Late Modernism – Thomas Guignard photography

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.

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.

Interior of a modern library, showing a large circular atrium with a fountain in the middle and surrounded by a mezzanine. The photo is taken from the mezzanine. On the bottom floor are rows of bookshelves in blond wood. Round tables, chairs and houseplants are arranged around the fountain.

Pasila Library, Helsinki

Built for a new city centre that never came, Pasila library in Helsinki nevertheless remains a busy community hub and a testament to Finland's love affair with its public libraries.