The Icelandic National Research Library
The National Research Library is about a thirty minute walk from the main shopping street in Rejkavík and is situated near the University of Iceland and the National Museum. The library itself is an important center for learning and academic pursuit and, despite being near other popular locations, it is easily found with its own bus stop on the public bus system.
The building's red roof is iconic in city maps, shining brightly in the snow. Its entrance has a contemporary design with sharp angles and many windows.
One thing that I fail to state in the below video introduction is that this library is the National Library, a research library. As you'll see, this facility is quite different than the city library! By the time and we've embarked on both tours, you will easily spot the differences between the two places. In the meantime, let's get ready to go inside. Whether you're working on a big thesis or planning a project, the National Library is the place for you.
It's snowing outside so come with me and my travel companion, Andrew Siva, into the warmth of the library. Both sets of steps lead to the same entrance hallway; don't waste time choosing which stairs to take! We have much to see and the four hours of daylight in December will soon turn into night.
Welcome to the library! Before we become too involved in our tour, I will give a little background on this facility. While the library is open to the public, its archives and research areas are mostly utilized and reserved for college students, professors, and people conducting academic work and research. Because of the people focused on their work, we will need to be on our best behavior during the tour and not make a single (virtual) peep as we silently roam the different floors.
Immediately inside the library is a small exhibit on historical figures and authors. Since the artifacts and the displays are presented in Icelandic and I, unfortunately, do not possess a proficiency in this notoriously-difficult language, let's not linger too long in this area.
The first floor of the library contains language books, work stations, reference materials, and a writing center: everything that you need to be productive.
These isolated study/reading pods are the perfect place to hunker down and focus on your next big presentation.
Come down this beautiful spiral staircase with me; the ground floor of the library is very interesting and I know that you are going to love what we will find.
A room full of offices and source material includes texts referencing Nobel and the Nobel Prize.
To our right is a room with an exhibit of travel and other daily life artifacts from important literary figures in Iceland. How cool is it to see a mini-museum in a library?
It's time to go back up the steps and we will make our way to the second floor.
Back on the first floor there is a shelf of free books, any of which would make a wonderful souvineer from our time here in Reykjavik. Go ahead, pick a book. Which one will you take back home with you?
The second floor reminds us that no food or cell phones are allowed: no snacking or texting on the tour, please.
Intellectuals will delight in the abundance of primary sources, textbooks, and other academic books on the second floor of the library.
Magazines from various scholarly, reputable sources are to be found. Here you can see several magazines in English: remember that English is widely-read in Iceland.
Study nooks abound in the library, ideal for professors or college students seeking a quiet space to work. There are few, if any, public computers on this floor so you'll need to bring your own laptop if you plan on typing an essay.
The third floor of the library is very similar to the second but it does offer a few different study space options. Follow me to see for yourself.
The third floor is unique in that it has a collection of sheet music and compositions, although I must advise you against bringing your own instrument and practicing in the library.
The National Library is a professional space and the third floor offers spaces for such meetings. Here is one of several private rooms that can be reserved of claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis: a great place for a study session.
This floor also provides sources such as audiobooks, CDS, and films that can be used in media research.
On our way out of the National Library, we can stop in to a public seating area with coffee or tea. After all, as we will later discover, coffee and reading are a perfect pairing here in the Icelandic literature culture.
The snow has let up and the sun is still out; let's depart for our next destination across the street, the National Museum, to learn more about the history and influence of literature in Iceland. I'll meet you at the National Museum.