In this week’s Princh Library Blog, recurring guest writer Nina Grant brings us a collection of peculiar, if unusual, libraries. Enjoy!

To quote the wisdom of Albert Einstein: “The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library”. Indeed, as libraries provide free access to history and information through books, they’re invaluable to everyone, anytime, anywhere. That also explains why you’ll find some libraries have been built even in the most unexpected places. From a Victorian residential home, to a monastery, to a library that lies directly on international borders, these are some of the most unusual libraries you’ll find the world over.

The Haskell Free Library lets you read in two countries at once

Founded in 1901, the Haskell Free Library straddles the border between the United States and Canada. The ornate, Queen Anne Revival-style building contains two floors (with an opera house on the second), a three-storey tower, and two entrances: one in Vermont and the other in Quebec. The building was the brainchild of Martha Stewart Haskell, a Canadian married to an American, who wanted both nationalities to benefit from the library. Inside, a black line diagonally crosses the floor to represent the border between the two countries. Over 20,000 books are available here in both French and English, but you’ll also find some titles in Spanish.

Gladstone Library — the UK’s only residential library

Located in the historic village of Hawarden in Flintshire, Wales, Gladstone library is the only residential library in the UK. This neo-gothic Victorian library was founded by former Prime Minister William Gladstone in 1889 as he wanted to make his 32,000-book collection easily accessible to the general public. Gladstone amassed his epic collection of books, journals, and pamphlets throughout his life, and often wondered how to make the most out of it. He did initially consider sending it to Oxford which is renowned for its history and prestigious university, so it could join Merton College’s library. This historic library houses medieval academic texts and early printed books, and so Gladstone’s collection, which includes diverse genres from the fifteenth century onwards,  would undoubtedly have been welcome. However, Gladstone ultimately wanted his collection to remain in Wales.

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So, Gladstone Library was constructed close to his home at Hawarden Castle. Today, visitors can stay overnight in one of the twenty-six bedrooms, and enjoy long evenings cozying up with literature. Genres include literature, art, history, theology, politics, and culture. Flip through the pages and you’ll often find Gladstone’s own notes scrawled in the margins.

Strahov Library, hidden within a Prague monastery

Strahov Library — the largest monastic library in the Czech Republic — is one the best preserved historical libraries in the world. Built in 1679, the library’s located within a spectacular Premonstratensian monastery, which itself dates back to 1140. Two main halls make up the library, the largest of which is the two-story Philosophy Hall. This magnificent room contains more than 42,000 ancient texts on subjects, including history, philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics. The hall’s standout feature, however, is the ceiling fresco that depicts mankind’s journey for true wisdom.

The second hall, the baroque Theological Hall, contains 18,000 texts on religion. It’s the oldest part of the library, built in 1674 by Italian architect Giovanni Dominico Orsi. This room is also a work of art itself with a low, curved ceiling decorated with elaborate baroque stucco work. Wooden cartouches are also positioned above the shelves, each with different pictures within them. Fascinatingly, these were used to indicate the genre of literature found on the shelves below.

While libraries are exciting on their own, an unusual location only adds to the fun. This collection of unlikely libraries goes to show that virtually any space can be turned into the perfect home for the library’s services.

We will be back with another interesting article from the library world soon!

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Nina Grant

Nina is a passionate writer and editor who likes to cover a variety of topics.

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