Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam Reviews

Amazing modern library. The cafe is just as incredible!

Even without knowledge of Dutch a very interesting place. Great architecture, plenty of quiet corners and on the 7th floor is a great restaurant at moderate prices, all freshly cooked! from the balcony not to mention views!

Gorgeous library and great study spot. There is now free wifi for both members and non-members, you just need to enter a phone number and receive a code.

The best library in Amsterdam, the only noise you'll hear is your steps on the wooden floor.

Good place to visit in Amsterdam.

The Central Library is open 7 days per week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the lending and returning of books is fully automated. Not only does the OBA provide a large range of printing and copying facilities, but some other unusual features can be found in the library, such as two radio stations. AmsterdamFM is located on the first floor and OBA Live is on the fourth floor. Both radio stations have live broadcasts where the public is welcome to watch.

The famous Muizenhuis made by Karina Schaapman is located in the youth department. It's a magnificent doll house for mice, made almost entirely by hand. This Muizenhouse, or Mouse Mansion, is the decor for the adventures of two curious mice called Sam and Julia.

The library has an exposition area which features rotating expositions related to design, art and/or books. All the expositions are open to the public for free (source: Wikipedia).

Impressive throughout: building, size, care, variety, restaurant ...

veel te weinig werkplekken en stopcontacten. ongeduldig personeel.

Good place for studying, reading, coffee, meal, views. Free entrance!

Beautiful space and lovely atmosphere. The restaurant on the top floor has fantastic views although the food is a bit pricey for what it is. Nice for a coffee and the chance to see the view & library.

I was pleasantly surprised. Ideal place to rest and disconnect. Rooftop cafeteria with panoramic views. Free lockers and bathrooms. Do not forget to visit it.

Best library for studying that I know. Large and always place with charging points everywhere.

Beautiful, futuristic library with very comfy spots for reading and resting. Explore all floors, it's worth it!

Loved the library. This is really a place where you want to linger to read and
or just look through the book. Well thought out floor planning. Everyone here can find something interesting for themselves and relax in a comfortable sofa.

Huge library, perhaps the largest in the Netherlands. It is a short walk from the central train station and is well worth a visit. The view from there is one of the most impressive in Amsterdam.

Amazing view and coffee place in the 7th floor. Also, nice for studying. However, the library is full of homeless people - you have people smelling and sleeping on couches. Trying to study to the sound of snorting is not very appealing.

A great library.
Spent half a day in the library unplanned and enjoyed every minute of it.
Books on all sorts of topics on several floors. There are also a lot of books in English, some in German and other languages. On the ground floor there is also the current press including German.
A coffee on the 4th floor where you can enjoy your drink with a view.

Oba is a nice place with very nice view and a lot of good books. Service is really good as well. However, if you want to study in silence don't go there it's so loud.. Everywhere.

Nice interior and Attractive exterior Facade
Very impressive CD, DVD and other media reference

When I was enterd in this library I was like "WOOOW"! This is a PERFECT library! It has all you need!

Excellent place to spend a few hours a day, whether with children, group or couple. Of course there are many books and in addition there is a cafe with a beautiful view on the top floor and the visit is free.

Very friendly staff, place to relax, eat and see spectacular views !!

The place is really nice for studying and there is almost always a spot to sit. Lots of books to suit your fancy. At the top is a restaurant and the first floor has a cafe. My favorite spot to study!

When visiting AMs, don't forget to visit OBA to read a book, drink a coffee and enjoy the view.

I used to come here very often to study for exams, to meet up with project groups or when I felt like escaping the busy city center. This library has many nice study spots/corners and the view is stunning! The location is great too, because it's near Amsterdam Central Station. OBA has two restaurants; one restaurant with a panorama view on the 7th floor (La Place) and also an Italian restaurant near the entrance. Note that it's always super busy during exam periods!

MUST VISIT LOCATION IN AMSTERDAM!

Beautiful building from inside and out. Great views from top floor. Can also buy food and drinks here. GREAT PLACE FOR GROUPS.

Everything for a good book and plenty of room to quietly see and use the internet

Near Amsterdam Central station is a very beautiful building, with a very extensive collection of books, DVD, etc. Special collections of books can also be seen here. On the top floor a nice terrace with a restaurant and a great view over Amsterdam

Beautiful view and lots of space. At the top floor there's a cafe.

On the top floor of the library is a very inexpensive (by Amsterdam standards) self-service restaurant. You can sit at a table in the street and, enjoying the beautiful view, a delicious snack.
It is also convenient that near (near the Chinese restaurant) there is a stop of water trams. I went out to eat and swam further.

Voor de muziek liefhebbers; je kunt met je lidmaatschap unlimited CD's lenen. En ze hebben echt super veel

This is one of the nicer libraries I have seen and also the largest. On every floor a lot of books and many places to study, on the top floor there are still quiet rooms for the students. Here they have virtually all the books you can think of, of every genre.

Probably one of the most beautiful libraries in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, it is often busy, especially around the exam period. Also handy: downstairs, near the toilets, there are lockers on things on the mountains. These are free for members to use.

"Amazing Library"

We went there by chance. We were told that it ate very well and well priced.

Impressive library. The design is surprising. Architecturally modern and different from, but you can also sit down and read a book, watch a movie or listen to music for free.

The views from the roof terrace are worth it. And you eat well.

Visited September 2014

This library is a great place!
You have 9 floors with different areas, different medias. At the beginning of the library there is a Vapiano if you are hungry, and there is also a cafe in the library. There are everywhere sockets for charging your devices.

The atmosphere is very calm. The building looks great and modern. If you are looking for a place to work or spend your spare time with a good book this is the place to be! :)
There is also a big place for kids, with books and other activities.

Beautiful building, and it looks like they have a great collection and lots of resources, but practically nothing is free. To me, a public library should be about making tools and information available to the public. This library charges for wifi, the toilet, and even getting a library card! It's doing a disservice to residents who can't afford it, and to call this place "public" is really a misnomer.

Great place to be not open just to locals but everyone is welcome to visit this public head library of Amsterdam. They have a piano on the ground floor. I gey sometimes really surprised to hear someone playing so passionate. On the top floor is a roof restaurant with good food for a reseanable price.

One of my favorite places in Amsterdam, the Central Library, a huge building with a wide range of books, open daily until 10 p.m. and a spacious place to read a book in peace, of course with free WiFi and a socket for your laptop or tablet.
Free for everyone, to be able to bring a book one must become a member.

A good place to work everything looks great. A point for improvement would be some more work / study places. Sometimes it is very busy.

The terrace is only possible to enter in spring and summer.

The library is public and free of charge, color copies can be printed for one euro. Very good attention

The decor is luxurious enough to seem like a public library. I can do temporary exhibitions, so I can kill time.

Beautiful public library, beautiful view on the top floor, beautiful theater

Last year, I saw a multi-sex-themed exhibition, which was very moving. It was possible to set up such an exhibition in a public library, and it also made people feel the diverse opening of gender issues in Amsterdam.

I find all libraries in Amsterdam pearls on a necklace and in my area is the Central Library, where all kinds of people come together and their interest is the book and everything related to it.
The busier the better and big enough to find a quiet corner if you want.
The ground floor for children has nice hidden corners. Let's be proud of this knowledge castles and support them at all times.

French libraries should take an example from this one, open EVERY day until 10 p.m., we are far from it. Just like the ratp sncf glandeurs.

Too bad that some social cases disturb the tranquility of this beautiful place in Amsterdam.

This modern and open concept library is a must visit in Amsterdam. Also known as the Central (Main) library or OpenBare Bibliotheek. When you arrive by train at Central Station, it s on the far left, overlooking the water. There s free internet access (WiFi) with a library card. I have the red one (Mijn Pas) and have checked out the Dutch language books many times. People come here to study and also to surf the web and check their email, in a very quiet relaxed atmosphere. You can sit and relax with beautiful views of the water and read a book. There was also an art installation when we were there in a separate area.

There s a floor where you can rent all genres or music CD s and video DVD s, basically for free (with library card). And some really cool and noteworthy bands from the past and present. Once you have a library card you can extend the due date online for when you're feeling lazy. I ve paid my overdue fees already.

There s a restaurant called la Place where you can get a slice of pizza or a fresh salad among other tasty and lekker" hot meals and beer and wine. Staff and Librarians are super friendly. Everyone including locals and tourists love the Amsterdam library. Go find out why.

Really love studying here and wifi always works great. Downside is that there never is any spot left to sit after 10am - people claim their spots by leaving a single notebook on the table. Limited outlets to charge your laptop.

Fantastic place! A huge library, there is absolutely everything, even graphic novels. People sit and read in silence and comfort. And you just need to go in and get a book, no entries or registrations. On the top floor there is a good cafe, a free toilet and a small observation deck

Nice workplaces, but far too few. At a quarter past nine already no more places.

Great collection and very friendly employees. Excellent study and work facilities and beautiful views of the bargain.

There use to be a restaurant on the top floor with a large variety of tasty food dishes at an affordable price. It was replaced by a different restaurant managed by the library itself, they carry a small, insipid and overpriced selection of food dishes.
No restroom available on the top floor.
Not a good place to study either since it is pretty noisy most of the time.

It is a place with a very curious design. The most interesting views of Amsterdam are contemplated from the top floor, but in June 2018 they were under construction and you couldn't see it.

Beautiful a great building
There is a lunchroom for study reading. Toilets computers newspapers magazines. The little ones have also been thought of they can play and learn. There are also musical readings from, among others, the conservatory. Drop by

The place is really beautiful.
The surrounding area is very beautiful, the building is very modern and functional (toilets, power outlets everywhere, cafeteria with terrace on the top floor, tables to work).
To come to work or to read in the calm it is perfect, there are 6 or 7 floors approximately, you can find archives, exhibitions, open space rooms, etc.
Just to have a point of view on the city it's worth it.

This has been my favorite reading spot for years. Time has not been. Today I thought I could do the same. However, the entire library is flooded with young people, of whom 25% are actually studying or consulting. I see 2.3.4 young people stand for a "student" and then chill out and make a noise. This divided over all floors. The surveillance consults and runs from floor to floor. Warning young people, also put out young people who make noise. But clearly too little manpower for so many young people. They do their best for 100%. There must be another system for this.

You can do coffee and books here. The CDs are now free. Strangely enough there is always only one piano available. Above it is high.

Superb public library, furnished with designer pieces. Spread over 8 floors. At -1 the children's library which is worth a visit. Inside, under a display case, you can admire the house of the mice. A true 3 m high work of art and created in three years by a Dutch artist. On the 7th floor there is a small self-service restaurant with a glass terrace from which to admire Amsterdam. Great view!

Felt more like a college library versus a public library. So many books to choose from.

Great place to study and have a drink on the top floor terrace

Super grote bibliotheek,best bibliotheek die ik gezien heb. Toegankelijk, vriendelijk, uitnodigend.

Mooie bibliotheek, respect voor vrijwilligers die hier werken. Enigzins verschraling sinds enkele jaren van deze fantastische publieke instelling...
Sinds 2 jaar op de meeste dagen wel volledig vol met scholieren met nodige rommel, dus echt rustige plekken vinden is lastig! Het aantal zitplaatsen is zo uitgebreid, maar het is ten koste gegaan van de ambience. Her is meestal iets te druk. Zitten ook meestal daklozen achter de PC s die niet vaak genoeg in bad gaan.

Nessesseryly perfect, really .Can not be better ...

Tip: enjoy the view over the city up to the top and for free ....

A lovely library accessible to everyone. Just use the toilet here when you are in Centrum since it's free and it only takes around 5-8 mins to cycle there.

The environment for studying/working is pretty good.

A good experience to just go to the top floor of the building to view Amsterdam rather than paying for rooftop restaurants.

very annoying to just go to the toilet, you have to take all your things and when you come back your place is gone. There are also many children who do not know the difference between the IKEA ball pit and the library.

Great library where you can sit and read while enjoying a cup of coffee ... An extensive collection of magazines and newspapers, books in every field.

Fantastic place with lots of books, but also many other activities. Beautiful building with great atmosphere.

Beautiful library with a lot of space to study and tons of books. The kids section is very nice too with also a cosy big reading area.
At the top floor there is also a cafe and restaurant with a terrace. From there you can admire the view over the city of Amsterdam.
Only negative point: I have heard that it's not safe to go study there alone, someone should always come with you to watch your things while you are in the bathroom.

Good selection of English books beautiful view from the good value restaurant on the top floor a great place altogether

Perfect place to read and charge your mobile. Terrace with good views.

Amazing place, huge and free. Enjoy a great meal with a great view on the top floor.

Good size. Lots to find. Nice employees. I don't know a better library

Fine place to study and get a cup of tea in the restaurant. However, there are no options for eating vegan. (and that in an Amsterdam library)

Another nice place to visit in Amsterdam, to meet its people, many young people gather to study, read or have a drink.
You can go up to the confectionery on the top floor to have a drink with a unique view of the city!
You also have the confectionery on the ground floor, on the terrace that overlooks the canal with a beautiful view! Ideal to make a stop and drink a cold juice and ...
Rest your legs !!

Rude security guard unnecessarily intimidated an elderly man. 13:15 - 24/08/2020, 4th floor.