Best libraries to go to across Catalonia
Old maternity wards or buildings designed by Gaudí among some of most beautiful sites
There are 442 libraries in Catalonia, including specific sites and 13 vans that travel around the territory named 'bibliobusos'.
In 2021, these libraries received over 13.3 million visitors and lent 11.4 million books and other documents to 3,891,644 public library system users according to data from the Catalan government.
These libraries include the Biblioteca de Catalunya (Library of Catalonia), which aims to preserve Catalonia's written heritage and has nearly 65 kilometers of shelves, a physical collection that exceeds 4.7 million documents (4,727,816) and a digital collection of more than 100 TB.
Others are so well hidden that you can walk by without even realizing they are there. This is the case of Barcelona's Biblioteca Pública Arús, located at Passeig de Sant Joan 26, with a sizable collection focusing on freemasonry, anarchism, and even Sherlock Holmes.
Biblioteca Jaume Fuster - Barcelona
Located at Plaça Lesseps in Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood, architects Josep Llinas and Joan Vera won the FAD Architecture award from the Fostering Arts and Design association of professionals and businesses connected to design in Barcelona.
The jury praised Llinas and Vera's work for its "urban connection between the library and the square where it is located." This library is open daily.
Dipòsit de les Aigües - UPF university - Barcelona
Named the 'Water Tower Building' library, it is located in the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), and it was designed in 1874. At the time, world-famous architect Antoni Gaudí carried out the static calculations for the tower and its supportive elements.
The building actually dates back to 1876, but it was not until 1880 that it opened as a water tower to regulate the flow of water of the Ciutadella Park waterfalls and to water its gardens.
After having different uses for over a century, including a municipal asylum, a fire service storage unit, a changing room, and a garage for local police, and even an archive for the judiciary, it became UPF property in 1992. Several years later, in 1999, it opened as the university's central library. It is open to everyone, but non-UPF students must request access.
La Maternitat - Biblioteca Pública de Lleida
The public library in Lleida, the major city in western Catalonia, has a long history. Between 1889 and 1988, this site was used to host orphans or vulnerable families with the goal of welcoming them and offering them a better life.
Later, in 1998, it became the current public library, but because of its past, residents continue to call it 'The Maternity Ward.'
Nowadays, visitors can borrow books and read information panels about the place's history.
Biblioteca Mercè Rodoreda - Sant Joan Despí
Just a 20-minute drive from the Catalan capital, Sant Joan Despí opened its Biblioteca Mercè Rodoreda library in 2011. The site is very modern as it has a contemporary architectural style with large windows allowing visitors to enjoy plenty of natural light. The library's collection has many books on Catalan novelist Mercè Rodoreda and modernisme art nouveau architect Josep Maria Jujol, a disciple of Antoni Gaudí.
Biblioteca Popular de Valls - Valls
Valls, a southern Catalonia town close to Tarragona, is mainly known for its traditional 'calçotades' but it is also home to the first library opened by the Mancomunitat de Catalunya in 1918, the Catalan government at the time. Located on Caputxins boulevard, it was designed by Lluís Planas following the noucentisme architecture style that considers libraries temples of culture.
Can Casacuberta - Badalona
Reforming a 1907 textile factory into a library is not easy, but this library in Badalona, just north of the Catalan capital, has 4,070 square meters for book lovers to enjoy some of the extensive book collections it has. In 1992, this library opened as the Biblioteca Popular de Sant Anastasi. The building also won a FAD architecture prize.
Biblioteca Antoni Comas - Mataró
In Mataró, north of Barcelona, a completely refurbished building is home to the city's library. Mataró's modernisme art nouveau style Biblioteca Antoni Comas is now the place to go to look for thousands of books, but in the past, it used to be the city's slaughterhouse.
Biblioteca El Molí - Molins de Rei
Molins de Rei, not far from Barcelona, opened one of the newest libraries in Catalonia. In 2019, the city refurbished the Ferrer i Mora factory, which housed 19th-century textile company, to make it a new home for hundreds of books. The name, 'the mill,' comes from the flour mill the building had.
Biblioteca Just M. Casero - Girona
Named after one of the residents of the neighborhood, the Biblioteca Just M. Casero in the northern city of Girona honors a local writer, politician, and the founder of the 'El Punt' newspaper, one of the largest media outlets in the territory. Residents voted to name the library after the late Just M. Caseo.
Biblioteca Carles Morató - Solsona
Located in central Catalonia and opened in 1935 in a different building, the Biblioteca Carles Morató in Solsona is now housed in a unique site opened in 2015. Carles Morató is a Catalan sculptor who has made many works across Catalonia. Just in Solsonès county, where the library is located, Morató helped create the largest altarpiece of the Miracle Sanctuary. The library named after him combines Medieval architecture with contemporary pieces with many arches and ceilings that are well preserved.
Biblioteca Trinitari Fabregat - Alcanar
The southernmost town in Catalonia, Alcanar, is home to a unique library. Because the old one was becoming too small, authorities decided to enlarge the site by building on top of the original one. The library has 43,585 items.
How to get a library card?
Around half of the Catalan population has a public library card, which can usually be obtained online.
There is Barcelona's Diputació libraries website for the Barcelona province, and another one for the other libraries in Catalonia located in Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, and Terres de l'Ebre.
Despite two different websites, the main information required is the same: names and addresses, as well as an ID, meaning a DNI/NIE, passport, residency permit, or driving license.
If a card is requested online, a maximum of three months are given to pick up the card at the chosen library. Users can also access the digital library, which includes ebooks, audiobooks, and the eFilm streaming service.
There is also an option of doing this over the phone by calling any library with an ID and asking for a free library card.
Once this is completed, the public library card will allow users to access any library in Catalonia.