With 28,000 m² spread over 8 levels, the Amsterdam City Library (OBA) is the second largest public library in Europe and the largest in the Netherlands. Moreover, there exist 29 branches in Amsterdam. Except holidays it is open every day from 10 am till 10 pm. The building opened in mid-2007 after leaving its previous location on Amsterdam's Prinsengracht. Besides a collection of 1.5 million books, it offers access to e-books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and games on 7 floors. The library can accommodate up to 1,000 visitors and is equipped with nearly 500 computers, with access to the internet.

 

Although it usually is pretty crowded, it radiates a serene and cozy atmosphere and is pretty quiet for such a huge gathering of persons. There are small separate corners and booths for people who desire more privacy for studying. The highlight of every visit is the 7th floor with the OBA Theater (300 seats) and a café-restaurant with a terrace offering spectacular views over the city. It's not properly shielded from wind and rain though and regarding taking photos, the view is slightly restricted overhead, due to the exceptionally large roof overhang.