Being surrounded by books (and food) is our idea of heaven. One of our greatest ideas of happiness is being inside a gorgeous library, immersed in a really good book or simply sniffing the wonderful smell of books.
We constantly talk about and dream about our favorite libraries all over the world. Here are some that we wouldn't mind spending a whole week at...24/7.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Library of Alexandria) - Egypt: A revival of the library that was once considered as the largest during the ancient time. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina can hold over a million books! The books are carefully placed on beautifully lit shelves. The slanting glass paneled roof was designed to bring in natural sunlight and showcase the view of the Mediterranean. 
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at University of Toronto - Canada: Home to 600,000 volumes which includes ancient manuscripts such as the Codex Torontonensis (a Greek version of the Gospels) and the works of brilliant authors such as Francis Bacon and Lewis Caroll. Other literary gems are Newton's Principia, Shakespeare's First Folio, and Albert of Saxony's Questiones in Aristotelis De caelo et mundo.
Vancouver Public Library Central Branch - Canada: The building is a combination of modern and historic designs. The exterior is similar to the greatest Roman ampitheater {The Colosseum} while the interior is made from glass and steel. The library also has a rooftop garden, retail shops, and restaurants.
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José Vasconcelos Library (Megabiblioteca) - Mexico: The focal point of the library is the Ballena {hand-painted whale skeleton by contemporary Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco}. The 125,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art building features "floating" frosted glass bookshelves and a botanical garden on its outer shell that serves as an insulation to guard against outside noise. The library can hold more than one million books.
Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch - Taiwan: Considered to be a green library, the Beitou Branch's building is made from recycled and renewable materials. Wood oils were used to protect the materials rather than harsh chemicals than can be harmful to the environment. The library's sloping roof gathers water to flush toilets within the building.
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Vennesla Library and Culture House - Norway: This library boasts of an energy efficient system. The unique feature of this library are the 27 prefabricated glue-laminated beams (ribs) that extend continuously from one end of the building to another. The 27 ribs doubles as bookshelves and reading areas.
The Black Diamond Library - Denmark: This architectural wonder has a secured reading room where one can apply for a seat for a specific period. The building boasts of spectacular views of the Islands Brygge. Black Diamond also has an auditorium named The Queen Hall which serves as a venue for classical concerts.
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library - USA: Located in the prestigious campus of Yale University, the library was a gift from the Beinecke Family in the early 1960's. The extensive collection of rare books, documents, and manuscripts - Goethe, Gutenberg Bible, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, Alexis de Tocqueville, Benjamin Franklin, etc. - are protected by a remarkable security system. The books (enclosed in glass) are protected by a gas fire suppression system too.
Stuttgart City Library - Germany: Ingrid Bussman, the director of Stuttgart's city library, describes it as a "grandiose statement in favour of book culture". The cube-like structure is designed by Korean architect Eun Young Yi. The immaculate white interior emphasizes the rows of colorful books.
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Villanueva Public Library - Colombia: Architects Miguel Torres, German Ramirez, Alejandro Piñol and Carlos
Meza designed this stunning building made of stone-filled gabions from a river and pine wood from a nearby forest. The local residents were trained to construct the 3,000 square meter sprawling library which also includes an auditorium and offices.
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