Where’s your favourite library and bookstore in the world and why?
Where’s your favourite library and bookstore in the world and why?
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This is going to sound like a basic answer but Barnes & Noble. I have a lot of memories of my grandma taking me there during our shopping trips and we’d get Starbucks and I could pick out a book. I also just love the smell and all the books to look through
It sounds like an authentic answer, Nick! Representing that bookstores can hold a memory for us as well as give us joy in the books! Funny enough, the first time I ever tried Starbucks was in Barnes and Noble in San Francisco in ’97 when I was an au-pair there. Growing up in Newcastle, UK, we didn’t have those kind of coffee shops or cafes within bookstores. The first time I experienced that, it was like a dream that I could buy books and sit and read them over a coffee right there! I even remember that I bought a Don Delillo book called Underworld and can imagine sitting there 20 years later.
Nice story.
Les Cheneaux Community Library in Cedarville, Michigan. ♡♡♡♡
We had a book store that had a cafe in the middle. That was cool.
And also my fav library is the one with a cafe in it lol
Nick’s post above reminded me of how much I love that combo of bookstores + coffee 🙂
While I love Barnes and Noble, and my local independent bookstores, I have really fond memories of going to a huge bookstore on West 57th Street (I cannot remember the name right now) when I lived in the city during the 70s and 80s. It was the prototype of Barnes and Noble and I could spend hours there looking for books. I think it went out of business years ago, but I really loved it. As for libraries, my local one is pretty small but they are part of a county system and will get books from other branches. My memory of going to our local library as a child will stay with me forever. My dad used to take me every Saturday, and what a thrill it was when I could go downstairs to the YA and adult section! Reading is the best!
I love this Susan! Conjures up such a story in your description. I have this memory of pulling out the cardboard cards that all books used to have so it could be stamped with the return date. I’m still drawn to the YA section of any bookstore even now, but then again, possibly because I want to write one!
@Marie oh the due date cards! When I was Library Volunteer for my kids in school, the best part was stamping the due dates and looking to see who else had taken out the books! Good times! I am really dating myself!
Mine was borders. My mom and I used to go and look at books and sit in the big chairs.
Oh, yes, Borders! We used to have one next to Uni and it was where I’d go and lose myself a little when I needed to.
Library: for the decor, there’s a stunning library in the V&A museum in London that always takes my breath away. For reading, I love any local library that gives me access to free books to read with unlimited supply.
Bookstore: ‘Shakespeare and Company’ Bookstore in Paris. It’s the quirkiest little store and I always just want to get lost in it. CityLights Bookstore in San Fran holds memories as does Waterstones. In London, I love the bookstores that are attached to places like the V&A, National Theatre, British Film Institute, Poetry Library within Southbank, Foyles. I recently discovered John Sandoe books near Sloan Sq in London and it had the best range of contemporary authors I’d seen in a long time. Oh, I forgot there’s an amazing 2nd-hand bookstore on Charing Cross Road that has a magic to it too.
In Marrakech at the moment, I’m craving both a library & bookstore with books I’d actually want to read & can translate!
I worked in the Natural History Museum and loved the library there. I was lucky enough to visit the rare books room, where I saw an original 1st edition of Audubon’s book The Birds of America, which was huuuuge!!! And the paintings were exquisite. I was awestruck in the real sense of the word.
London is a fabulous city for bookshops – and I spent a fortune in them ?
@CarolAnne Wow, that one would have been amazing! The British Library has some impressive ones too. Yes, I know what you mean. Thankfully, I lived on a canalboat for 4 years in London so it meant I couldn’t buy many so I’d go into browse for the titles I wanted, then go get them at the library! Though when I’m in a larger place, I want to have space for as many books as I want!
Powell’s Bookstore in Portland was a fun visit. Not sure if it’s my favorite, but I enjoyed an afternoon there while visiting Portland. It’s huge.
Yes! Definitely a ‘destination’ bookstore.
I live in Portland and the big Powell’s is awesome, but there is an off shoot Powell’s on Hawthorne street and it’s my favorite. It’s a bit less intimidating and close to my favorite donut place!
My favorite bookstore is Joseph-Beth in Cincinnati. I walk in and smile! All the books, reviews, little things….just love it.
My husband and I both love @Gene's in Sanibel, FL. There are five separate buildings chock a block full of new books at very reasonable prices. We go every year and spend a few hours exploring. They have a ton of stuff that I’ve never been able to find anywhere else.
That sounds amazing! We’re getting quite a list of bookstores to visit if we’re ever in another city or country!
My husband and I always make a point of visiting bookstores wherever we travel. ?
Carre Great plan! I wonder if there is a list of what are supposed to be the most wonderous bookstores/libraries in the world to visit (like 7 wonders of the world) kind of thing? Be cool to consider where that list would lead the travel..!
I’m pretty sure there is. ?
You’re right! Good old Google… I see it lists Shakespeare & Company on there which is my fave 🙂 https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/worlds-20-most-stunning-bookstores
Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is my favorite bookstore. I like my closest Barnes & Noble a lot for the helpfulness of the staff, and the Baltimore Harbor B&N is a really fine example of a re-purposed old building.
My favorite library exists only in my memory – the art college library in an old train station where I worked for ten years.
I love the sound of those Susan as their name alone gives a sense of their type of location and feeling! The art college library and it’s location sounds fab too.
Just did a Google Map view – wow, that B&N in Baltimore Harbour is an impressive building! The Browseabout Books looks a bit like Daunt Bookstore in Hamstead, London. Really nice vibes!
@Marie i’ll be at Browseabout this weekend! Driving to the beach todsy. 🙂
@Susan Enjoy! Let us know if you buy any good books to read. Feel the urge to go and binge read right now after this post 🙂
@Marie, here’s the building the library used to be in.
@Susan Equally gorgeous!
Favourite Library – Old Library in Trinity College, Dublin
Favourite bookshop – Charlie Byrnes, Galway
So if you ever visit Ireland, you know where to go!
Trinity College is so beautiful! Passed it when I visited Dublin. Charlie Byrnes looks so friendly! (Just Googled it).
@Marie Charlie Byrne’s is an Aladdin’s cave of delights. Too easy to pass 2-3 hours there
@CarolAnne Sounds great! I bet they’d love that testimonial on their site 😉
There used to be a fabulous bookstore in St Louis called ‘Library Ltd’. I went to many book signings there. Then they were bought by Borders and moved to a different location.
Is Left Bank Books still there?
@Vera yes, I think so. I went to a Jimmy Carter book signing there a few years ago.
Hastings
Powell’s City of Books in Portland Oregon !!!! An entire city block + 3 stories of books. They give first time visitors a map. (They also have amazing online service. You can sell used books online. And they have an in store cafe.) http://www.powells.com/staff-top-fives-2017
Lemuria bookstore in Jackson Miss.
Bookstore: Off the Beaten Path, Steamboat Springs, CO
Oh, that one looks great! Just did a quick Google search in images. Lovely atmosphere.
The Nakajima library at my uni❤️entirely made of wood for the harsh winters, big windows, in the middle of a forest. Pure Bliss.
Wow, that’s so beautiful!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Central_Library
It’s our city’s most recent branch, and the architecture is interesting.
That is an interesting building! I once flew into Halifax on my way to St Johns. Beautiful part of the world.
Shakespeare and Co. In Paris. For being brim full of books and places to sample them. I’d like to find a shop like in Maine or NYC.
That’s my fave too! Sometimes it’s a little difficult to actually get to the bookshelves for the tourists but worth it. I think they’ve got a cafe opened up next to it so it’ll be even more popular.
The A. W. White reading room at Cornell U. Also the CU law library. Bookstore: Autumn Leaves in Ithaca, NY, USA.
I imagine the libraries in Cornell and all those amazing unis are so inspiring to be in. Ithaca looks gorgeous!
My favorite bookstore is Powell’s City of Books in downtown Portland. It has a very high density of books. And the book selection is well curated. It is rustic in an urban, lofty sort of way. The art and architecture sections, and children’s sections are large. Get a burger at the Brunch Box while you are in the area. Take at least half a day to visit Powell’s…maybe a whole day.
“Powell’s City of Books is the largest used and new bookstore in the world, occupying an entire city block and housing approximately one million books. Located in downtown Portland’s Pearl District, the City of Books has nine color-coded rooms and over 3,500 different sections, offering something for every interest, including an incredible selection of out-of-print and hard-to-find titles. Dozens of acclaimed writers, artists, and thinkers visit each month to read in the Basil Hallward Gallery (located upstairs in the Pearl Room), and a one-of-a-kind Rare Book Room draws bibliophiles from near and far to browse an impressive collection of autographed first editions and other collectible volumes. ”
My favorite library is this one at Trinity College in Dublin.
Gorgeous! @CarolAnne also mentioned the library at Trinity too!
I loved Borders.
Now it used books for me. HalfPrice Books and Goodwill.
My first bookselling job was at the 2nd Borders store in Michigan, back when it was an independent–arguably the best indy in the country at the time– still owned by Tom and Louis Borders. That job literally changed my life.
@Terry that’s really interesting to know! I didn’t know it was Tom & Louis who founded it. Foyles seemed to take over where Borders used to be back in the UK.
I work for half price books!
Don’t think I have a favourite…I love them all!
I love this reply Nicole! It’s been fun having a memory flashback of all the different bookstores and libraries I’ve been in and reading about others. I might not be able to get to the bookstores & libraries here in Marrakech at the moment but even that virtual wander cheered me up!
Powells Bookstore in Portland is an amazing thing to have a day to explore through. I also love finding little secondhand book shops when I’m visiting anywhere. Half Price Books is my favorite local place
I used to like our local library when I was a child, but haven’t been to one for some years now. I really like buying my own books best. I like our local Waterstones in Canterbury, it is a very good shop, and I also feel I must support Waterstones as my oldest son works in one. There are also three very good charity bookshops in Canterbury.
Thanks, Louise! I’ve been in the Waterstones in Canterbury (if you mean Canterbury, UK?!). I used to lose myself in the Waterstones in Newcastle as a child. If I wasn’t in the music library shopping for sheet music, I was in Waterstones. Other kids were out playing, and I was lost in music and books!
@Karen This is the one I meant!
There was a branch library in Chicago I saw many years ago and it was Gilded-age old and elegant. The main library in Chicago I did not love so much.
The Carnegie library in Orange NJ is a masterpiece but has fallen on hard times, sadly.
Trinity College Library in Dublin, the most beautiful one I’ve been to so far! <3
Wow, that’s the 3rd recommendation & what a stunning photo!!!
If you haven’t been here yet, definitely put it on your list! ?
I enjoy going into any bookstore and browsing and “visiting” the books while sipping a coffee or cocoa, especially on a cold, wintery or rainy day. But I try NOT to buy from any of the big box book stores. I always try to support the independent, local booksellers in my community.
I’m exactly the same, Martha! Love that cosiness you describe with the coffee and cocoa on a cold day 🙂
I used to love going to Barnes and Noble just to look and read a bit, now that I have a toddler I just go to the little library in town or order from thriftbooks.
Thanks, Taylor! Is B&N not that child-friendly or is it more the travel to get to it with a toddler?! Hopefully, the little library has a good stock for you.
It’s more that my daughter is like a tornado haha. Our library has a story time for kids twice a week so that’s really fun for her since there aren’t many kids her age in our neighborhood. One great thing is I’ve known the librarian since I was like 9 so she knows the books I like to read.
That’s brilliant she gets to play and you get the best librarian insight too!
Kenyon College Bookstore in Gambier, OH– it’s a gem! AND– New England Mobile Book Fair in Newton, MA!
Justine, it looks so pretty! Google Images is amazing that you can just pop in that name & go see the image of what you describe.
Thanks Justine, Looks like a day trip for me!
@Marian, hold off for a while– the building the bookstore was housed in is under a major renovation and they’ve set up a “temporary shop” for students. I have no doubt, it will be revealed in all its glory once it’s complete, but I have a feeling you will be sorely disappointed if you go right now.
Half price books
The Tattered Cover in Denver.
That’s a great name for a store!
Prairie Lights in Iowa City.
Haven’t been back in years but LOVED Strand Books in NYC. Tattered Cover and Powell Books are on my bucket list.
Favorite library to look at is the research library at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, followed by Morgan Library in NYC. Favorite library to use is the Rochester Public Library. Favorite bookstore — gee, that’s hard. Still love The Strand, used to love Partners & Crime on Greenwich Ave (closed ~2010), love The Tattered Cover in downtown Denver, and love the little bookstore tucked in next to Tommy’s restaurant in Cleveland. To be honest, my favorite bookstore is usually the one I’m currently browsing in!
I love this Katherine! I want to go Google all those names so I can take a virtual browse 🙂 You’re so right, whichever one I’m in at the time is my favourite for giving access to all those amazing books to read! What are you reading right now?
Book Culture on the Upper West Side and Liberati in Ann Arbor Mi
Love those names!
Powell’s in Portland, because it’s the best.
I think this has a few mentions! Must be a cool one 🙂
I may be biased because I work there, but the Village of North Palm Beach (Florida) library is a little gold mine. All the members seem to love it.
That’s a great description, Betty of calling it a ‘gold-mine’! What do they love about it do you think? Must be good customer service & choices too among others 🙂
It is small enough to provide more personal interaction and we make every effort to fill special requests for materials either through inter-library loan or purchase.
@Pam, where is your gem?
My favorite bookstore is @I in Delmar, NY—just outside of Albany. It’s small but packed with a wonderful variety of great reads (as well as gifts and toys). And you couldn’t ask for a nicer staff!
The staff is da bomb! <3