Alright guys. So this weeks post is libraries around the world. I have created a list of the coolest libraries around the world including the reason I find them so cool. So here we go.
1. Trinity College, Dublin Ireland
If you have not been to this library, you need to. Its number one on the list because it’s the only library on the list that I have actually been to. It was the coolest thing to behold. The coolest part, I think there was only one staircase to get access to the second floor of books and to get between each section on the second floor there were secret doors, between the bookcase and the outer wall, to go through. You couldn’t go up there, but you could see it! So cool!
2. Mafra Palace Library, Mafra Portugal
As a reader you cannot view any image of the Mafra palace and think to yourself, ‘Man. That’s a library I don’t want to go to.’. The Mafra library, on top of being beautifully designed with stunning tiled floor, is huge! It has hundreds of thousands of books most of which are extremely old. The sad part for all readers is that you can only get into the Mafra library by appointment. Sad.
3. Libraries in Asia?
I couldn’t find a whole ton on libraries in Asia. They have lots of them! They are filled with ancient scrolls and books plus new books written in the present. But sadly there are not a whole lot of images of the insides of these great libraries. They have hundreds of pictures of the outsides but on the outside, it just looks like a regular building so that’s no fun. Some of the ones mentioned most often are, the Nakanoshima library in Japan, the Tianyi Pavilion library in China, and the Raza library in India. Look them up!
4. Hay-on-Wye outdoor bookstore
We’re going to cut this one some slack even though it’s a bookstore and not a library because its awesome.The Hay-on-Wye outdoor bookstore isn’t really one boostore. Hay-on-Wye is the city of books. It’s the most famous book city but is rarely mentioned outside the circle of readers. I stumbled upon Hay-on-Wye a couple years back and it has been on my bucket list ever since. It saved it for last because its so cool! Here we go,
Hay-on-Wye has hundreds of thousands of bookstores and are famous for how different they all look. For example,
This bookshop is known for its scary outward appearance and for its terrifying books. And occasionally its terrifying inside.
Some of the bookshops are just cute little antique books shops. Like these –
But some of the best bookshops are the impromptu ones. (or so I’ve heard). Mini bookstores pop up everywhere all over Hay-on-Wye just like this one.
Some of their bookstores are built right into the walls of the streets.
But what Hay-on-Wye is most famous for in the writing community is their ‘honesty’ bookshops. Like the image at the beginning Hay-on-Wye has hundreds of thousands of outdoor bookshops that are filled with books that are completely unmanned.
They usually have a place to put your money for the books you pick up
And for those of you have problems with people reading books on their devices like kindles there are shops for you too.
Even some of the other shops have signs like this like the first scary shop at the beginning. I have heard it said that Hay-on-Wye is the place that booklovers go when they die. I agree.
So that’s my list of amazing libraries around the world. I have been waiting for forever to write about that! I hope you liked it.
Next week I’m going to be writing on The Ideal Home Library. I promise that it’s the last reading related writing post for a while. We will continue to grapple writing problems the week after next. Till then! See you later!