Ever after. Imagine the library down the hall. Courtesy of Google Images.
Earlier today, I was chatting with my better half, Beau, and I mentioned how I would love to have a library in our future house (which does not exist yet). He didn’t quite see eye to eye with me on this one:
ME: Can we have a library in our house someday?
BEAU: We already have a library.
ME: What are you talking about?
BEAU: If a library is a room full of books, Library #1 is our living room. Library #2, the bedroom. Library #3, the office.
ME: (dreamily) It would be all tall, gorgeous shelves full of books with comfy overstuffed chairs.
BEAU: And maybe the bathroom is Library #4.
ME: Hmph. Not what I meant, punk.
This got me thinking about beautiful libraries. I love libraries, and beautiful libraries are even better. The first one that popped into my my is the gorgeous library at the monastery in the movie Ever After. I can’t find a picture of that exact library, but it is multiple floors and open to the working area where the monks are making new copies of the books (this Cinderella movie is set hundreds of years ago). Danielle, our Cinderella, lights up as she tells the story of falling in love with the book Utopia by Sir Thomas More.
Hogwarts Library. Courtesy of Google Images.
The omnipresent library of the Harry Potter books (and movies) also deserves a nod. Major props go to JK Rowling for working the library into every book in the series. Harry’s good buddy Hermione manages to find out something important from a book that moves the plot forward in every story in the series; the library is practically a character in the books.
Belle in the town book shop. Courtesy of Google Images.
There are also a couple of fantastic libraries in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (side note: I can’t believe this movie is more than 20 years old). As a kid, the fact that Belle adored reading made me love her more. Who could forget the charming town book shop or the luxurious library at the Beast’s mansion?
For some real-life beautiful libraries, check out this slideshow of twelve stunning libraries. Which libraries (real or imagined) do you think of when you think of libraries?
Novel Conclusions 
I too dream of having my own library again.
I like libraries where it’s all about the books, every space filled, not just the floor to ceiling bookshelves which have to be old and dark, and generally the library should be an enclosed space – I’m not a big fan of some of the open room nor the over-ornate ones, shown in the slideshow. I think my chaotic sort of library would serve no practical use today and so therefore it must be an imaginary one or one constructed only in words.
I would love to have a library in my house one day too!
Wow! Its like you stole words from my mind and emotions from heart, dear Christi. You post is one I could so easily relate to. Maybe because it is my dream to have a library with massive shelves covered with books of all shapes and sizes. Perhaps, someday I might have.
I love the library from Harry Potter and so glad you shared it here. It was great to have a quick clicky glance at it after a while. 🙂
Keep writing.
-Asha
Reblogged this on Olivia Ashe, Writer and commented:
This sounds like me. I want a library in my house 🙂
Thanks for reblogging, Olivia! 🙂
I like this post so I reblogged it 🙂
Those libraries are amazing. I’d love to just sit and read all day long in one. Then again, I might be so taken by the beauty that I’m not able to read, especially the ones in the Vatican, Germany, and Austria. Gorgeous!
Thanks for stopping by my site. 🙂
Well at least you still have a love books in this computerized age. Even I who was totally against books on tape and then books on CD have some audiobooks on my computer because I get so incredibly busy.
I love all of the libraries you’ve mentioned here. Ever After is a favorite movie of mine, and the library at the monastery is beyond magnificent. I’m in the same boat as you — still dreaming of my perfect, forever library. For now, I kind of have the same “Library #1”, “Library #2”, etc. situation you have at your home — books, books everywhere!
I remember the exact library you’re thinking of in Ever After and am now going to watch it! Beast’s library was always my ultimate dream library. Ah, beautiful.
This is my dream too, there’s going to the cosiest library / study / comfy chair room in my house one day.
Awesome post.