Photo of the Week: Reading Room

One of the biggest things I miss is being able to read a physical book. I’ve always been a patron of the local library, opting for borrow books rather than purchasing. While I have an e-reader, its just not the same as flipping through a book.

I’ve always known that there was an English language library in Budapest and knew that it cost money for the membership (approximately $7 CAD), but I didn’t really know where it was. My flatmate wanted to get a membership and so I tagged along. The photo above is taken from the Reading Room of the National Library of Foreign Literature in Budapest. I just love the reading lamps. This library was like stepping backwards in time. It sort of reminds me of Harry Potter.

The library has a fairly comprehensive English collection as well as many other languages. It has resources for learning languages including a language lab, books and CDs for learning. It also has a massive music collection (CDs as well as scores). The library apparently has a piano that members can use! I was so excited to hear that. I wasn’t able to locate the piano on this particular visit, but I definitely will be back to find it. I miss my music.