A library to call home
Libraries are a Barcelona institution. There is one or several in each neighbourhood, and they are perfect for spending a few hours just reading or studying or attending events related to literature they organise every month. Here are a few things you need to know about them!
Find your room in Barcelona
Books for everyone
Dating back to 1918, the network of Barcelona libraries is a haven for those who seek out places of calm and quiet filled with books, newspapers, magazines, films, and music. There are more than 200 in the Barcelona Greater Area, plus 10 Bibliobuses, a mobile version that makes books accessible for those who don’t have a library nearby.
A single library card, valid in all public libraries in Catalonia, will give you free access to the primary services and offer discounts in cultural venues. Aladí, the collective catalogue of the network, has more than eight million documents (books, DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines) available and allows you to request books from any library in the network and receive them at the nearest one. So as you can see, libraries are not just the best places to read in Barcelona, but also a public service.
A single library card, valid in all public libraries in Catalonia, will give you free access to the primary services and offer discounts in cultural venues. Aladí, the collective catalogue of the network, has more than eight million documents (books, DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines) available and allows you to request books from any library in the network and receive them at the nearest one. So as you can see, libraries are not just the best places to read in Barcelona, but also a public service.
Open at night
Libraries are excellent places to spend time and ask for help if you need it. They all have access to the internet, and the librarians can help you with everything, be it filling out a document or finding a book you never even knew existed. They also have study rooms available for smaller groups where you can talk, and you can book in advance, and collective ones, allowing you to enjoy the quiet and concentrate you may not have anywhere else.
What makes libraries the best places to study is that most are open from 9:30 am to 8:30 pm, but you can find some that keep the study rooms open until 23:30 all year. Others keep the spaces open until nearly midnight only during the exam period in May and June. Check out their webpage for the best libraries to study in Barcelona.
Discover our rooms in Barcelona
What makes libraries the best places to study is that most are open from 9:30 am to 8:30 pm, but you can find some that keep the study rooms open until 23:30 all year. Others keep the spaces open until nearly midnight only during the exam period in May and June. Check out their webpage for the best libraries to study in Barcelona.
The best libraries in Barcelona
Although most keep a wide range of books, some libraries have a theme and specialise in certain subjects. The Fort Pienc Library, near Arc de Triomf, focuses on Design and Architecture; the Francesca Bonnemaison, in Born, on Women's studies and Feminism; the one in Vilapicina i Torre Llobeta, has an extensive bibliography on urban orchards; the one in Trinitat Vella-José Barbero, is the place to go to learn about activism and social movements; the Mercè Rodoreda in Guinardó, focuses on poetry… And so on.
The newest libraries have been built with the use of the building in mind, of course, but they are also state-of-the-art architectural feats. Go and have a look at the García Márquez in Sant Martí. It is a cosy and welcoming space worth visiting, filled with light and airy rooms. Also worth visiting are the Joan Marsé library, with spectacular views of the city and the Joan Miró, in Eixample Esquerra, which is in the centre of the park. And don’t miss the library at the University, the Biblioteca Arús and the Biblioteca de Catalunya: they are old and historically relevant, apart from being absolutely beautiful.
Don’t miss out on one of Barcelona’s best-kept secrets: the library network. Just remember library/librería/llibreria is a false friend in English, Spanish and Catalan, so don’t get them mixed up with bookshops!
The newest libraries have been built with the use of the building in mind, of course, but they are also state-of-the-art architectural feats. Go and have a look at the García Márquez in Sant Martí. It is a cosy and welcoming space worth visiting, filled with light and airy rooms. Also worth visiting are the Joan Marsé library, with spectacular views of the city and the Joan Miró, in Eixample Esquerra, which is in the centre of the park. And don’t miss the library at the University, the Biblioteca Arús and the Biblioteca de Catalunya: they are old and historically relevant, apart from being absolutely beautiful.
Don’t miss out on one of Barcelona’s best-kept secrets: the library network. Just remember library/librería/llibreria is a false friend in English, Spanish and Catalan, so don’t get them mixed up with bookshops!
Libraries are a Barcelona institution. There is one or several in each neighbourhood, and they are perfect for spending a few hours just reading or studying or attending events related to literature they organise every month. Here are a few things you need to know about them!
Find your room in Barcelona
Books for everyone
Dating back to 1918, the network of Barcelona libraries is a haven for those who seek out places of calm and quiet filled with books, newspapers, magazines, films, and music. There are more than 200 in the Barcelona Greater Area, plus 10 Bibliobuses, a mobile version that makes books accessible for those who don’t have a library nearby.
A single library card, valid in all public libraries in Catalonia, will give you free access to the primary services and offer discounts in cultural venues. Aladí, the collective catalogue of the network, has more than eight million documents (books, DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines) available and allows you to request books from any library in the network and receive them at the nearest one. So as you can see, libraries are not just the best places to read in Barcelona, but also a public service.
A single library card, valid in all public libraries in Catalonia, will give you free access to the primary services and offer discounts in cultural venues. Aladí, the collective catalogue of the network, has more than eight million documents (books, DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines) available and allows you to request books from any library in the network and receive them at the nearest one. So as you can see, libraries are not just the best places to read in Barcelona, but also a public service.
Open at night
Libraries are excellent places to spend time and ask for help if you need it. They all have access to the internet, and the librarians can help you with everything, be it filling out a document or finding a book you never even knew existed. They also have study rooms available for smaller groups where you can talk, and you can book in advance, and collective ones, allowing you to enjoy the quiet and concentrate you may not have anywhere else.
What makes libraries the best places to study is that most are open from 9:30 am to 8:30 pm, but you can find some that keep the study rooms open until 23:30 all year. Others keep the spaces open until nearly midnight only during the exam period in May and June. Check out their webpage for the best libraries to study in Barcelona.
Discover our rooms in Barcelona
What makes libraries the best places to study is that most are open from 9:30 am to 8:30 pm, but you can find some that keep the study rooms open until 23:30 all year. Others keep the spaces open until nearly midnight only during the exam period in May and June. Check out their webpage for the best libraries to study in Barcelona.
The best libraries in Barcelona
Although most keep a wide range of books, some libraries have a theme and specialise in certain subjects. The Fort Pienc Library, near Arc de Triomf, focuses on Design and Architecture; the Francesca Bonnemaison, in Born, on Women's studies and Feminism; the one in Vilapicina i Torre Llobeta, has an extensive bibliography on urban orchards; the one in Trinitat Vella-José Barbero, is the place to go to learn about activism and social movements; the Mercè Rodoreda in Guinardó, focuses on poetry… And so on.
The newest libraries have been built with the use of the building in mind, of course, but they are also state-of-the-art architectural feats. Go and have a look at the García Márquez in Sant Martí. It is a cosy and welcoming space worth visiting, filled with light and airy rooms. Also worth visiting are the Joan Marsé library, with spectacular views of the city and the Joan Miró, in Eixample Esquerra, which is in the centre of the park. And don’t miss the library at the University, the Biblioteca Arús and the Biblioteca de Catalunya: they are old and historically relevant, apart from being absolutely beautiful.
Don’t miss out on one of Barcelona’s best-kept secrets: the library network. Just remember library/librería/llibreria is a false friend in English, Spanish and Catalan, so don’t get them mixed up with bookshops!
The newest libraries have been built with the use of the building in mind, of course, but they are also state-of-the-art architectural feats. Go and have a look at the García Márquez in Sant Martí. It is a cosy and welcoming space worth visiting, filled with light and airy rooms. Also worth visiting are the Joan Marsé library, with spectacular views of the city and the Joan Miró, in Eixample Esquerra, which is in the centre of the park. And don’t miss the library at the University, the Biblioteca Arús and the Biblioteca de Catalunya: they are old and historically relevant, apart from being absolutely beautiful.
Don’t miss out on one of Barcelona’s best-kept secrets: the library network. Just remember library/librería/llibreria is a false friend in English, Spanish and Catalan, so don’t get them mixed up with bookshops!
