In February 2022, I posted a series of adaptive reuse projects involving libraries to my Instagram account, and felt the need to put together a list of all such projects I was aware of to organize my thoughts. Here’s this list, which I suspect I will keep updating over time. All images shown here are my own and I will link to more as I continue adding detail pages about the libraries I’ve visited. The header image shows the ZHAW library in Winterthur, Switzerland, inside a former Sulzer diesel engine factory.
Following the definition of adaptive reuse, I am restricting this list to cases in which a library currently occupies a building that was originally intended for another purpose.
Please do get in touch or leave a comment below if you are aware of a library that should be on this list!
Jump to Industry | Churches | Services | Other
Industrial, commercial and transportation
| Library | Former use | Visited | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Musagetes Architecture Library, University of Waterloo, Cambridge, ON, Canada | Silk mill | 2018 |
| BAnQ Rosemont – La Petite Patrie, Montréal, QC, Canada | General Cigar Co, later Imperial Tobacco factory | ||
 | Bibliothèque Henri-Bourassa, Montréal, QC, Canada | Salk electric substation (Hydro-Québec) | 2018 |
| Bibliothèque d’Arvida, Saguenay, QC, Canada | Market hall | ||
 | Bibliothèque municipale de Saint-Malachie, QC, Canada | General store | 2023 |
| Bibliothèque municipale de Dupuy, QC, Canada | Train station | ||
| Bibliothèque de l’Île-des-Moulins, Terrebonne, QC, Canada | Flour mill | ||
 | Alameda County Law Library, Oakland, CA, USA | Showroom for a car dealership | 2019 |
| Adams Street Branch, Brooklyn Public Library, NY, USA | Torpedo factory, later recycling facility | ||
| Irvington Public Library, Irvington, NY, USA | Lord & Burnham Co. greenhouse manufacturers | ||
| American Philatelic Research Library, Bellefonte, PA, USA | Pennsylvania Match Company factory | ||
| Eden Prairie Library, MN, USA | Supermarket | ||
 | Bibliotéca de México José Vasconcelos (Ciudadella), México City, Mexico | Cigar factory | 2018 |
| Biblioteca Conarte, Monterrey, Mexico | Steel foundry | ||
| Biblioteca Pública, Licantén, Chile | Metalworking workshop for the Curicó-Licantén railway | ||
 | Åbo Univeristy Library – Arken, Turku, Finland | Metalworking workshop, later part of the Fiskars group. | 2019 |
| Åbo Univeristy Library – ASA, Turku, Finland | Radio factory | 2019 | |
 | Bibliothèque jeunesse, Lausanne, Switzerland | Retail pavilion, possibly a car showroom | 2023 |
 | Bibliothèque de l’HEAD, Genève, Switzerland | Offices for the Elna sewing machine factory | 2023 |
| Basisbibliothek Unitobler, Bern, Switzerland | Tobler chocolate factory | ||
 | Médiathèque Valais, Sion, Switzerland | Arsenal | 2018 |
| Bibliothèque de Morges, Switzerland | Grain and salt vault | ||
 | ZHAW Bibliothek, Winterthur, Switzerland | Diesel engine hall for Sulzer AG. | 2021 |
 | Medien- und Informationszentrum MIZ, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zürich, Switzerland | Toni Molkerei – dairy processing plant | 2019 |
 | Bibliothek Romanisches Seminar, Universität Zürich, Switzerland | Depot for the Fierz trading company | 2018 |
| Stadtbibliothek im Kulturzentrum “Alte Fabrik”, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland | Gebert und Söhne (now Geberit) plumbing supplies factory | 2023 | |
 | Kantonsbibliothek Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland | Louis Roth & Cie wine store | 2022 |
| Biblioteca Cantonale “La Filanda”, Mendrisio, Switzerland | Innovazione department store | 2022 | |
| Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal (BnF), Paris, France | Royal arsenal | ||
| Bibliothèque Jean Dausset, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Bobigny, France | L’Illustration print house | ||
| Bibliothèque François-Miterrand, Les Capucins, Brest, France | French Navy mechnical hall | ||
 | Médiathèque Méjanes-Allumettes, Aix-en-Provence, France | Safety match factory. | 2021 |
| Archives Municipales, Marseille, France | Tobacco factory | ||
 | Bibliothèque Václav-Havel, Paris, France | Railways customs and courier services hall | 2019 |
| Médiathèque La Navette, Elbeuf-sur-Seine, France | Blin & Blin textile factory | ||
| Médiathèque Maxence Van der Meersch de Moulins, Lille, France | Le Blanc textile factory | ||
| Médiathèque Ducarin, Comines, France | Ducarin manufacture | ||
| Médiathèque La Corderie, Marcq-en-Barœul, France | Delobel rope manufacture | ||
| Bibliothèque des Abattoirs, Toulouse, France | Meatpacking plant | 2023 | |
| Bibliothèque de la Manufacture des Tabacs, Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, Toulouse, France | Cotton spinning plant, then tobacco factory | 2023 | |
| Bibliothèque de la Manufacture, Université Lyon 3 Jean-Moulin, Lyon, France | Manufacture des Tabacs de Lyon (partial) | ||
| Learning Center la Manufacture, Centre des Savoirs pour l’Innovation, Université Jean Monnet, St. Etienne, France | Foundry for the national arms manufacture | ||
 | Bibliothèque Méjanes – Halle aux Grains, Aix-en-Provence, France | Grain storage vault, then post office | 2021 |
 | Médiathèque Malraux, Strasbourg, France | Seegmuller grain vault | 2022 |
| Médiathèque Manufacture, Nancy, France | Manufacture des Tabacs de Nancy (tobacco factory) | ||
| Médiathèque des Brasseries, Maxéville, France | Grandes Brasseries Réunies de Maxéville | ||
| Archives de Bordeaux Métropole, Bordeaux, France | Halles aux Farines, flour warehouse | ||
| Bibliothèque Universitaire Condorcet, Le Creusot, France | Schneider crane and locomotive hall | ||
| Médiathèque “Les Silos”, Chaumont, France | Grain silo | ||
| Bibliothèque Humaniste, Séléstat, France | Grain silo | 2022 | |
 | Bibliothèque La Fonderie, Université de Haute-Alsace, Mulhouse, France | Société Alsacienne de Construction Mécanique SACM foundry | 2022 |
| Médiathèque, École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture (ENSA) Normandie, Rouen, France | Tissage Lucien Fromage spinning plant | ||
| Bibliothèque Municipale Émile-Zola, Bouligny, France | SNCF train station | ||
| Sezione Architettura “Enrico Mattiello”, Biblioteca di Area delle Arti, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy | Testaccio slaughterhouse | ||
| Biblioteca Civica, Castellanza, Italy | Factory | ||
| Goethe-Universität Bibliothekszentrum Geisteswissenschaften, Frankfurt, Germany | IG Farben headquarters | ||
| Stadtbibliothek Lörrach, Germany | Kaufhaus Knopf department store | ||
| Stadtbibliothek im Salzstadel, Straubing, Germany | Salt storage vault | ||
| Stadtbibliothek Zwickau, Germany | Grain storage vault | ||
 | Medien- und Informationszentrum Stadtbücherei Biberach, Germany | Grain storage vault | (2022) |
 | Stadtbibliothek Göppingen, Germany | Adelberger Kornhaus, grain storage vault for the Adelberg convent | (2022) |
 | Bibliothek W. M. Blumenthal Akademie, Berlin, Germany | Flower market hall | 2018 |
 | Eberhard Zeidler Bibliothek, Max-Planck Institut für Mathematik, Leipzig, Germany | Reclam publishing headquarters | 2018 |
| Hochschulbibliothek der HTWG Konstanz, Germany | Slaughterhouse and meatpacking plant | 2022 | |
| Stadtbücherei Mössingen, Germany | Pausa textile printing hall (Tonnenhalle) | ||
| Hochschulbibliothek Düsseldorf, Campus Derendorf, Düsseldorf, Germany | Cattle market and slaughterhouse | ||
| Hochschulbibliothek TH Wildau, Germany | Locomotive shed for the Schwartzkopff factory | ||
| Stadtbibliothek im Gasteig HP8, Munich, Germany (interim library) | Transformer hall “E” for the Sendling gas plant | ||
| LocHal, Tilburg, The Netherlands | Dutch Railways maintenance facility | 2023 | |
| Oog in Al library, Utrecht, The Netherlands | Cereol linseed and soy oil factory | 2023 | |
| OBA Van der Pek, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Butcher shop and supermarket | ||
| Chocoladefabriek library, Gouda, The Netherlands | Steenland chocolate factory | ||
| ‘Witte Dame’ public library, Eindhoven, The Netherlands | Philips factory building | 2023 | |
| Bibliotheek Permeke, Antwerpen, Belgium | Car garage | ||
| FelixArchief city archives, Antwerpen, Belgium | Pakhuis Sint-Felix warehouse | ||
| Luxembourg Learning Centre, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg | Möllerei foundry | ||
| Biblioteca Montserrat Abelló, Barcelona, Spain | Textile factory | ||
| Biblioteca Can Casacuberta, Barcelona, Spain | Textile factory | ||
| Biblioteca Can Manyer, Barcelona, Spain | Textile factory | ||
| Biblioteca El Molí, Barcelona, Spain | Flour mill | ||
| Biblioteca Central Tecla Sala, Barcelona, Spain | Textile factory | ||
| Biblioteca Pública Municipal y escuela de música, danza y pintura, Almonte, Spain | Bodega Los Reales de Almonte, wine cellar and warehouse | ||
| Abbeyleix Library, County Laois, Ireland | Market house, then fire hall | ||
 | London Metropolitan Archives, London, UK | Temple Press Ltd print works | 2022 |
| Medical Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK | Textile factory and warehouse | ||
| University of Lincoln Library, Lincoln, UK | Great Central Goods and Grain Warehouse | ||
| Kresen Kernow Cornwall Archives, Redruth, UK | Brewery | ||
 | Central Saint Martins Art School Library, London, UK | Grain store | 2022 |
| Holyhead Library, UK | Market hall | ||
| Stacja Kultura, Rumia, Poland | Train station | ||
| Krajská knihovna Františka Bartoše ve Zlíně, František Bartoš Regional Library, Zlín, Czechia | Bata shoe factory | ||
| Nørrebro Library, København, Denmark | Tram depot | ||
| Lejre Library, Denmark | Train station | ||
| Garaget, Malmö, Sweden | Train depot | ||
| Bibliotek Signalfabriken, Sundbyberg, Sweden | Sieverts Cable factory | ||
| Sundsvalls stadsbibliotek Kulturmagasinet, Sundsvall, Sweden | Harbour warehouse | ||
| Joutsan Pääkirjasto, Joutsa, Finland | Market grocery store |
Jump to Industry | Churches | Services | Other
Churches and religious buildings
| Library | Former use | Visited | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Maison de la Littérature, Québec, QC, Canada | Wesley Methodist church | 2020 |
 | Bibliothèque Monique-Corriveau, Québec, QC, Canada | St-Denys du Plateau Catholic church | 2021 |
 | Bibliothèque Claire-Martin, Québec, QC, Canada | St. Matthew Anglican church | 2020 |
 | Bibliothèque Fernand-Dumont, Québec, QC, Canada | Église Saint-Grégoire | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque historique du Séminaire de Québec et archives du Musée de la Civilisation, Québec, QC, Canada | Chapelle du Pensionnat de l’Université Laval, then museum | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque Pierre-Georges-Roy, Lévis, QC, Canada | Lévis college chapel | 2021 |
 | Grey Nuns Reading Room, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada | Sœurs de la Charité de Montréal convent chapel | 2018 |
 | Bibliothèque du Collège Dawson, Montréal, QC, Canada | Sœurs Notre-Dame-de-Montréal convent chapel | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque du Collège Marianopolis, Montréal, QC, Canada | Chapel for Collège Marguerite-Bourgeoys. | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, Montréal, QC, Canada | Brébeuf college chapel | 2022 |
| Bibliothèque du Collège Sainte-Anne, Montréal, QC, Canada | Sainte-Anne-de-Lachine convent chapel | ||
| Bibliothèque Benny, Montréal, QC, Canada | Temporary chapel for the Sainte-Monica Catholic parish | ||
| Bibliothèque Mordecai-Richler, Montréal, QC, Canada | Church of the Ascension, Anglican | 2018 | |
| Bibliothèque Rina-Lasnier, Joliette, QC, Canada | Église Saint-Paul-Apôtre | ||
| Bibliothèque de Val-des-Sources (formerly Asbestos), QC, Canada | Saint-Aimé Catholic church | ||
 | Bibliothèque de Paspébiac, QC, Canada | St. Peter’s Anglican church | 2021 |
 | Bibliothèque Félicité-Angers, Neuville, QC, Canada | Église Saint-François-de-Sales | 2022 |
| Bibliothèque Louis-Edmond Hamelin, Saint-Didace, QC, Canada | Presbytère de Saint-Didace | ||
 | Bibliothèque Luc-Lacourcière, Beaumont, QC, Canada | Presbytère de Beaumont | 2022 |
| Bibliothèque Émile-Gagnon, Le Bic (Rimouski), QC, Canada | Presbytère Sainte-Cécile | ||
| Bibliothèque de Montmagny, QC, Canada | Presbytère de Montmagny | ||
| Bibliothèque de Deschambault, QC, Canada | Soeurs de la Charité de Québec convent | ||
| Bibliothèque Mgr-W-J-Conway, Edmunston, NB, Canada | Église Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur | ||
 | Kentville public library, NS, Canada | United Church of St. Paul and St. Stephen | 2023 |
| Kiowa Library, Kiowa CO, USA | St. Anne Catholic Church | ||
 | Zentralbibliothek – Musikabteilung, Zürich, Switzerland | Predigerkirche: Dominican convent chapel, then granary | 2018 |
| Salle de lecture Regina Mundi, Université de Fribourg, Switzerland | Regina Mundi marianist convent chapel | ||
| Bibliothèque du Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM), Paris, France | Refectory of the St-Martin-des-Prés Abbey | ||
 | Bibliothèque municipale – Patrimoine et Étude, Dijon, France | Jesuit college and chapel | 2021 |
 | Bibliothèque Colette (La Nef), Dijon, France | St. Etienne Catholic church | 2021 |
 | Médiathèque, Cassel, France | Chapel for a girls boarding school (Pensionnat de jeunes filles des Dames de Saint Maur), then retirement home. | 2021 |
| Médiathèque Alain-Gérard, Quimper, France | Ursulines convent, then army barracks | ||
| Médiathèque Marcel-Arland, Langres, France | Cloister | ||
| Bibliothèque Saint-Corneille, Compiègne, France | Cloister | ||
| Bibliothèque municipale Paul Bienvenu, Behren-lès-Forbach, France | Notre Dame church | ||
| Bibliothèque des Dominicains, Colmar, France | Dominican convent | 2022 | |
| Médiathèque Saint-Vaast, Arras, France | Abbey | ||
| Médiathèque Les Carmes, Pertuis, France | Convent | ||
| Bibliothèque Ceccano, Avignon, France | Livrée cardinalice (cardinal palace) | ||
| Médiathèque de Montbrison, France | Convent | ||
| Het Predikheren, Mechelen, Belgium | Monastery | 2023 | |
| Bibliotheek Diksmuide, Belgium | Fransiscan monastery and church | ||
| Stadtbibliothek Müncheberg, Germany | St-Marien church (damaged during WWII) | ||
| Stadtbibliothek Memmingen, Germany | St. Anthony cloister | 2022 | |
| Vorarlberger Landesbibliothek, Bregenz, Austria | Kloster St. Gallus, church and abbey | 2022 | |
 | De Petrus Bibliotheek Vught, The Netherlands | Saint Pieter church | 2023 |
| Bibliotheek Berkel-Enschot, The Netherlands | Trappist chapel and monastery | 2023 | |
| IGI Library, Vratislavice, Czechia | Rectory | ||
| Biblioteca de Escuelas Pías de San Fernando, UNED, Madrid, Spain | Church and orphanage | ||
| Biblioteca Joan Triadú, Vic, Spain | Convent del Carme | ||
| Centro de Documentación de las Artes Escénicas de Andalucía, Sevilla, Spain | Saint Lucia church | ||
| Biblioteca del Mediterraneo, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy | Santa Chiara church | ||
| Rush library, County Dublin, Ireland | St Maur’s church. | ||
| Ballinasloe library, County Galway, Ireland | Sisters of Mercy convent and church | ||
| Lincoln College Library, Oxford, UK | All Saints parish church | ||
| Lichfield Library, UK | St Mary’s church | ||
| Postgraduate library, St Andrews University, St. Andrews, UK | Martyrs Kirk | ||
| Whitechapel Library, Queen Mary University of London, UK | Church of St Augustine with St Philip | ||
| Oran Library, Oran, Algeria | Cathérale du Sacré-Coeur | ||
| Biblioteca La Capilla del Campito, Biblioteca Satélite de Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia | La Capilla – Chapel of the Campito de San Jose convent and psychiatric clinic, later mental institution |
Jump to Industry | Churches | Services | Other
Services: banks, post offices, hospitals, etc.
| Library | Former use | Visited | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Eberhard Zeidler Library, Daniels Faculty of Landscape Architecture & Design, University of Toronto, ON, Canada | Knox college, then barracks, military hospital and medical laboratories | 2018 |
 | Queen/Saulter branch, Toronto Public Library, ON, Canada | Post office | 2019 |
 | Idea Exchange, Cambridge, ON, Canada | Post office | 2018 |
| Bibliothèque de Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada | Post office | ||
| John Muir Branch, Windsor Public Library, Windsor, ON, Canada | Fire hall and stables | ||
| Bibliothèque Maisonneuve, Montréal, QC, Canada | Maisonneuve city hall, then radium laboratory for the University of Montréal (where La Bolduc died in 1941) | ||
| Bibliothèque Éva-Circé-Côté (anc. Bibliothèque Saint-Charles), Montréal, QC, Canada | Saint-Gabriel fire hall | ||
| Bibliothèque Romain-Langlois, Québec, QC, Canada | Les Saules city hall | ||
| Bibliothèque Charles-H.-Blais, Québec, QC, Canada | Sillery city hall | ||
| Bibliothèque du Chemin-Royal, Québec, QC, Canada | Giffard city hall and fire hall | ||
| Bibliothèque Marie-Antoinette-Foucher, Saint-Jérôme, QC, Canada | Courthouse | ||
| Haverford Township Library | Haverford Township Bank | ||
 | Bibliothek des Kunstmuseums, Basel, Switzerland | Service hall for the Swiss National Bank | 2021 |
 | Universitätsbibliothek, Lucerne, Switzerland | Central post office and sorting facility. | 2012 |
 | Bibliothek Hauptpost, St-Gallen, Switzerland | Central post office | 2021 |
 | Pestalozzi-Bibliothek Oerlikon, Zürich, Switzerland | Post office | 2019 |
 | Bibliothèque publique et scolaire, Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland | Post office | 2022 |
 | Bibliomédia Suisse, Lausanne, Switzerland | Customs house, then school of medicine | 2019 |
 | Bibliothèque d’Orbe, Switzerland | Hospital, then prison | 2022 |
| Biblioteca dell’Accademia di architettura USI, Mendrisio, Switzerland | Ospizio della Beatissima Vergine hospital | 2022 | |
 | Biblioteca universitaria di Lugano, Switzerland | Istituto Rezzonico hospital | 2022 |
| Liechtensteinische Landesbibliothek, Vaduz, Liechtenstein (project – expected completion 2026) | Post & administrative office | ||
| Mediathek am See, Friedrichshafen, Germany | Kreissparkasse bank office | 2022 | |
| Stadtbibliothek Donauwörth, Germany | Stadtkommandantenhaus (city hall) | 2022 | |
 | Médiathèque Françoise-Sagan, Paris, France | Saint-Lazare convent and leper colony, later orphanage and prison infirmary | 2019 |
| Médiathèque La Buanderie – Anne Capezzuoli, Clamart, France | Industrial laundry for the Clamart hospice and Meudon orphanage | ||
| Bibliothèque Municipale de Coulommiers, France | Prison | ||
| American University of Paris Library, Student Life and Learning Commons, Paris, France | Office building | ||
| Médiathèque l’Apostrophe, Chartres, France | Central post office | ||
| Médiathèque Simone-Veil, La Ciotat, France | St-Jacques hospice | 2023 | |
| Bibliothèque Universitaire de Sciences de Luminy, Université d’Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France | Hexagone university cafeteria | 2023 | |
 | Médiathèque d’Arles, France | Hôtel Dieu hospital | 2022 |
| Bibliothèque Inguimbertine, Carpentras, France | Hôtel Dieu hospital | 2023 | |
| Pôle Média-Culture Edmond Gerrer, Colmar, France | Hospital | ||
| Médiathèque et pôle culturel La Boussole, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France (in construction) | Administrative offices, tribunal and police station complex | ||
| Médiathèque de Fives, Lille, France | Social services office | ||
| Médiathèque de la Madeleine, France | Public baths and social services office, then police station | ||
| Médiathèque Chalucet, Toulon, France | Wing of Charité hospital, later chapel for Hôtel-Dieu hospital. | 2023 | |
| BU Bourse du Travail, Université de Perpignan, France | Bourse du Travail (union hall) and Protestant temple | (2023) | |
| Mittelpunktbibliothek Treptow, Berlin, Germany | Treptow Fire hall | ||
| Bibliotheek Neude, Utrecht, the Netherlands | Central post office | 2023 | |
 | Amsterdam City Archives, the Netherlands | Netherlands Trading Company bank vault | |
| Allard Pierson Museum library and University Library special collections, Amsterdam, the Netherlands | Monastery and hospice | ||
| Naas Library & Cultural Centre, Naas, Ireland | Gaol, then town hall | ||
| Biblioteca de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain | Santa Creu hospital | ||
| Biblioteca Nou Barris, Barcelona, Spain | Mental institution | ||
| Archivo Histórico de Asturias, Orviedo, Spain | Cárcel correccional de Oviedo panopticon prison | ||
| Marrickville Library at Patyegarang Place, Marrickville, NSW, Australia | Marrickville Cottage Hospital | ||
| Nassau Public Library, New Providence, The Bahamas | Nassau gaol and correctional work house |
Jump to Industry | Churches | Services | Other
Other
| Library | Former use | Visited | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | BAnQ Vieux-Montréal, QC, Canada | Museum of commerce and industry for HEC Montréal | 2018 |
 | Bibliothèque La Mosaïque, La Pocatière, QC, Canada | Meeting hall (city hall extension) | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque Chrystine-Brouillet, Québec, QC, Canada | École ménagère des Sœurs de la Charité de Saint-Louis | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque Honorius-Provost, Sainte-Marie de Beauce, QC, Canada | Cultural centre | 2023 |
| Bibliothèque Lucien-Lalonde, Gatineau, QC, Canada | Saint-Bernardin primary school | ||
 | University College Library, Toronto, ON, Canada | Library and college halls destroyed by fire, converted to a refectory then converted back to the library. | 2021 |
 | Hillsburgh Branch, Wellington County Library, Hillsburgh, ON, Canada | Farm house | 2018 |
 | Woodlawn Public Library, Dartmouth, NS, Canada | Empire 6 Cinemas multiplex | 2023 |
| Murray-Green Library, Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL, USA | Dining hall of the Auditorium Hotel | ||
| Library 21C, Colorado Springs, CO, USA | MCI call center | ||
| Franklin Public Library, Franklin, PA, USA | Private residence | ||
| Edgar Allan Poe Library, Sullivan’s Island, NC, USA | Battery Gadsden, a former Spanish-American War four-gun battery | ||
 | Fachbibliothek Germanistik, Basel, Switzerland | Private residence | 2019 |
 | Espace Jules Verne, Maison d’Ailleurs, Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland | Town council hall | 2019 |
 | Bibliothèque communale, Prilly, Switzerland | “Castelmont” castle stables | 2022 |
 | Bibliothèque Municipale Chauderon, Lausanne, Switzerland | Silberkugel fast-food restaurant | 2019 |
 | Strickhof-Lernzentrum, University of Zürich, Switzerland | Farming school | 2019 |
| Bibliothèque Régionale de Tavannes, Switzerland | “Royal” cinema | ||
| Kantonsbibliothek Thurgau, Frauenfeld, Switzerland | Kantonsschule (middle school) | 2023 | |
 | Biblioteca cantonale, Locarno, Switzerland | Palazzo Morettini, a private residence, later Carmelite convent | 2023 |
 | Bibliothèque Méjanes – Les Deux Ormes, Aix-en-Provence, France | Farm compound (bastide) | 2021 |
 | Bibliothèque Forney, Paris, France | Hôtel de Sens, a private residence | 2019 |
| Médiathèque de Bar-le-Duc, France | Château de Marbeaumont | ||
| Médiathèque Jean-Paul Fleurquin, Saint-Laurent-Blangy, France | Château de Vaudry-Fontaine | ||
| Médiathèque municipale Danielle-et-François-Mitterrand, Bailleul, France | Schoolhouse (École des Garçons) | ||
| Bibliothèque Municipale de Versailles, France | Hôtel des Affaires Étrangères et de la Marine | ||
| Médiathèque Noailles, Cannes, France | Villa Rothschild, a private residence | ||
 | Médiathèque Pierre-Bottero, Pélissanne, France | Maison Maureau, a private residence | 2021 |
| Bibliothèque de l’Alcazar, Marseille, France | Alcazar theatre | ||
| Médiathèque le Fil, Hellemmes, France | Farm house | ||
| Bibliothèque Bernard-Nicolau, Perpignan, France | Villa Les Tilleuls, a private residence | 2023 | |
| Biblioteca Nacional d’Andorra, Encamp, Andorra | Hotel Rosaleda | ||
 | Reformationsgeschichtliche Forschungsbibliothek, Wittenberg, Germany | Wittenberg Castle | 2018 |
| Mediathek Kirchzarten, Germany | Barn | ||
 | Gemeindebücherei Kressbronn am Bodensee, Germany | Farmhouse | 2022 |
| Gemeindebücherei Gundelsheim, Germany | 19th century farmhouse | ||
| Stadtteilbücherei Hubland, Würzburg, Germany | Luftwaffe aistrip, later US Army base and shopping centre | ||
| School 7 Bibliotheek Den Helder, The Netherlands | Schoolhouse | ||
| Universiteitsbibliotheek Binnenstad/Drift, Utrecht, The Netherlands | Royal palace for Louis Napoléon | 2023 | |
| Faculteitsbibliotheek, Faculteit Letteren en Wijsbegeerte, University of Ghent, Belgium | Institut des Sciences – university laboratories and classrooms | ||
| De Bib Tweebronnen, Leuven, Belgium | Leuven Technical School | (2023) | |
| Public library, Vardø, Norway | Primary school | ||
 | Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, Budapest, Hungary | Private residence | 2018 |
| Městská knihovna Písek, municipal library, Písek, Czechia | J. A. Comenius Elementary School | ||
| City Library of Belgrade, Serbia | “Srpska kruna” hotel | ||
| Dipòsit de les Aigües, Barcelona, Spain | Water cistern | ||
| Palauet Casades law library, Barcelona, Spain | Private residence | ||
| Biblioteca Marta Mata, Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain | Cinema | ||
| Biblioteca El Castell, Barcelona, Spain | Private residence | ||
| Biblioteca La Cooperativa, Malrgat del Mar, Spain | Private residence / palace | ||
| Archivo Real y General de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain | Palace of the Kings of Navarra | ||
| Biblioteca Municipal, Ílhavo, Portugal | Manor Visconde de Almeida | ||
| Coventry Central Library, UK | “Locarno” ballroom | ||
| Chester Library at the Storyhouse, Chester, UK | Cinema and theatre | ||
| Bridgeton Library, Glasgow, UK | Olympia cinema | ||
| Granton-on-Spey Library, UK | Courthouse | ||
| Leamington Spa Library & Information Centre, Royal Leamington Spa, UK | Swimming pool | ||
| Adomo Mickevičiaus library, Vilnius, Lithuania | Private residence / palace for the Tiškevičius family | ||
| Suochengli Neighbourhood Library, Zhifu District, Yantai, China | Private residence | ||
| Xujiahui (Zikawei) Library, Shanghai, China | Unifished bookstore |
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Jump to Industry | Churches | Services | Other
The other way around
There also exist examples of former library buildings now used for other purposes. I will attempt to list some here:
| Library | Current use | Visited | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Bibliothèque Centrale, Montréal, Canada | Arts Council and a costume store | 2024 |
References
- Hauke, Petra et. al. (eds.) (2021). New Libraries in Old Buildings: Creative Reuse. IFLA Publications vol. 180. De Gruyter.
- Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec (2012). Colloque sur la transformation d’églises en bibliothèques : est-ce qu’une église peut devenir une bibliothèque du 21e siècle ? May 4, 2012.
- Thomas, P. K. (1982). Finding Space: Adaptive Reuse. Library Journal, 107(21), 2230.
Content note
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