Libraries of the World: Amsterdam

You know you’re a librarian when you routinely make touring libraries in foreign locales a top priority of every vacation.  Over the years, I’ve accumulated a large cache of pictures and memorabilia from different libraries I’ve visited, but the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (Public Library Amsterdam) deserves a special shout out.

OBA is the collective name for all public libraries in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The first library opened in 1919 at the Keizersgracht.  As of 2007, there are 28 public libraries and 43 lending points, such as hospitals. In 2005, OBA had 1.7 million books with 165,000 members and lent out 5 million books  in Amsterdam.  Impressive stats!  I want these guys on my Fantasy Library League Team.  Seriously.

During a recent trip to Amsterdam, I managed to take a few interesting outdoor pics of Centrale Bibliotheek (Central Library), the largest public library in Europe.  According to Wikipedia, the complex has a floor surface of 28,500 m², spread out over 10 floors, 1,200 seats, of which 600 with Internet-connected computers, and a staff of 200.   Now that’s what I call a LIBRARY.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to view the inside (hard to do that when you’re being ferried away in a speeding canal cruise boat) but here is an interior shot to give you an idea of the vast space and lofty beauty of this facility.

And I was also delighted to discover the Airport Library at Schiphol.  Enjoy, fellow library lovers!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.