Friday, September 12 | 2025
Written by Sara Costa
Growing up in the 1990s in a small ex-industrial town in the North of England, devoid of iPads, Netflix and other now commonplace forms of entertainment, we had to make our own fun. And to me, the highlight of my weekend for more years than I care to admit was my Saturday morning pilgrimage to my local public library.
My Saturday morning routine to the Public library
On any given Saturday I would usually be the first to arrive. Nose pressed to the glass waiting for the library staff to emerge and unlock the gates to the paper kingdom.
Once inside I would follow the same routine with solemn rituality:
First, I would wander up and down the aisles, taking in the rows of books. Revelling in how each section felt so different to the next – the gravitas of the antique leather-bound annals; the practical promise of the self-help books; the playful innocence of the children’s section.
Books to me held such mind-altering potential and escape. Being young and searching for something bigger than myself and the small town I grew up in, books offered me a glimpse into other worlds and other ways of being that weren’t available to me in my day to day life.
Fast forward three decades and I’m still an avid library user in my new home city of Stockholm. Although I’m now limited to the English language sections there is still plenty here to keep me busy.
Public Libraries in Stockholm
There are around 40 public libraries in Stockholm. From the circular grandeur of Stadsbibliotek to the bricked arches of the KTH library to the glass minimalism of Kulturhuset. The libraries here are as beautiful as they are well stocked.
This is especially true if you have small bookworms at home. The Swedes seem to pay particular attention to the children’s sections which are invariably cosy and inviting.
The excellent Rum för Barn (currently undergoing renovation until mid-September) is by far and away the best place to while away a rainy day with children for absolutely free.
My library use is currently at an all-time high since my daughter taught herself to read over the Christmas holidays. Suddenly, I have another job – keeping her reading pile well stocked. We try to make a special weekly trip to a library. However, I am at our local branch several times a week, collecting books we have reserved for her online.
In advance of a day when I know there’ll be a lot of travelling or downtime, I stock up on extra reading fodder, only for her to have read them all by nightfall. It’s an uphill battle that I’m only too happy to partake in as I love the fact she enjoys reading as much as I do.
A visit to Stadsbibliotek
I recently took her to Stockholm’s main library – the Stadsbibliotek for the first time. As we ascended the staircase to the main room, I turned around to watch my daughters face. Eyes wide in pure awe. Taking in the beautiful architecture adorned with more books than she could hope to read in her lifetime.
If you are ever in doubt about the magical powers of libraries, I recommend taking a newly minted bookworm with you to Stockholm’s Stadsbibliotek and seeing the look of wonder on their face.
There isn’t much in life that is free, which makes the service provided by public libraries all the more remarkable. In a country where it often feels like you can’t breathe without spending money, libraries are one of the few places you can go without parting with any cash.
Scandinavia has a proud history of championing public libraries and although Sweden hasn’t been immune to budget cuts, libraries are a still a treasured part of the community.
The new roles of public libraries
The increase in cuts to public services everywhere means that the role of the library has changed drastically since my weekly jaunts in the 1990s. Like this post that went viral on twitter last year demonstrates.
Libraries have had to evolve and the best ones now function as busy community hubs. Amongst other things, they are now a place where children can do their homework. Newly arrived immigrants can improve their language skills. Elderly people get help with using a computer and so much more.
Often they can just be a warm safe place to escape the long winters, providing vital inoculation against urban loneliness and isolation.
Many libraries offer a variety of clubs and activities; from storytime to knitting clubs, from language cafes to book groups and film nights. See the Stockholm Stadsbibliotek webpage for the full list of what’s happening across the Stockholm area.
Sweden is renowned for being a democratic society. It was judged to be the world’s third most democratic country last year and for me, libraries are democracy in action. They offer a welcoming space for everyone in the community, regardless of economic, social or religious background.
Public libraries: a sign of a democratic society
In Palaces for the People: How to Build a More Equal and United Society, sociologist Eric Klinenberg argues that the public library is part of what it means to live in a democratic society, stating that:
“Libraries are the kinds of places where ordinary people with different backgrounds, passions, and interests can take part in a living democratic culture.”
In Sweden, this idea even extends to those who are isolated geographically from major towns and cities where libraries are located. There is a volunteer-run bokbåten that does the rounds in Spring and Autumn. They are serving as a floating library for islanders who prefer paper books to eBooks.
Libraries should be protected and cherished for the vital role they provide in our communities. Particularly for our most vulnerable but also for those children who, like me, perhaps are looking to escape the mundaneness of their day to day existence.
As the author Neil Gaiman states in his book The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction;
“Libraries are about Freedom. Freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communication. They are about education, about entertainment, about making safe spaces, and about access to information.”
Let us exercise this freedom. Make use of this wonderful free resource to ensure it exists for generations to come.
Written by Sara Fothergill
Hello hello, I’m Sara and I’m from the UK.
I moved to Stockholm from Edinburgh in 2017 for my partner’s work and despite missing the hills of Scotland I’ve really loved getting to know this beautiful city.
I have two little munchkins to take care of but when I’m not battling the endless tasks of motherhood I can be found running the trails in Nackareservatet; curled up in my local cafe with a good book or walking the streets of Stockholm looking for inspiration for my short stories.
1 response to “In Praise of the Public Library”
A wonderful celebration of the power of the written word, highlighting the importance of the social aspect of libraries in an ever increasingly disconnected digital world.