Libraries We Wouldn’t Mind Getting Locked Into

There are some really, really cool libraries in this world. There are some that are environmentally proactive, some that house more books than one could read in a lifetime, and some that are just architecturally bizarre.

We’ve collected a list of some libraries we totally wouldn’t mind getting locked into.

Baroque Library Hall – Clementinum, Prague

The Baroque Library was first opened in 1722 and houses over 20,000 volumes of foreign literature, some of which have been there since the library’s conception. Most importantly, though, the Baroque is beautiful. We’d have no problem being locked into this library.

Admont Abbey Library – Admont, Austria

Admont Abbey Library was built in 1776 and is the largest monastery library in the world. It houses 70,000 volumes of the monastery’s total 200,000 volumes. There are seven stunning cupolas decorated with frescoes by Bartolomeo Altomonte, which show the stages of human knowledge.

Trinity College Library – Dublin, Ireland

Trinity College Library is the largest library in Ireland and began with the founding of Trinity College in 1592. It’s like something straight out of Harry Potter book. Yes. Please.

Joe & Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago – Chicago, Illinois

The Joe & Rika Mansueto Library opened in 2011. It features a stunning elliptical glass dome. If we were students at UCHI, we’d never want to leave this beautiful thing.

Jose Vasconcelos Library – Mexico City, Mexico

Jose Vasconcelos Library was named after philosopher Jose Vasconcelos, and had an initial planned cost of 954 million pesos (roughly $98 million US dollars). Despite this enormous price tag, the library had to close in 2007 due to construction defects. It was reopened 22 months later and has been enjoyed by the public ever since.

Imagine getting lost in this maze. We wouldn’t be mad.

Central Public Library – Vancouver, British Columbia

Central Public Library serves 428,000 members and is the third largest public library system in Canada. The library has been serving Vancouver residents for over 100 years.

We could spend all day venturing through this library. There’s so much to see. Just leave us here forever, okay?