, that was a library. I really enjoy helping people learn and discover new ideas."
#7 National Library Of The Czech Republic, Prague, Czechia
Image credits: Cedric Letsch
#8 Real Gabinete Portugues De Leitura, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Image credits: J. Balla Photography
#9 The Book Of Kells, Dublin, Ireland
Image credits: rubinaajdary
Both librarians agree that even amidst technological changes and digitization, the importance of libraries remains.
"Libraries are just as important as they've ever been, if not more. With inflation, it's costing more and more to just live, and libraries provide equitable access to information, education, and entertainment with no up-front cost to the user. Beyond the materials, services, and programs they provide, they're one of the only places you can go and exist and just be without the expectation to purchase something," says William.
#10 Netherlands Bookstore
Image credits: iam4real
#11 "Word On The Water" The Floating Bookshop On The Regent's Canal, London, United Kingdom
Image credits: Jim Linwood
#12 New Bookstore In Chengdu, China
Image credits: wakeup2019
"Libraries are culture shapers and catalysts that help society form its values, knowledge base, and sense of community," Dr. Karina adds.
"They provide free access to information, support lifelong learning, and promote literacy for people of all ages and backgrounds. They are spaces of refuge for people who need a place to belong."
#13 El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Image credits: Leandro's World Tour
#14 Snowy Book Stand In Madrid, Spain
Image credits: 3amjosh
#15 Perhaps One Of The Most Beautiful Bookstores In Europe, Cărturești Carusel, In Bucharest
Image credits: adymma90
That said, libraries have to put a lot of effort into remaining relevant and helpful in the modern age.
"In a time when misinformation is widespread, libraries are the first stop for finding accurate information. Beyond books, libraries have positioned themselves as innovative hubs for learning by acquiring modern and emerging technologies. Many now offer access to e-books, online databases, virtual classes, and even makerspaces with tools like 3D printers and coding software," explains Dr. Karina.
"They also help bridge the digital divide by providing internet access and digital literacy training for those who need it most. As society becomes more reliant on technology, libraries will remain essential—not just as places for reading and research, but as inclusive, adaptable centers for education, innovation, and community connection."
#16 Antlantis Books, Oia, Santorini, Greece
Image credits: Norbert Nagel
#17 Small Portable Bookshop, Bonn, Germany
Image credits: Johan Jonsson (Julle)
#18 The Corner Bookstore, Manhattan
Image credits: Deans Charbal
"The relevance of libraries has been questioned since the dawn of the Internet. While books and materials are at the center of what libraries are and have been, it's really about access to reliable, accurate information and resources," William agrees.
"Libraries are places where people connect with each other, learn, and improve their lives. As long as there's a need for that, libraries will remain essential."
#19 Library Of Alexandria, Egypt
Image credits: squid50s
#20 The King's Reference Library, Denmark
Image credits: Nelson Lourenco
#21 Polare, Maastricht, Netherlands
Image credits: Bettina Miera
Lastly, we couldn't let these librarians go without asking about their favorite library and if they have one they dream of visiting.
"I love libraries of all shapes and sizes and visit them wherever I go. I'd give a shout out to the Kansas City (Missouri) Public Library's Central Library, the St. Louis Public Library Central Branch, the Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Central Library, and the Seattle Public Library's Central Library as must-see large libraries," William suggests.
"On a smaller scale, the Lawrence (Kansas Public Library), the Mid-Continent Public Library's Green Hills Library, and the Basehor Community Library (where I work) are just as neat!"
#22 Starfield Suwon Library, Suwon, South Korea
Image credits: mbuff
#23 Boston Public Library, Boston, United States
Image credits: ajkontephotos
#24 The New York Public Library, New York, United States
Image credits: johnangelnyc
Dr. Karina's dream would be to visit the Library of Alexandria, if it still existed, that is.
"I dream of visiting ancient libraries to learn about ancient traditions, cultures, and history. Imagine all the things we could have learned if it still stood."
#25 The Old Cincinnati Library Before Being Demolished, United States
Image credits: reddit.com
#26 Library Of Congress, Washington, D.c., United States
Image credits: stphnwlkr
#27 Peabody Institute Library, United States
Image credits: haogang
#28 Cook&book, Brussels, Belgium
Image credits: saigneurdeguerre
#29 Bath Old Books, United Kingdom
Image credits: Lucy Claire
#30 Haunted Bookshop, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Image credits: Victoria Delendrea
#31 Jondi Shapour Library, Tehran, Iran
Image credits: Akbar Nemati
#32 Istanbul University Library, Turkey
Image credits: Porodicnostablo
#33 Coziest Bookstore I’ve Ever Seen
Image credits: TheGoldenGooch
#34 Brattle Book Shop, Boston, USA
Image credits: bill_comstock
#35 Waterstones, Bradford, England
Image credits: Michael D Beckwith
#36 The Norwegian Book Town
Image credits: BjornN
#37 Halle Saint-Pierre, Paris, France
Image credits: Christina Terzidou
#38 Trento, Italy
Image credits: Hendrik Schuette
#39 Shakespeare & Co Books, Paris, France
Image credits: christine zenino
#40 Honesty Bookshop, Hay Castle, Wales
Image credits: Dominic Nelson
#41 Atticos, Budapest, Hungary
Image credits: stachmann
#42 Zhongshuge Bookstore, Beijing, China
Image credits: satou1983
#43 Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico City, Mexico
Image credits: Julio Lopez
#44 The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles, United States
Image credits: Benoit Prieur
#45 The Grimoire Bookshop, York, England
Image credits: Malcolmxl5
#46 Chongqing Bookstore, China
Image credits: reddit.com
#47 Itap In A Bookstore, Osaka, Japan
Image credits: Judsonbirch
#48 Myopic Books Basement, Chicago
Image credits: teallday
#49 Lehmanns Media Gmbh, Marburg, Germany
Image credits: A.Savin
#50 The English Bookshop, Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: Claudio Schwarz
#51 Malmo City Library, Sweden
Image credits: Lasse Moller
#52 Hatchards, London, United Kingdom
Image credits: Joao rafael BR
#53 Galerie Vivienne, Paris, France
Image credits: Benh LIEU SONG
#54 Universitätsbibliothek And Bibliotheksturm, Belgium
Image credits: thekattingedge
#55 Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico
Image credits: nan palmero
#56 Librairie Generale Du Calvados, Caen, France
Image credits: TeaMeister
#57 Leakey's Bookshop, Inverness, Scotland
Image credits: LeamingtonBooks
#58 Les Bouquinistes, Paris, France
Image credits: Ninara
#59 Daunt Books, London, United Kingdom
Image credits: alexkirrthegirl
#60 Bibliotheque Francois-Mitterrand, Paris, France
Image credits: Phuc-Thanh Mai Vo
#61 Beinecke Rare Book And Manuscript Library, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Image credits: paul goyette
#62 Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy
Image credits: Kent Wang
#63 Bart's Books, California, United States
Image credits: Dreamyshade
#64 Strada Arthur Verona, Bucharest, Romania
Image credits: Neoclassicism Enthusiast
#65 Livraria Do Mercado Biologico Obidos, Portugal
Image credits: GualdimG
#66 Seoul Book Report, Seoul, South Korea
Image credits: mbuff
#67 Library Orchard, Singapore
Image credits: innorout
#68 Cuypers Library, Museumpromenade, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Image credits: detoxx03
#69 Victoria And Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
Image credits: marcnajera
#70 George Peabody Library Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Image credits: timtom.ch
#71 Powell's Books, Portland
Image credits: Kari Sullivan
#72 Dymocks Adelaide, Australia
Image credits: pjf3984
#73 Bookxcess, Sunway Big Box Mall, Malaysia
Image credits: evonneteoh
#74 City Library At The Mailander Platz, Stuttgart, Germany
Image credits: akshit25
#75 Abbey Book Shop, Paris, France
Image credits: Sharktopus_
#76 Bosu Book Street, Busan, South Korea
Image credits: Mobius6
#77 Mi Bookstore, Shenzhen, China
Image credits: ALB 302 AOE woapsing
#78 Xinhua Bookstore, China
Image credits: Windmemories
#79 Treadwell's Books, United Kingdom
Image credits: secretlondon123
#80 Tsutaya Bookstore, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Image credits: Declan Sun
#81 State Library Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Image credits: Mitch
#82 Strand Bookstore, New York City, United States
Image credits: Beyond My Ken
#83 Powerhouse Arena Bookstore, New York
Image credits: Photo by Wgreaves
#84 Sinan Bookstore, China
Image credits: wikimedia
#85 Kanda Jimbocho, A Book Town Of Tokyo, Japan
Image credits: hakannural
#86 Used Books, Downtown Mexico City, Mexico
Image credits: tomasmartinez
#87 Second-Hand Bookstore In Taipei, Taiwan
Image credits: Arstin Chen
#88 Deichman Bjorvika, Oslo, Norway
Image credits: Ranurte
#89 Livraria Cultura, Shopping Iguatemi, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Image credits: Vinicius "amnx" Amano
#90 Bardón Book Store, Madrid, Spain
Image credits: PromoMadrid
#91 Harry Hartog Bookshop
Image credits: Nick-D
#92 Qatar National Library, Doha, Qatar
Image credits: Murewa Saibu
#93 Academic Bookstore, Helsinki, Finland
Image credits: Jaana Maijala
