Public libraries house free books that you can borrow in your community. Now, you may wonder, how could it possibly get any better than that? These public libraries are filled with cool amenities and gorgeous settings that raise the bar for what a library can be. If your local branch is on this list, just know that I’m immensely jealous.
Hilary Rodham Clinton’s Children’s Library
This library in Little Rock, Arkansas, takes what a library is to the next level, providing the community with so much more than just books. Located on a whopping six acres of land, this public library explicitly geared towards children includes spaces for performing arts programs, a teaching kitchen, a greenhouse, a vegetable garden, and an arboretum. When interviewing the local kids about what they wanted to learn from their library, they surprisingly said food. They wanted to learn how to grow it, cook it, and sustainably feed themselves. It’s a fun, hands-on environment where kids can get involved with each step of the process.
Boston Public Library
You may be smack dab in the city, but the Boston Public Library has a way of transporting visitors to Italy without even leaving the site. Not only is the interior straight out of your dark academia dreams, but the courtyard is especially dazzling. Designed to be a replica of the Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome, the courtyard thrusts you back into the 16th century with its Renaissance splendor. It’s a beautiful oasis in the middle of the urban city.
Hot Springs Public Library
This library in Hot Springs, South Dakota, may just be the coziest one on this list. Nestled at the end of the picturesque Black Hills, mountains stand tall in the background. This library is chock full of rustic charm. Designed to be a log cabin, it is a warm and inviting space. It even has a large stone fireplace. Tall windows provide a gorgeous view of the surrounding natural splendor.
Brand Library and Art Center
Located in Glendale, California, Brand Library and Art Center is situated in the gorgeous residential Brand Park. There are rolling green hills, picnic tables, a softball field, and hiking trails. Also on the property is a Japanese Garden with a traditional tea house and a beautifully restored Victorian home that now houses a museum. The connected Art Center hosts performance events in the park and houses rotating galleries. As the former home of Leslie Coombs Brand, the library has stunning architecture inspired by the East India Pavilion that premiered at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Ultimately, the space is steeped in culture and good vibes.
Mill Valley Library
If you ever need to borrow a book in a forest, this library in Mill Valley, California, has you covered. Set among California’s famous towering and gorgeous redwoods, the space was designed to provide patrons with views of the serene surroundings. Pulling inspiration from the forest right outside, the library is full of beautiful hand-crafted wood furniture and a wood-burning fireplace. If you want to be closer to the action, it has a deck lined with benches where one can take in the trees and listen to the creek flowing below.
Kansas City Central Public Library
This public library, located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, is housed in the building of what was once the First National Bank. The Neoclassical building is adorned with plenty of beautiful Greco-Roman marble columns, granting the library a sense of grandeur. Making use of the unique features of the building, the library converted the old bank vault into a movie theater. Called the Durwood Film Vault, the library screens movies for free to the public daily.
West Paris Library
Located in the small and quaint town of West Paris, Maine, this library may not be the most significant on this list, but it definitely stands out. Uniquely made to look like a small castle, the stones gathered locally in West Paris. It’s the perfect space to go and read if you want to pretend like you’re living within the pages of your fairytale.
Provincetown Public Library
This public library is located in Provincetown, Massachusetts, inside what used to be a Methodist Church turned Heritage Museum. As it services the seaside town, the library attempted to bring nautical elements indoors in a very big way. Upon entering the library’s children’s area, one may be startled to find a half-scale (but still shockingly large) model of the Rose Dorthea. One of Provincetown’s most famous historical ships, it was left to the library when they took over the building from the Heritage Museum. Kids can become immersed in the pirate stories they read there, pretending they’re on a swashbuckling adventure.
Whether you want to learn how to cook, read in a forest, or watch a free movie, these public libraries all provide amazing books and resources to their local communities. These terrific libraries are worth planning a cross-country move or maybe just a trip. Hopefully, this inspires you to check out your local library and see what they have to offer. Who knows what you’ll find — it may just be a castle!
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