In 2016 the number of purchased ebooks fell by 17%, and this year the demand for electronic readings as well as devices only continue to drop. It means that the hype for screen pages that can be turned with a swipe of a finger is decreasing every day, while the good old craving for a physical touch with a hardcover and paper is here to establish its superiority again.
We bet that you already have a picture in your head where you take a book, flick through the pages and feel its unique smell. We’re totally with you right now! But if it appears that you have only the “soulless” e-reader and can’t enjoy all the charms of the real book, don’t fret – we have several perfect spots in Ann Arbor for you to get a printed novel or poem, and find your Zen.
Ann Arbor District Library
It’s an assembly of public libraries that provides Ann Arbor citizens with about 500 000 resources in forms of DVDs, books, audiobooks, magazines and so on. Its main Downtown department is large enough for you always to find a reading spot any time. It also has long working hours for those who enjoy late visits.
District Library has 4 branches, and the ones that you definitely need to check out are:
- Mallets Creek (formerly called the Loving Branch). In 2005 this department was awarded for a sustainable design by the American Institute of Architects Michigan. It is heated by solar energy, has a green roof and uses the combination of eco-friendly resources to maintain the building. Its light interior with big windows is a perfect spot to get a book and relax.
- Traverwood. It is built in such way so that the building disturbs the ecosystem as minimally as possible. The whole library has enough natural lighting to create the right reading atmosphere for the visitors. The reading space even has a fireplace that makes it maximally comfortable to spend time there.
- Westgate. This branch was renovated in 2016, and now holds a much bigger area, has appropriated the Sweetwaters café into its territory and offers 4 study rooms (the first who comes can occupy the space). The reading hall is equipped with all necessary facilities and has a cozy interior.
These are stunning libraries where you can get whatever book you want and spend your time marvelously in a perfect atmosphere. In addition, Yelp reviews show that the staff working there is very professional, polite and helping, so there is no doubt you’ll find everything you need there.
University of Michigan Art, Architecture & Engineering Library
This is a stunning library mostly made of glass that lets the natural lighting all over the building. There is a great variety of spaces – group rooms or places where you can hole up alone. The library has a large selection of books, and as the name suggests, some special literature on architecture. What is more, there is a video game archive, in case, you know, you would like to change activities for a bit.
Literati
Ann Arbor has a very vibrant and developed book culture. Not long ago, the city was home for one of the biggest book corporations in the US – Borders Group, Inc. Despite the fact that the company went bankrupt, it contributed to the culture and is the reason Ann Arbor hosts many unique and great bookstores, and Literati is one of them. In this bookshop you can browse through the diversity of offers, and at the same time read/enjoy a cup of tasty coffee in a café on the 2nd floor. Literati also organizes many book related events, so whenever you’re up to sharing your reading passion with someone, you know where to go.
Ann Arbor is surely a place for avid readers and printed book lovers. Those 6 places that we’ve mentioned are enough to prove its book culture is in the groove, and we haven’t listed yet ALL the places there are to satisfy your inner reader. The winter is coming – it means that you’ll have loads of quiet evenings to spare. So, why not devote them to something you really love doing, like reading a paper book in a nice and cozy place?