Book lovers search out book havens; it’s a fact of life. They pull us in like moths to a blinding glow, begging us to find their whimsical nooks and crannies and turning us back into those children stepping into a story circle for the first time. We love them so much that our staff tend to seek them out when travelling. For October Library Month, we asked our staff to share with us some of the gems they’ve seen along their journeys—far and wide.
Starting with my own entry and one that Chris from Library Resources also chose, Word on the Water is an adorable bookstore in London, UK, housed on a 1920s Dutch canal barge. Among its collection of titles, it has floral decorations, a cozy fire onboard, and seating to peruse titles and enjoy the live jazz events that are regularly scheduled there.
Our next destination comes from Amanda in Library Services. She visited the Central Halifax Public Library, and beneath its exterior of glass, it houses crisscrossing staircases that reminded her of Hogwarts’ magical ones. Unlike Hogwarts, Halifax Central has a rooftop patio on a green roof, which it sustains with rainwater!
On a recent road trip through the United States, Miki from Community Services saw a couple of book havens worth mentioning!
The first was Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree National Park, CA. It’s an independent bookstore and publisher that specializes in science fiction, but fear not travelers, they have a little something for everyone! From presentations by local writers to old sci-fi movie screenings, poetry readings, and signings, that old space cowboy will have something for you to get into!
The second destination Miki wanted to highlight was Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur, CA. If you didn’t know it was there, it would be easy to miss as its a cabin tucked away in the towering redwoods. The library was once the home of Henry Miller and has since been changed into a space that champions the literary artistic and cultural contributions of the late writer and artist, functioning as a public performance space for artists, writers, musicians and students of the craft. There is even a lush redwood grove adjacent to the library that acts as an outdoor concert venue that can house up to 300 lucky attendees with big name acts like Pixies and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Tia from Community Services didn’t have to travel too far to find a library that she has become obsessed with, and she’s sure that many other Albertans are sure to fall in love with Calgary’s Central Library branch as well! Replacing the earlier central branch built in the 1960’s, this 2018 architectural gem boasts four floors of community space including mural and sculpture galleries, a 12,000 square foot children’s library, an author in residence studio, and an entire floor for teens!
Andrew from Library Resources was delighted with the small Rosthern Library in Rosthern, SK. Don’t be fooled by its modest exterior, this little library packs a big personality when you step inside! With its hand painted windows featuring storybook characters and its lovely community minded staff, it almost feels like stepping back in time to simpler days.
Speaking of book havens that make you feel like you’ve been time travelling, in 2012 Suzy of Library Services was lucky enough to visit
Athens, Greece where she had a chance to visit the Vallianeion Megaron National Library. Since 2018, the National Library has moved, and the space now serves as a reading room which is open to the public to soak in the charm of the green lamps, pillars and old-world allure.
We’re back in Canada for our next pick from Kelly from Library’s Services with Mabels Fables located in Toronto. While attending a Teacher/Librarian conference, she stumbled upon Mabels Fables and was captivated by the magic the bookstore imbued. With its recognizable characters painted on the walls and the ever-present bookstore cat (named Mabel, of course) readers who arrive never want to leave the cozy little children’s bookstore. Unfortunately, the bookstore has had to move this year due to a condo redevelopment, but they are planning on relocating and bringing back the magic with the community’s help and blessings.
Jenny from Library Services visited a truly unique space in Quebec City—Claire-Martin Library, an Anglican church that was converted
into a functional space for bookworms! Formerly known as the Sait-Jean Baptiste Library, in 2017 after considerable renovations to modernize the space the library was renamed to honour Claire Martin, a local author that lived in the Sait-Jean Baptiste district. In the updated space you’ll see the original neo-gothic arches, stained glass, and intricate detailing paired with functional library flair like cozy seating and plenty of novels to sink into. If you still want to soak up the history after visiting the library, you can stroll next door to the adjoining cemetery which was a functioning Protestant burial ground from 1772-1860.
We had two entries from Canmore, AB! One was from Zoily and was about the quaint new and used bookstore, Café Books. The space is divided into two parts, the new books with merchandise in one and the used books with the café 
and some delicious desserts across the hall in the second space. Literature lovers are sure to find something to treasure in this little hidden gem.
The second Canmore pick comes to us from Sarah who is also from Library Services (did they go together
perhaps?). She visited Canmore Public Library and, considering the size of the quiet mountain town, she was impressed with how big the library was! The atmosphere of the mountains was brought inside the library space giving it a cabin retreat feel with its high ceilings, wooden beams, and floor to ceiling glass walls that looks out onto the stunning landscape. While she was there, Sarah was able to find the perfect book for herself based on her mood that day and took the opportunity to snag one of the free seats near the large windows to soak up the view while getting lost in a story.
Shauna from Library Resources brings us our next haven all the way from Jimbocho, Japan. It’s a district in Tokyo called ‘Book Town’ because it has over 150 bookstores! After your arms are loaded with all the novels you could possibly read, you can also visit one of the many curry restaurants in the area, apparently its easy to eat curry one-handed while you read!
Our last pick came from Ledeen from Library Resources. She had a brilliant idea; if book loving folks were planning a staycation they can escape into the cozy game Tiny Bookshop. In the game players can slip away from their daily grind by opening their own bookstore by the sea and becoming a part of the close-knit community by bringing the gift of stories to people. Sort of like what your WBRL team is able to do here on a daily basis!
We’d love to hear about your favourite book haven, feel free to share it with us in the comments!
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