For the Love of Libraries

Third places. Balms for the souls. The heart of communities. Those are just a few ways people have described libraries: one of the few remaining spaces where everyone is free to spend time, without spending any money.

A Long-Standing Love Affair

I remember getting my very first library card at the Fraser-Hickson Library in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood. I signed my name in a black Sharpie and proudly held that little piece of plastic that was about to open up a whole new world of words.

In every city I’ve lived in since, I’ve used my local library religiously — and paid my fair share of fines, which I consider as donations to one of my favourite institutions. Looking back, I’ve spent the most time in libraries as a student. I read and wrote at the university libraries, at my local libraries, and at the sprawling Toronto Reference Library, where I also went to free author talks. In fact, I probably spent a little too much time in libraries back then because I started to develop a hunchback. But I digress.

I also worked at a library for a while during my Bachelor’s degree. My favourite part of the job was getting to put headphones on and shelve books — it was so soothing. I even got to shush a group of kids once (peak librarian moment!). At the time, some of my coworkers were doing a master’s in library science, and I contemplated doing the same. But I ended up continuing with English literature instead, still in the world of books.

I love visiting libraries when I travel — the British Library in London and Marsh's Library in Dublin are a couple favourites. And since becoming a freelance writer a few years ago, I’ve become a more frequent library visitor again.

I’m writing this from a silent area in Helsinki’s beautiful Rikhardinkatu Library: my first local library when I moved to Finland and the city’s main public library until 1986.

Finland: A Country of Library Lovers

Here in Finland, I’m in good company among library fans. A 2016 study ranked Finland the world's most literate nation, and Finns are some of the world's most enthusiastic library users: the country’s libraries broke records for the number of loans in 2025. (I definitely contributed to that number with my long list of library holds and frequent pick-ups). That same year, Finland spent nearly €371m (€66 per person) on public libraries, which is significantly more than the US or the UK.

And of course, libraries offer more than books alone. You can also rent board games, tools, instruments, hot glue guns — you name it. Helsinki’s iconic library, Oodi, has so many free services too: You can use 3D printers and sewing machines. Record podcasts or do a photography shoot in their studios. Book private work and game rooms. Oodi opened the same year I moved to Helsinki, and it feels like such a fixture now that it’s almost hard to imagine a time before it.

Another library where I love getting work done is the Töölö Library, which has lovely windows on the top floor overlooking a park. And the National Library is one of my favourite places in Helsinki that I suggest every visitor go see.

Finland even has mobile libraries: the buses reach neighbourhoods without nearby branches. How handy is that? During the week they stop at schools, and on evenings and weekends they pull up at daycares and parks.

We Need Libraries

Libraries are such important third places. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term back in the 1980s, describing the corner cafés, diners, and soda fountains of earlier decades as “the social anchors of community life.” Now, libraries are one of the few third places that don’t ask you to buy anything.

I’ve heard libraries described as “citizens’ living rooms,” which I love. Because it’s true: libraries are pillars of democracy, as Erika Benke put it in a BBC article. They give us a place to belong.

We need these kinds of spaces that are open to everyone — the unemployed, students, retirees, kids who need somewhere quiet to do their homework, parents on leave with a baby to entertain.

Free community programs, from chess clubs to craft circles, make libraries genuinely inclusive. I've gone to language cafes at my local library to practice Finnish, and there's a program here where kids can practice reading aloud to a dog who’s guaranteed to be a supportive, judgment-free listener. (I hope my whippet will be able to volunteer for that role when he's a little older and calmer).

Libraries Make Us Richer

There's a certain feeling of abundance in libraries, being surrounded by all those books. Studies show libraries improve people’s wellbeing and quality of life. They’re sources of refuge, safety, and focus. They help us save money by borrowing instead of buying. They make us feel more calm and peaceful. They improve literacy, support personal growth, and connect us to our communities.

As a kid, libraries felt like magical places that expanded my world. And I hope that feeling never goes away.