Amsterdam The central library: the big and the small

Libraries are a special interest to many tourists visiting big European cities like Amsterdam. The term ‘public library’ is common in many countries. It usually denotes one big library, but that’s not the case in Amsterdam! The Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, Oosterdokskade 143 (or in English: Public Library Amsterdam) is not just one library, it is rather a collective name for many public libraries in Amsterdam. 28 public libraries are present in Amsterdam alone along with 43 lending points, such as in hospitals. In total, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam has more than 1.7 million books and 165,000 members and lent out 5 million books in 2005 alone! The largest of these libraries is called the central library (not of Amsterdam!) or the Centrale Bibliotheek in Dutch. It is located east to the Amsterdam Central Station and considered the largest public library in the whole Europe. This is a place where you can read daily newspapers and publication, even on the weekends! The library is open on the 7 days of the week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Also it has a small restaurant in Amsterdam with a terrace, the thing which makes it quite a nice place to start your morning in Amsterdam. Breakfast in your Amsterdam hotel, select your coffee and your newspaper, and there you go! If you like the library books and you wish to borrow some I guess you’ll have to do some registration. However, borrowing and returning books is fully automated.