Don’t you just love a good book? But you know what’s better than a good book? Places to read and discover other good books! Sure, your local library or bookstore might be good enough for you, but these three places will make you think otherwise:
1. Nakajima Library
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Located in Akita International University (AIU), Nakajima library was built in 2008 to provide students with a learning space that is always open. Yep, this library is open 24 hours a day, all year round. Sounds a little too good to be true? Well, the library is only open 24/7 for current AIU students and staff. But, you can visit the library during its public opening hours.
Once you step into Nakajima library, you’ll be greeted with the faint scent of cedar wood, which is what the library’s furniture is made of. Not only does it give the library its scent, the Japanese cedar is also native to the university’s prefecture, Akita.
The scent definitely makes the library a relaxing place, but Nakajima library has one more reader friendly trait — its unique Colosseum design. Behind those circular bookshelves are actual work-spaces where you can do some serious reading without being bothered.
As of April 2015, Nakajima library holds more than 75,000 books and over 3,000 CDs and DVDs. If your can’t read a shred of Japanese, don’t worry! More than 60 percent of the books are written in English. That’s more 45,000 books to choose from.
2. Forest of Wisdom
Where: Paju, South Korea
Whenever you think of South Korea, you’ll most likely think of K-pop, dramas, technology and fashion. Rarely would you associate the country with books. However, in Paju, South Korea, there’s a whole area dedicated to books; it’s even called Book City. There, you’ll a variety of publishers, bookstores, cafes, and the Forest of Wisdom.
Opened in 2014, the Forest of Wisdom is a modern type of library that doesn’t have librarians to sort or catalogue its books. This idea may seem strange to some, but the library currently has about 200,000 books arranged on eight-metre tall bookshelves. So you may be wondering, just how would anyone find the book they want?
Well, this library isn’t really about finding specific books, but rather discovering new and interesting ones. That being said, the Forest of Wisdom does sort their books according to donors and publishers. If you ever need help finding a book, you can always look for the library’s volunteer “book recommenders”. They are also the only ones who can use the ladders to reach for books located on the upper shelves.
3. El Ateneo Grand Splendid
Where: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Once a magnificent theatre in the 20th century, El Ateneo Grand Splendid is one of the grandest bookstores in the world. I mean just look it, and try telling me it’s not the most amazing bookstore you’ve ever seen.
But it wasn’t always this glorious for the El Ateneo Grand Splendid. In 1991, the theatre that once occupied the building folded due to poor economic conditions. It was even threatened with demolition until the IIhsa Group bought the place and converted it into the bookstore it is today. The bookstore has about 120,000 book titles, with the majority written in Spanish. Although El Ateneo has about 4,000 English titles, you probably won’t find much, unless you’re looking for romance or mystery novels.
However, that doesn’t mean you will go home disappointed. Head down to the basement and check out the range of Spanish music. You might also be interested in the third level, where you can find classical and opera music. If that’s still not quite your thing, spend some time exploring the upper floors anyways. You can even occupy one of the box seats to read and admire this beautiful bookstore. If you’re hungry, you can also grab a quick bite or a cup of coffee at the café located on the main stage.
Article originally posted on ZCOOP.
Cover image credits: Alamy
