IMPOSING LIBRARIES

LOS ANGELES CENTRAL LIBRARY, USA

Like the Indianapolis Public Library, the Central Library of Los Angeles

features a striking balance between old and new architecture. The

original library building was completed in 1926 and featured influences

from ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean Revival architecture,

including pyramids and mosaics. A 1993 renovation added a new wing

with Modernist and Beaux-Arts influences, including an eight story

atrium and more storage space for the museum’s ever-growing collection.

These days, the library is the third largest public library in the U.S. and is

listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

HEARST CASTLE GOTHIC STUDY, USA

Hearst Castle is one of the most famous buildings in California, but

most tour groups miss the opportunity to explore the second story

of the building, which includes a massive guest library and a cosier

gothic library and study. This room also played a vital role in Hearst’s life,

as the mogul preferred to use this room as his executive board room, 

doing business here whenever possible.

SKYWALKER RANCH LIBRARY, USA

If you ever happen to get access to California's Skywalker Ranch,

make sure you get a chance to look at the library, which is crowned

with a 40-foot stained glass dome that allows employees and guests of

Lucas Studios to enjoy their reading in natural light.

SUZZALLO LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF

WASHINGTON, USA

This Collegiate Gothic building was completed in 1923 and among

its many impressive details are 18 terra-cotta figures set atop the

buttresses featuring academic heroes such as Louis Pasteur, Dante,

Shakespeare, Plato, Benjamin Franklin, Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci,

Galileo, Gutenberg, Beethoven, Darwin, and more. Inside, a series of

shields depict the coats of arms from many top universities around the

world, including Yale, Oxford, Stanford and Uppsala. While the library

is home to many rare volumes, the most famous item in its collection

is one of the world’s largest, a photo book of Bhutan by Michael Hawley.

Library staff turn the pages about once a month so interested

viewers can slowly enjoy the entire work from front to back

assuming they visit regularly.

FISHER FINE ARTS LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY

OF PENNSYLVANIA, USA

In 1888, most architects were focused on Romanesque styles built

with marble and granite. But this library’s architect, Frank Furness,

wanted the building to reflect the architectural style of Philadelphia’s

many red brick factories. Throughout the following years it received

a number of additions and alterations and finally, in 1962, most of the

school’s collection was moved to a new location and the former main

building became the home to the fine arts library.

DAVID SASSOON LIBRARY, INDIA

Completed in 1870, the David Sassoon Library is one of only 145

monuments protected by India’s government, and the oldest library

in Mumbai. One of its most famous features is the beautiful garden

in the back—a rare sight in the commercial area in which it is located.

The library and reading room were originally intended to be an

entire institute dedicated to mechanics, science and technology, but

funding ran short. The Sassoon Mechanic’s Institute was renamed the 

David Sassoon Library and Reading Room after its primary donor.

RAZA LIBRARY, INDIA

The Raza Library in Rampur was completed in 1904, and was once part

of a palace. While many of the royal family’s other properties have been

left to crumble, the library is still protected by the Indian government,

another one of the country’s few protected monuments. The royal family

started gathering works for the library way back in 1774. Included in their

collection are 17,000 rare manuscripts, 205 hand-written palm leaves

and 5000 miniature paintings.

THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CHINA

If you’re looking for info on China’s ancient history, the National Library

of China’s old buildings might be a good place to start. They serve as

the home to a vast array of historical and ancient books and manuscripts,

even inscribed tortoise shells. And though the buildings themselves are

designed in a traditional Chinese style, they were only completed in 1987.

NAKANOSHIMA LIBRARY, JAPAN

This Neo-Baroque design might not be something you’d immediately

associate with Japan, but the 1904 Nakanoshima Library actually fits in

quite well in Osaka, as the area has quite a few other stone-walled

buildings with similar architecture. This building, complete with a copper

roof dome (not visible in the exterior image above), is certainly

one of the most stunning.