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Tromsø Library and City Archive: Time To Be A Book Nerd in Norway
Tromso Library and City Archive
Are libraries obsolete, what do you think? There are a lot of arguments circulating around the internet on the relevance of libraries in this digital age. And I find myself thinking of the same thing, because quite recently, I’ve been veering away from my old habit of buying paperbacks. Nowadays, I find myself scouring audibles and pdf books just to pacify my inner bookworm. Needless to say, this particular library in Tromso, Norway is so beautiful it reminds me of my past life as a bibliophilist! Lol. The Tromsø Library and City Archive is truly this ingenious simple library concept that will be a constant reminder to people that you have to go back to basics and borrow a book in this library.
Located in the Fokuskvartalet area in the center of the city, the library is also a part of a complex containing the Town Hall and a cinema. Basically, the library collection has four floors, a top gallery and a part of the building as the City Archives. With a spectacular architecture that’s seen from the outside, the library is one of the most used meeting place for the locals, be it inside or outside the library. As travelers though, it’s become a "must see" experience, without being too much of a noisy Asian photo bomber. After our quick brekky at the nearby Burger King joint, which was just literally less than 200 steps from the library, we found ourselves darting through the different sections of book groupings inside the library. The smell of hardbound books and towering pillars of shelves were so cultural, I could practically hear the audibles of each book I pass by. Lol.
In 2006, the library was declared the Best Service Enterprise in Tromsø, and in 2008 the library was nominated as one of three for the award of "Library of the Year" in Norway. It is clear that this is one of those libraries in Norway that naturally spurs the visitor onward. The staircase, light-filled, comfortable corners for reading, and easy access to volumes are good reminders that even in this PDF-driven digital age, libraries like this one can be inviting public spaces. It’s a certain far cry from how a typical old library looks, but the whole contemporary feel makes everything so easy, calm, and happy. Tourists and book-fans can easily spend at least 1-2 full hours at this public library without much hesitation. There are Steel wire figures "Rangifer Tarandus Pegasus", main figure by Karl-Gustav Gjertsen Painting on an old concrete wall: Tromsø 1957 – 1958, by Ulf Dreyer. Books and arts everywhere.
Address: Grønnegata 94, 9008 Tromsø, Norway
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 9:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M., Sat 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M., Sun 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Official Website: http://www.tromso.kommune.no/hjem.255743.no.html
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