6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

October 19 2020
Share 6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

There is nothing quite like a visit to the library. Between the sweet smell of used books, hushed silence, and the countless stories just waiting to be unleashed, libraries feel like absolute heaven to me. As fellow bookworms, I’m sure all you readers can understand. And when I’m able to dive deep into a captivating read that is set in an enchanting library—well, that’s all the better. Take a minute to explore some of my favorite titles that are each set in or around beautiful and magical libraries. All these settings harbor an extensive catalog of books that I long to explore.  

The Book Charmer
by Karen Hawkins

What could be better than a magical library complete with a gifted librarian just waiting to match you with the perfect read? Meet Sarah Dove. For Sarah, books live, breathe, and sometimes even speak. When Sarah grows up to become the librarian of her quaint Southern town named Dove Pond, her gift helps place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Recently, however, the books have been whispering about something out of the ordinary: the arrival of a displaced city girl named Grace Wheeler. If the books are right, Grace could be the savior that Dove Pond desperately needs. 

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo Libro.fm logo
The Book Charmer
Karen Hawkins

New York Times bestselling author Karen Hawkins crafts an unforgettable story about a sleepy Southern town, two fiercely independent women, and a truly magical friendship.

Sarah Dove is no ordinary bookworm. To her, books have always been more than just objects: they live, they breathe, and sometimes they even speak. When Sarah grows up to become the librarian in her quaint Southern town of Dove Pond, her gift helps place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Recently, however, the books have been whispering about something out of the ordinary: the arrival of a displaced city girl named Grace Wheeler.

If the books are right, Grace could be the savior that Dove Pond desperately needs. The problem is, Grace wants little to do with the town or its quirky residents—Sarah chief among them. It takes a bit of urging, and the help of an especially wise book, but Grace ultimately embraces the challenge to rescue her charmed new community. In her quest, she discovers the tantalizing promise of new love, the deep strength that comes from having a true friend, and the power of finding just the right book.

“A mesmerizing fusion of the mystical and the everyday” (Susan Andersen, New York Times bestselling author), The Book Charmer is a heartwarming story about the magic of books that feels more than a little magical itself. Prepare to fall under its spell.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo Libro.fm logo

MENTIONED IN:

Bookworm Love: 9 Cozy Reads with Bookish Characters

By Jennifer Proffitt | September 28, 2021

The 10 Most Popular Books Trending This May

By Off the Shelf Staff | May 31, 2021

6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

By Holly Claytor | October 19, 2020

Staff Picks: What Our Editorial Team Is Reading This Summer

By Off the Shelf Staff | June 22, 2020

6 Books as Refreshing as an Ocean Breeze

By Holly Claytor | June 9, 2020

6 Books to Check Out for Library Lovers’ Month

By Sarah Walsh | February 4, 2020

Close
The Shadow of the Wind
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

In Barcelona in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Daniel, an antique book dealer’s son, discovers a mysterious book titled The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax. This magical read captivates Danielas good books dosparking his curiosity to read other works from JuliáCaraxAs he sets out to find the author’s other works, he discovers someone has been destroying them all. In this quest, Daniel unintentionally opens a door to one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets—an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love. 

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafón

As Barcelona slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son, finds solace in what he finds in the “Cemetery of Forgotten Books”: a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, his seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets—an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

8 Books I’ll Always Remember Reading in My 20s

By Jordyn Martinez | December 29, 2021

6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

By Holly Claytor | October 19, 2020

10 Enchanting Historical Novels That Will Add a Little Spark of Magic to Your Day

By Holly Claytor | September 15, 2020

9 Thrilling Adventure Novels Starring Bold, Brave Young Protagonists

By Carrie Cabral | September 1, 2020

8 Books I Will Never Forget

By Hannah Schaffer | July 18, 2019

Readers’ Choice: The Top 25 Most Shelved Books of All Time

By Off the Shelf Staff | March 29, 2019

Close
The Starless Sea
by Erin Morgenstern

THE STARLESS SEA entails another enchanting library complete with a magical story. When Zachary Ezra Rawlins discovers a mysterious book filled with tales of prisoners, key collectors, and acolytes, he is perplexed to find that it also details notes from his own childhood. Deeply confused, Zachary begins his search to uncover why his life has been recorded. And in this search, he runs into a series of clues that lead him into an ancient library hidden below the earth. As he explores the hidden city that this library transports him to, Zachary discovers the consequences and great lengths people have gone to protect this secret realm.  

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo Libro.fm logo
The Starless Sea
Erin Morgenstern

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo Libro.fm logo

MENTIONED IN:

Readers’ Choice: Your Favorite Reads of 2020 (and What to Read Next)

By Off the Shelf Staff | January 19, 2021

9 Fictional Parties Brimming with Joy and Drama

By Jennifer Proffitt | December 28, 2020

8 Sweeping Fantasy Novels for Leigh Bardugo Fans to Read Next

By Maddie Nelson | December 24, 2020

6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

By Holly Claytor | October 19, 2020

12 Stunning Books New in Paperback to Fill Your Shelves

By Carrie Cabral | August 17, 2020

Close
The Library Book
by Susan Orlean

THE LIBRARY BOOK by Susan Orlean is a true story centering around the 1986 Los Angeles Central Library fire, a work of arson that destroyed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. This engrossing book details the investigation following the fire and the important role that libraries play in our society. Any library lover will deeply appreciate this book.  

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo Libro.fm logo
The Library Book
Susan Orlean

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo Libro.fm logo

MENTIONED IN:

Genre Bridges: 7 Books to Shake Up Your Reading Routine

By Off the Shelf Staff | June 14, 2021

7 Spellbinding Books Brimming with the Magic of Libraries

By Karen Bellovich | May 12, 2021

8 Books About Books for Booklovers

By Alexandra Boelsterli | April 19, 2021

14 Reese Witherspoon Recommendations Your Book Club Will Devour

By Off the Shelf Staff | March 30, 2021

Book Haul: What Inspired Us to Pick Up the 8 Newest Additions to Our Shelves

By Off the Shelf Staff | February 16, 2021

6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

By Holly Claytor | October 19, 2020

Close
The Borrower: A Novel
by Rebecca Makkai

Lucy Hull is a children’s librarian turned kidnapper when she finds that her favorite ten-year-old patron, Ian, has run away from home. Lucy has been helping Ian smuggle books past his overbearing and strict mother. Desperate to save him from his family, Lucy allows herself to be hijacked by Ian when she finds him camped out in the library after hours. The odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip, leaving Lucy to question whether this was truly the right thing to do. Is she saving Ian from his parents or is she attempting to run away from her own life?  

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo iBooks logo
The Borrower: A Novel
Rebecca Makkai

Lucy Hull, a children’s librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, finds herself both kidnapper and kidnapped when her favorite patron, ten-year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home. Ian needs Lucy’s help to smuggle books past his overbearing mother, who has enrolled Ian in weekly anti-gay classes. Desperate to save him from the Drakes, Lucy allows herself to be hijacked by Ian when she finds him camped out in the library after hours, and the odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip. But is it just Ian who is running away? And should Lucy be trying to save a boy from his own parents?

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

By Holly Claytor | October 19, 2020

Finding Libraries In Our Favorite Books

By Allison Tyler | July 10, 2014

Close
The Case of the Missing Books
by Ian Sansom

A library on wheels would definitely be a sight to see! I would love to visit the traveling library in Ian Sansom’s THE CASE OF THE MISSING BOOKS. Israel Armstrong has traveled to Northern Ireland to begin a career as a librarian. But this new gig does not turn out to be what he imagined. Israel is tasked with driving a mobile library around the small, damp villageTo top it all off, the fifteen thousand books that the library is known to contain have mysteriously gone missing. Now, it's up to Israel to discover who would steal these volumes and why. This light and humorous book is a must-read for any booklover.  

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo
The Case of the Missing Books
Ian Sansom

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Bookshop logo

MENTIONED IN:

6 Remarkable Literary Libraries I Long to Visit

By Holly Claytor | October 19, 2020

Close

Photo Credit: Brankospejs/iStock

You must be logged in to add books to your shelf.

Please log in or sign up now.