Interior of a contemporary library. It is a large terraced room getting progressively wider at the top, with stairs connecting the levels. Bookshelves line the walls, the colourful spines contrasting against white walls and shelves.

Stadtbibliothek | Stuttgart, Germany.

Robarts Library, University of Toronto | Toronto, ON

A contemporary library interior with a large glass canopy. People are seated at long wooden tables, reading or using laptops.

Joe and Rika Mansueto Library | Chicago, IL

A large, historic library with wooden arches, high ceilings, tall bookshelves filled with books, and people reading or studying at long tables under hanging lamps.

Bibliothéque de l'Hôtel de Ville | Paris

A grand, neoclassical, well-lit library with high arched ceilings and large windows. Rows of wooden tables with chairs and reading lamps fill the space. Shelves filled with books line the walls.

Doe Memorial Library, UC Berkeley | Berkeley, CA

Economics University Library | Vienna, Austria

BME Library | Budapest, Hungary

A large library interior with grid-like ceiling and wall pattern. It is a long rectangular space with a series of descending terraces, filled with large work tables on which people are working.

Grimm Zentrum, Humboldt University | Berlin, Germany.

Bibliothèque Monique-Corriveau | Québec, QC

Bibliothèque Maisonneuve | Montréal, QC

A library room in a former church with tall Gothic windows, high vaulted ceilings, wooden bookshelves filled with books, and desks for reading; one person is seated and working at a desk on the right.

Zentralbibliothek | Zürich

Scott Library, York University | Toronto, ON

A spacious, modern library with multiple levels of open metal bookshelves, filled with books. A large atrium sits in the middle, with stairs and elevators. There are people walking up the stairs and browsing books on shelves.

Biblioteca Vasconcelos | Mexico City

Image of the Cook Library, a neogothic reading room with a decorated ceiling and chandeliers.

Cook Legal Research Library | Ann Arbor, MI

Wüttembergische Landesbibliothek | Stuttgart, Germany.

UOIT/Durham College Library | Oshawa, ON

Supreme Court Library | Lausanne

George Peabody Library | Baltimore MD

City of Toronto Archives | Toronto, ON

Sheridan College Library | Oakville, ON

Rolex Learning Centre | Lausanne

A large, ornate library with two levels of bookshelves filled with neatly arranged books, wooden tables below, railings along the upper floor, and a skylight in the ceiling letting in natural light.

Osgoode Hall Great Library | Toronto, ON

Fisher Library | Toronto, ON

Image of empty library shelves at the EPFL library.

EPFL central library | Lausanne

A concrete, modernist building stands by the water’s edge with its reflection visible in the river. A Canadian flag is on the roof, and trees surround the structure under a partly cloudy sky.

Bata Library, Trent University | Peterborough, ON

Robert Hutchings Goddard Library | Worcester, MA

OISE Library | Toronto, ON

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 | Paris

Image of the Haydon Burns Library, a modernist building with a green tiled facade and vertical fins.

Haydon Burns Library, Jacksonville FL

University of Basel Library | Basel

Library of Parliament | Budapest, Hungary

Libraries

My interest in library architecture started as I was involved in the planning for a new library building. Looking for inspiration, I started researching and then visiting other libraries that were moving into new spaces or undergoing a revitalization. I often photographed details that struck my interest, and gradually became fascinated with the unique visuals offered by all libraries, big and small.

To this day, I make a point of visiting as many libraries as I can when traveling, and often plan my trips around buildings I’m interested in visiting and photographing.

Latest posts

To date, I have visited more than 300 libraries for this project. I have started collecting some of my favourite examples of library architecture on these pages. Many more can be found on my Flickr, Instagram or Mastodon feeds.

This is a work in progress, and I will keep updating this site as I learn more about the libraries I have visited. A selection of recently updated posts can be seen below, or you can explore my library portfolio. I also have a page dedicated to adaptive reuse library projects.

Happy exploring!