“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”— Jorge Luis Borges, translated from “Poem of the Gifts”
The Library Inside a Tree
Turning Over a New Leaf
When a 110-year-old cottonwood tree in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, had to be cut down, librarian and artist Sharalee Armitage Howard had a better idea.
She turned its enormous stump into a tiny library.
Complete with a green door, stone steps, miniature wooden books, and warm lighting, this enchanting Little Free Library looks as though it belongs in a fairy tale.
The quirky bit: Instead of removing the tree entirely, Howard gave its stump a second life. Now that's what you call a new chapter.
The Library in a Telephone Booth
Sorry, Wrong Number. You've Reached the Books.
In the tiny English village of Westbury-sub-Mendip, residents faced two problems: their mobile library service had disappeared, and their traditional red telephone booth was becoming obsolete.
Their solution? Turn the phone booth into a library.
In 2009, the village transformed the iconic red kiosk into a miniature book exchange, complete with shelves and around 100 books.
The quirky bit: The villagers purchased the telephone booth for just £1. It may be one of the smallest libraries you'll ever encounter, but it proves that a good idea doesn't require much floor space.
The Library Delivered by Donkeys
Two Donkeys and a Lot of Books
In rural Colombia, schoolteacher Luis Soriano came up with an ingenious way to bring books to children living in remote communities.
He loaded books onto two donkeys, Alfa and Beto, and set off across the countryside.
His travelling library, known as Biblioburro, became an extraordinary example of how determination and imagination can overcome limited resources.
The quirky bit: The library doesn't have a building, a checkout desk, or even a parking lot. It has two donkeys, a remarkable teacher, and a mission to make reading accessible. One can only imagine the overdue-book notices.
The World's Largest Library
You Might Need a Bigger Bookmark
The Library of Congress is recognized as the world's largest library.
Its collections contain more than 178 million items, including books, photographs, maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, films, and other treasures.
Founded in 1800, the library preserves an astonishing record of human creativity and knowledge.
The quirky bit: In 1814, British troops burned the U.S. Capitol, destroying the library's original collection. The following year, Congress purchased Thomas Jefferson's personal library of 6,487 books to help rebuild it. Jefferson clearly wasn't the sort of person who could walk past a bookstore without going inside.
The Library That Floats
All Aboard the Book Boat
Along Norway's spectacular western coastline, remote communities have long depended on an unusual travelling library.
A boat named Epos began delivering books to coastal villages in the 1960s, continuing a floating-library tradition that started in the region in 1959.
The vessel carried thousands of books through fjords and between islands, bringing reading and cultural activities to communities with limited access to libraries.
Today, Epos continues its literary life as a floating cultural venue.
The quirky bit: At one time, the boat carried not only librarians and books but also entertainers. Imagine borrowing a mystery novel, enjoying a performance, and watching the Norwegian fjords drift past. That's one library trip worth making.
The Tiny Libraries Taking Over the World
Small Boxes, Big Ideas
What began in 2009 with a small wooden book-sharing box in Wisconsin has grown into an international movement.
The idea couldn't be simpler: take a book, leave a book.
Today, Little Free Libraries appear in gardens, parks, neighbourhoods, and unexpected places around the world. Some resemble tiny houses. Others are shaped like robots, trains, refrigerators, or whimsical storybook cottages.
The quirky bit: By 2024, Guinness World Records had recorded more than 175,000 registered Little Free Libraries in 121 countries. The organization has since reported passing 200,000. Not bad for something that started with a wooden box.
Big Books, Small Spaces, Endless Possibilities
From the world's largest collection to a library tucked inside a tree, these extraordinary places remind us that sharing books doesn't require marble columns or grand reading rooms.
Sometimes all you need is a little imagination, a few shelves, and perhaps a donkey or two.
Which unusual library is your favourite?
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