Libraries are a book lover’s paradise, and for those of you who boast of being a book lover, here is the list of the most epic libraries in the world. This article brings to you a list of libraries that you shouldn’t miss visiting, and definitely add to your places-to-go-to list if you are planning a trip anywhere near.
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Most epic libraries
1. Epos Boat Library, Norway
The Norwegian fjords are every traveler’s dream and the best way to discover the small islets in and around the fjords is by taking a boat. Though roads have been developed, traveling by sea still remains the easiest way to commute. Keeping this in mind, the idea of a sea library was born and it came into existence in 1959. The Epos Boat Library is a floating library that makes it easier for people in about 250 small communities to read. This small ferry carries around 6,000 books and travels to various communities. Not only is this boat have for avid readers, but the cruise is also the venue for many literary events. Co-operated by the counties of Hordaland and More og Romsdal, this floating library is open to visiting between September and April every year. During the summer, the boat is converted to a leisure cruise ferry, an experience you can enjoy if traveling to Norway at the time.
To visit the Epos Boat Library, one can fly in from Oslo and then drive or take a bus to Hardaland or Møre og Romsdal to visit this fascinating cruise.
2. Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico City, Mexico
Also labeled as the “Megabiblioteca”, the Biblioteca Vasconcelos is a gigantic building spread over 38,000 square meters. The library has marvelous architecture, has never ending shelves and aisles of books. This library was built in dedication to José Vasconcelos, the philosopher, former presidential candidate, and former president of the National Library of Mexico.
To visit, one can fly into Mexico City and then take a taxi, or train to downtown Mexico. This library, is located in downtown Delegeción Cuauhtémoc near the Buenavista train stations, from where one can take metros, suburban trains, and metro buses.
3. Mc Allen Public Library, Texas, USA
The Mc Allen Public Library Texas opened way back in the 1930s as a one-room library at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce a then relocated to the First Baptist Church. Finally, in 1950, the Mc Allen Memorial Library was opened for the public. after 61 years of being opened the McAllen Memory Library was closed and the library shifts to a larger place. The NW library is located in what used to be a Walmart Big-Box Store. The library is the size of a football field and has a huge collection of books.
To visit the former Walmart store and the present main building in McAllen, you can fly into the McAllen International Airport, which is only twenty minutes from the library. Also on can travel to San Antonio Station in Texas and then drive to McAllen.
4. Beach Library, Albena, Bulgaria
If you are one of those who love to go to the beach and read a good book, the Albena Beach Library is for you. Started as a small project by German architect Herman Kompernas, and now is the 140-shelved library with over 10,000 books in over 15 languages The Albena Beach Library in Albena is one of the most epic libraries in the world. This open-air library, with the free book, lies on the beach in front of the Hotel Kaliabra in Albena and is a favorite spot for readers to relax into heavens. What’s even greater is that it is free for all to us and anybody can donate any books they want. So if you love to read in the sun against the background music of sea waves, you know just where to go.
Albena has its own airport to which one can easily fly. Or you could take a seven-hour journey to Albena from Sofia.
5. Haskell Free Library and Opera House- Stanstead, Quebec Canada, and Derby Line, Vermont, USA
The Haskell Free Library is open to the public of both Canada and the USA, and how is that possible you may ask. It is because the library is built on top of the US-Canadian border to provide a mutual space for the people living on the border. This library is literally international because one section of the library lies in the US while the other part lies in Canada. The reading room has a line running through, which marks the border.
The town of Derby Line in Vermont USA is about 85 miles from the Burlington International Airport of Vermont. If you want to visit from Canada, you can fly into Quebec’s International Airport and then take approximately three hours long journey to the Haskell Free Library.
6. Taipei Public Library, Beitou, Taiwan
Environment protection these days has become a sort of a necessity and eco-conscious buildings are on the rise. The next in the list is the most eco-conscious building in Taiwan, the Taipei Public Library in Beitou. This place boasts of a collection of 20,000 volumes and is the only building made from the wood from the sustainably managed forests. The library also has photovoltaic systems incorporated to generate power and uses rainwater to flush toilets.
To reach the Beitou branch, you can take a train to Beitou main station from the Taipei Main station and the rides take only fourth minutes. The library is only 1.8 one from the Beitou Train Station.
7. Weapons of Mass Instruction, Argentina
Designed and Created by the Argentine artist Raul Lemesoff, this tank-like car is used by him to collect books and give away books for free. He thinks that giving books to the young generation will help batter ignorance and increase knowledge. He drives the tank throughout the city of Buenos Aires.
If you are lucky enough, you can find him touring the streets of the national capital in his bookmobile and get a good read.
8. Library of Congress, Washington DC, USA
Established in 1800, the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world. Spread over a huge area, this Bibliotheca has a collection of 168 million volume in over 470 languages, which include books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, newspapers, magazines, recordings, photographs, maps, manuscripts and journals. The library has 838 miles of bookshelves, all arranged according to size and topic.
To learn about the history and architecture of this humongous library, you can take any one of the guided tours according to your choice. The library also holds various exhibitions and events. Also, the library has multiple reading rooms all organized according to the topic. The library is five miles from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and a mile away from the Union Station.
9. Hereford Cathedral Library, Hereford, England
Before the advent of the printing press, books were manually written and took thousands of hours of skilled work, which made books scarce and valuable. Chains were then used for the safekeeping of books and chained libraries came into existence. Established in 1611, the Hereford Cathedral Library is the largest surviving chained library. This library even has books that were written in the thirteenth century.
The library is located in Hereford, and the Hereford Train Station is approximately five hours from the Gatwick Airport. The Hereford Cathedral Library is 1.3 miles from the Hereford Train Station.
10. Boston Public Library, Boston, USA
This library s the second largest library in the United States and has a collection of over 24 million volumes of reading material. This library was the first public library to start lending books and bibliophiles owe a lot to this library. Sciences from various films including Pink Panther2, The Box, and the Academy Award Winner Spotlight were filmed here.
The library is a thirty-minute drive from both the Boston’s Logan International Airport and the Lincoln Station. Also, one can hire tax to the library or take trains to the stations near the library.
11. Nassau Public Library, Bahamas
The Nassau Public Library is housed in a building that was a jail until 1837. In 1837, when a new prison was built, the jail was shifted and the building converted to a library. The cells that were once used to house prisoners are now lighted alcoves for bibliophiles. It has now become a place of education, relaxation and also a museum, which showcases the history of the place. Also, the top floor shows a beautiful view of Nassau city.
The library is only twenty minutes away from the Lyden Kindling International Airport of Nassau.
12. St. Peter-In-The-East, Oxford, UK
The city of Oxford has dozens of libraries and one of them is St. Peter-In-The-East. What was once a cathedral is now a beautiful library. The library has marvelous architecture, has never ending shelves and aisles of books. This library was built in dedication to José Vasconcelos, the philosopher, and former presidential candidate and former president of the N. Also, the library has a beautiful garden surrounding it. You can visit it in the summers as outsider access is allowed only during vacations.
