Flavorwire » The 25 Most Beautiful College Libraries in the World

Flavorwire » The 25 Most Beautiful College Libraries in the World

La Sorbonne Reading Room, Paris, France

 [Editor's note: Your devoted Flavorwire editors are taking a break in honor of Independence Day, but to keep you entertained over the holiday, we're leaving you with the most popular features of the year so far. This post originally ran December 13, 2011.] The college library, whether ornate or modern, digital or dusty, is in many ways the epicenter of the college experience — at least for some students. It is at once a shining emblem of vast, acquirable knowledge, a place for deep discussions and meetings of the mind, and of course, a big building full of books, which, as far as we’re concerned, is exciting enough. Colleges and universities are understandably quite proud of their libraries, which can be a selling point for prospective students and donating alumni alike, and they often become the most well-designed and beautifully adorned buildings on campus. To that end, and perhaps to inspire your studies a bit, we’ve collected a few of the most beautiful college and university libraries in the world, from Portugal to France to Boston. Did your alma mater’s library make the list? Or did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments. Read/view more...