看見台灣 | Discover Taiwan

Top Six of Taipei’s Most Beautiful Libraries

Did you know that public libraries can enrich the mind and spirit?

Whenever I have time to kill in a new city, I head for a public library. Unlike a coffee shop, there is no fee, and you are guaranteed a quiet space to work. Whether you’re looking to study, escape the heat, or relax with a good book, here are some of Taipei’s best options.

National Taiwan Normal University Library

The NTNU Library was possibly the most impressive building I encountered in my search; built in the 1980s, it is unassuming on the outside but houses eight floors of stacks, study rooms, and a grand piano (on which you can play using headphones)!

Another benefit of this public library: it remains open until 9 p.m., even during the summer.

A view of the bottom floor at the NTNU Library, grand piano included (courtesy of Hana Bredstein).

National Taipei University of Technology Library

Some of the libraries on this list are admittedly older, but Taipei Tech offers a nice change of pace with its ultra-modern building.

The library has an extensive collection of physical and electronic material in Chinese, Japanese, and Western languages, along with accessible charging ports and study rooms.

A moth perches on the outside of a window looking out onto a courtyard at Taipei Tech Library (courtesy of Hana Bredstein).

National Taiwan University Koo Chen-Fu Memorial Library

Skip NTU’s Main Library and head over to the lesser-known and, in my opinion, nicer Koo Chen-Fu Memorial Library on the northern edge of campus.

I’ll let you in on one of NTU’s best-kept secrets — the library’s second-floor couches are a prime napping spot.

The Koo Chen-Fu Memorial Library collection is home to over 240,000 books (courtesy of Hana Bredstein).

boven

Okay, this one isn’t exactly a library — boven also serves drinks and has an entry fee.

However, beneath the first-floor café is a basement reading room where you can find Asia’s first ever magazine library, with publications dedicated to art, design, fashion, and music.

The cozy décor feels like being in a friend’s living room — if your friend is an interior designer with great literary taste.

The reading room at boven (courtesy of Hana Bredstein).

Taipei Public Library — Beitou Branch

The Beitou Library is truly a work of art and is worth stopping by to check out Taipei’s first green architecture project, which opened in 2006.

The building fits seamlessly into a neighborhood already brimming with historical architecture.

I would recommend saving this location for the winter months as the A/C is not quite powerful enough to create a comfortable working environment.

The Beitou Library is a modern take on the Japanese colonial style common in the area (courtesy of Camille San Vicente on Unsplash).

Goethe Institute Taipei

Hidden away on the 11th floor of a high-rise in Zhongzheng, the Taipei branch of the Goethe Institute is a center for the German language and culture.

The library at the Institute is open to everyone (all of the libraries on this list are, but some require visitors to sign in) and is a great place to spend a productive afternoon.

Most of the books are in German, so unless you are learning the language or already speak it, bring your reading material.

Bookshelves at the Goethe Institute’s Library (courtesy of Hana Bredstein).