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Interior of a contemporary library with white walls. A person walks up a staircase on the left, while another stands by a railing on the upper level. The lower level has boxes of CDs and DVDs. Light comes from a square window high up the wall.

Stadtbibliothek Heidenheim

In shape and function, this library acts as a force of cohesion.
A 1980s, multi-story building with gabled roofs and large windows is situated on a corner. It features a cylindrical glass stairwell on the right. The foreground includes a cobblestone area with bike racks, signs, and street lamps. Clear blue sky above.

Stadtbibliothek Aalen

The intriguing and complex shapes of the Torhaus in Aalen house a bright and efficient library.
Interior of a library in a converted industrial building with exposed brick walls. A central information desk is staffed by a person. Shelves filled with books surround the area. A display with pamphlets is on the right.

Bibliotheek Oog in Al, Utrecht

Through fire and pestilence, from farmer cooperative pride to beloved community centre, the history of the Cereolfabriek is far from over.
A courtyard with a large, three-story industrial-style building in the background with a facade of brick and glazing. The courtyard is paved with concrete tiles, and a blue, tube-like structure is placed in the centre. The sky is clear and sunny.

Tweebronnen Library, Leuven

The transformation of this former technical school by one of the early masters of Modernism questions the balance between preservation and reuse.
A historic building with classical architecture is flanked by modern glass structures on both sides. Snow covers the ground, and a blurred car passes by on the road in front. The scene is illuminated by soft evening light.

Bibliothèque Maisonneuve, Montréal

From visions of grandeur too big for a city budget to a dying star's last breath, the surprising history of the Maisonneuve library is far from over.
Interior of a Beaux-Arts building, a rectangular atrium surrounded by columns and a mezzanine.

Bibliothèque Centrale de Montréal

Born of decades of controversy, Montreal's first French-language public library is now home to a very unusual collection.
Interior of a brick church converted to a library with rows of contemporary bookshelves contrasting with the church interior. Flags are hanging from a curved mezzanine wrapping around the space.

De Petrus Vught

Thanks to a group of volunteers, this 19th century church in the Netherlands was saved from destruction to become the cultural heart of the community.
Interior of an English Neogothic church transformed into a library, viewed through a community room constructed in the former choir. The community room is separated from the nave by a glass partition, through which the library can be seen.

Kentville Library, Nova Scotia

Pews have given way to bookshelves in this former Presbyterian church in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.
Exterior of a Provençal house fronted by a formal garden.

Médiathèque d’Arles

The hospital where Vincent Van Gogh was treated in Arles is now a cultural centre with a library occupying a surprising space.
Interior of a library in a converted wine store with prominent timber rafters. The modern elements are all coloured lime green and contrast sharply with the original timber elements. A woman is climbing a flight of stairs, in front of her is a level full of bookshelves.

Kantonsbibliothek Baselland, Liestal

In 1920, when Louis Roth took over his father Leonhard's business in Liestal near Basel, Switzerland, he took advantage of
Exterior of a contemporary library, a three-story structure with gently curving glass walls. The ground floor is recessed from the upper stories, providing a covered area. In the foreground are flowering shrubs, a Quebec flag flying on a mast and a parking lot on which the letters DMV (for Drummondville) are painted.

Bibliothèque de Drummondville

This award-winning library combines contemporary design with a colourful reference to local industrial heritage.
Interior of a modern library, with a gently curving ceiling and a large window at the back.

Finsbury Library, London

The reorganization of the London boroughs robbed this library of its ambition as a cultural centre but gifted inhabitants of the nearby housing estates with a spacious library.
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