LIBRARIES WITH A DIFFERENCE

26. VILLANUEVA PUBLIC LIBRARY, COLOMBIA

Perhaps the most famous of Colombia’s new libraries is the

Villanueva Public Library, which was constructed using not only

locally sourced materials, but also by the people of the village.

Stones were gathered from nearby rivers and sustainable wood

from nearby forests, and local people were trained to help

construct the building. The design, created by four nearby college

students, focuses on natural ventilation and plenty of shade to keep

the interior nice and cool. All of these cost-cutting measures went a long

way in helping a truly impoverished area secure a much-needed library.

CENTRAL LIBRARY OF VANCOUVER, CANADA

Many modern building designs are based on historical icons,

but few of these designs focus on the ruins rather than the

original. The Central Library of Vancouver is an exception. Based

on the Roman Coliseum, this massive building takes up one full

city block and features not only a library with 1.3 million reference

materials, but also retail shops, restaurants, a parking

structure, office buildings and a rooftop garden.

LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT, CANADA

The Library of Parliament was once part of the city’s

original Parliamentary headquarters constructed in 1876.

The building had been under construction for ten years before

it was revealed that the builders didn’t know how to create a

domed roof as seen in the plans. To get around this issue,

the Tomas Fairbairn Engineering Company of England was

commissioned to create a pre-fabricated dome. As a result,

the building had the distinction of being the first building in North

America to have a wrought iron roof. The unique Gothic building

is so iconic that today it is even featured on the Canadian

ten-dollar bill. 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, USA

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the entire world

as ranked by both shelf space and number of books. Among its

several buildings, the oldest is the Thomas Jefferson Building,

which just might be the most beautiful structure in the library system.

Completed in 1897, the library's neoclassical style features some

of the most intricate interiors of any building in the U.S.,

including murals and sculptures from a variety of classically-trained

American artists. Interestingly, the building’s exterior was even

more lavish than it is now, as it was originally gilded, but this was

criticized as it was believed to draw attention away from the

Capitol Building. These days, the roof consists merely of

copper that has aged to a sea green shade.

STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN LIBRARY, USA

You might recognize this National Historical Landmark, better known

simply as the “New York Public Library,” by the two stone lions

guarding the building (known as either Lord Astor and Lady Lenox

or Patience and Fortitude). Inside, the wooden shelves, frescoed

ceilings and grand chandeliers give the entire building an old-world feel.

Completed in 1911, the library featured more than 75 miles of

shelves when it was first opened. The collection still managed to

grow too large for its home by 1970, so the library was expanded

by adding an underground area that extends under nearby Bryant Park.

FREDERICK FERRIS THOMPSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY

IN VASSAR COLLEGE, USA

This massive Gothic structure consists of three wings and a

central tower, and now houses around a million books, 7500

periodicals, and a massive microfilm and microfiche collection.

While the main tower is quite striking, the most famous part of

the library is the enormous stained glass window in the West Wing

showing Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman to earn a

doctorate in Europe, receiving her degree from the University of Padua.

JAY WALKER'S PRIVATE LIBRARY, USA

Priceline.com founder Jay Walker's gorgeous wooden library,

filled with an array of historical and pop culture artefacts, has

been labelled by Wired as "the most amazing library in the world.”

As if the gorgeous etched glass, labyrinthine design and multiple

stories of book shelves weren’t impressive enough, the

collection of rarities stored in the library is completely mesmerizing.

Between books bound in rubies, a Sputnik, a chandelier from 

Die Another Day, and a list of plague mortalities from 1665,

visitors to the private library might just have a hard time leaving.

HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY, USA

This modern library design takes new construction techniques

and applies them to neoclassical building styles. The result is a

vintage look with a modern twist. The red brick base perfectly

balances the glass rooftop adorned with seven massive aluminium

adornments. Best of all, the designers took their inspiration from

other famous Chicago buildings, ensuring the whole structure fits in

perfectly with its surroundings.