Readers’ Choice: 20 More Beautiful College Libraries From Around the World

Recently we shared our picks for the 25 most beautiful college libraries in the world, asking our readers to comment with their own favorites if they hadn’t made the list. And comment you did, dear readers! We therefore feel compelled to offer this follow-up post made up entirely of libraries suggested by you, in your infinite wisdom. We do have a few caveats: many of your suggestions, great libraries as they were, were not college or university libraries, and so were disqualified. Others we couldn’t find photos of. In addition, though many of you commented asking (not always entirely nicely) for more foreign submissions, the overwhelming number of actual suggestions were for American and British universities, so go figure. We’ve tried to represent a mix here. Click through to check out 20 more of the most beautiful college libraries from around the world — chosen by you — and bask just a little more in the beauty of learning.

Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum, Humboldt University, Berlin [via and via]

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The University Library of Leuven is indeed beautiful and a perfect place to study during the exams. You should also see the exterior with the bell-tower!

i do agree, it is a beautiful place to study, do projects, and all the other hard work it takes. from the day we stepped on the campus, we were impressed with the whole package, but the library is amazing. since my daughter spent so much of her time there, i am happy it is so pleasant and nice to be in. wow, top ten is very impressive, but not surprised! that makes me proud, being a graduate student parent. go bobcats.............

This is a very old (1950s?) photo of Williston Library at Mt Holyoke...it has been renovated several times since, and is quite beautiful at present...i spent a LOT of time here in the late 70's!

too bad lehigh kids only use it twice a year

Those aren't even very good pictures of Lehigh's Linderman library! It definitely has even more gorgeous aspects!

The best part about Linderman at Lehigh University is most definitely the carved and guilded ceiling...I unfortunately couldn't find any pictures of it, but this video shows a glimpse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OB5wB4Wllk

*Quinnipiac University, that is...

Spent four years at that wonderful University....Slept there many nights...It's a wonderful place to be and deserves to be on this list for sure.

My grandmother wrote books about the Baylor Armstrong-Browning Library and Dr. Armstrong's love for the Brownings. She would be so proud to see it honored today. She spent most of her life promoting this library. Congratulations Baylor's ABL!

Jonathan - I think Clayton was referring to a different library pictured. Unfortunately the comments section is appearing under all of the pictures, not just the one for the Armstrong Barrett Library at Baylor.

Quinnipiac's library is merely one of the stunning buildings on its campuses.

The building in photo 13 of 20 is not UNAM's library. The actual library is actually adjacent to the pictured building.

always wanted to snag one of those chairs in the middle of the night. regrets.

I got my first web job at the Arnold Bernhard Library, converting their rare/old books to HTML.

I'm in agreement with a number of the observations on the Rhodes' libe. The new library mirrors the traditional stone and slate of most of the campus and represents a significant upgrade from the previous version that some of us may remember; however, it appears to be lacking somewhat in both cohesion and the quiet, warm reserve of some of the graduate school libraries I've spent far too many hours getting to know. The carpet is ghastly, just utterly ghastly -- as someone mentioned, the repetition of the seal motif is a bit much (Why would that be attractive to an interior designer, administrator, or student?). Critiques aside, I spent great years on the college's grounds and know that it has much to offer - truly in a league of its own academically and philosophically. The missteps in planning and execution of major projects like the Barret are minor in the greater scheme of life and in the life of the mind. Hoping that the new year will bring continued improvements to the image of the college - online, nationally, and on campus - to the good of all who know her well.

also have a friend, who would prob argue the Taylorian Library in Oxford is pretty nice! http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/5898540063/1/tumblr_llv0vt4L3c1qjh6on

yeah getting page not found too!, shame coz it was a beautiful blog!

What the heck happened to the original article with the "25 most beautiful college libraries"? "Page not found"

@Alfred You're welcome! sorry for posting it twice, didn't think the first had worked... the library also had a mini-museum which contains St John's Fragment, i.e. the earliest extant piece of new testament text!

Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University isn't on here? I'm shocked. It's one of the most significant pieces of Collegiate Gothic architecture on the planet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Memorial_Library Sam with the John Rylands library at Manchester -- that's a gorgeous building! Thanks for sharing the links :-D

The Rhodes College library is beautiful and deserves to be high on any list of this nature. I would also agree with Sandra above that Trinity College (Dublin) should have been on this list as well.

What about Manchester's John Rylands library? http://www.toimg.net/managed/images/bounded/10156547/w482/h317/image.jpg http://www.englishheritageimages.com/image/john_rylands_library_bl15862_4560663.jpg Not technically the main university library of Mancheseter, but serves as the Special Collections section of the John Rylands University Library

@Clayton, I can't imagine anyone calling Barrett Library hideous. It is beautiful. One of the best buildings on campus inside and out. As a recent alumni, I've had the privilege of spending many hours inside this library and I can't imagine anyone being displeased with it.

Some admirable ideas manifest in the architecture, including how the medieval cathedral-like layout embraces learning as sacred. Yet the details are tacky, gaudy, less than genuine, and yet another example of institutional insecurity that lends itself to overcompensation and this frustrating stretch to don some foreign identity that impoverishes the school's otherwise rich and vast capacity to develop uniquely on its own. Much in the library extravagantly and tactlessly flaunts wealth, and beyond Rhodes' gates, Memphis is one of the poorest urban areas in the nation. Planners added the tower on the library, missing from the original plans, when there was a surplus in the budget. An immigrant construction worker lost his life while working on this additional sign of wealth and pomp. And to be honest, the poorly-chosen details of this library are distracting to some students who want to study. I could never study anywhere near that carpet. That carpet looks like a casino's. Students avoid stepping on the seal everywhere else on campus, out of respect. This library is a lava field of disrespect to Rhodes' best qualities--commitment to academics, humble service to others, honesty. Rhodes is an amazing school and community. Unfortunately, the administration gambles the school's profound potential by making poor decisions regarding image and identity-construction. This library is a perfect example.

This library is really inpsiring to study in! A highlight of the campus. Clayton, I don't know if you've ever been in this library, but I would say that all of the donations were well spent. This buildng goes seemlesly with all of the other architecture so I don't know what much else they could do without disrupting the continuity of the architecture. It's beautiful.

Not only is the Rhodes Library breathtakingly beautiful, the entire campus is enchanting. What wonderful inspiring architecture to be surrounded by during years of study. I commend the Rhodes staff for keeping the continuity of the architecture throughout the campus versus most modern campuses that are a hodgepodge of styles.

Sorry, but the Rhodes College library is hideous. (Rhodes alum from '98 who thinks some of our donations could have been better spent looking for an architect with vision or at least some hardwood flooring.)

Gorgeous! It does my heart good to know these places still exist amidst electronic books and closing bookstores. I want to visit everyone of these places...

You forgot to include the library of Trinity College Dublin, the most beautiful library in the world

John Rylands - Manchester, England http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1428/5184555378_be7c0dddd6_z.jpg http://www.historiclancashire.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/john-rylands-library/manchester-john-rylands-library-stairs-2.jpg Not the main university library of Manchester, but serves as the Special Collections section of the main university library (John Rylands University Library)