Libraries – Thomas Guignard photography

A white Neoclassical building stands between trees on a riverbank. The facade is painted white with a large stylized red letter A.

Bibliothek der Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien

Of the former Finance Directorate in Vienna, only the shell remains. The interior was filled by an "inward campus" for the University of Applied Arts and its library.

A library interior with bookshelves filled with books, tables and wooden chairs arranged for reading or studying, large windows letting in natural light, and a gray sofa with orange pillows.

Bibliothek der Graphischen, Wien

The print shop of this design school and research institute in Vienna is now a bright library.

A street view of a historic building with arched windows next to a modern glass and stone structure. Three people sit on benches in the foreground while two others walk by the buildings.

Bibliothèque humaniste de Sélestat

Since 1889, the former granary of the Alsatian town of Sélestat holds a unique collection documenting a long humanist tradition.

Interior of a multi-story library with open, tiered floors. Visible are several levels with bookshelves, study areas, and seating. A glass elevator is in motion in the background.

Toronto Reference Library

At the centre of North America's busiest public library system, the Toronto Reference Library is one of the city's most prized cultural assets.

A spacious, traditional library room with high vaulted wooden ceilings, large arched windows, wooden tables and chairs, bookshelves, chandeliers, and framed portraits on the walls.

Knox College Caven Library, Toronto

A prime example of Collegiate Gothic of the early 20th century, Toronto's Knox College is a favourite of students and film directors.

A spacious library interior with large arched windows, wooden floors, red bookshelves, a central information desk, a clock on the back wall, and several people reading or working at tables.

Bibliothèque d’étude et du patrimoine de Toulouse

Completed in 1935, the Art Déco Toulouse research library is a rare example of libraries built in France during the interwar period.

A spacious library with long wooden tables and chairs arranged in rows, tall bookshelves filled with books on two levels, large windows letting in natural light, and two levels of mezzanines with ornate railings. There is a spiral staircase at the back.

Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Tirol

Completed on the eve of the First World War, the university library of Innsbruck first served as a military hospital before it could open.

Large, modern library with rows of tables where many people are seated, studying or using laptops. Bookshelves are visible in the background. The ceiling has visible blue ducts and industrial lighting.

Bibliothèque Publique d’Information du Centre Pompidou

One of the world's most recognizable museums, Paris' Centre Pompidou is also home to the largest public library in the city.

Wide-angle view of a modern library interior with tall bookshelves filled with books, overhead lights, and exposed steel beams supporting a white ceiling. A wooden floor and tables are visible in the center aisle.

Åbo Akademi Arkens bibliotek

From ore to lore: this former iron mill in Finland's old capital is now the arts faculty library.

Large, modern library interior with tall white columns, rows of bookshelves filled with books, high ceilings, and large windows letting in natural light. Several people are sitting and reading or browsing books.

Töölö Library, Helsinki

A nice example of Finnish modernism, this library was originally part of a larger urban project by architect Aarne Ervi.

Bibliothèque du Jardin botanique de Genève

The home of one of the world's foremost botanical collections, this library is also a landmark of Swiss modernist architecture.

A spacious library with wooden floors, rows of bookshelves filled with books, study tables with chairs, a ladder by the shelves, and a ceiling decorated with a baroque fresco.

Bibliothek der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

For over 150 years, the library that saw the birth of higher education in Vienna laid all but forgotten, ending up as a table tennis court for policemen. A spectacular renovation brought it back to life.