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Find Your Next Read: Basel's Library System

There’s something about being a book lover in a new city that feels both exciting and daunting. You walk past windows displaying titles in languages you’re still learning, wonder where the local readers gather, and find yourself missing the familiar comfort of your old neighbourhood bookshop or library. When I first moved to Basel, I felt that same mix of curiosity and uncertainty. Where would I find my books here? Where would I discover new authors, feed my reading habits, and feel at home among the pages?

 

This is the first article in a series exploring exactly that question: where to get your books in Basel. And I’m starting where I believe every book lover should begin in this city: the library system. Because whether you’re a devoted fiction reader, a non-fiction enthusiast, or someone who simply wants their children to grow up surrounded by stories, Basel’s libraries offer something wonderfully unexpected.


 

A City That Takes Its Libraries Seriously


Basel isn’t just a city with libraries; it’s a city that genuinely values them. The main public library network, the GGG Stadtbibliothek Basel, operates nine main locations across Basel and its neighbourhoods. These aren’t dusty, forgotten corners tucked away in municipal buildings. They’re vibrant community hubs where you’ll find teenagers sprawled on beanbags with graphic novels, parents browsing the children’s section with toddlers in tow, and, yes, fellow expats quietly scanning the English-language shelves.


For 65 Swiss francs a year - less than the cost of two hardback books - you gain access to the entire network. That’s around 300,000 media items at your fingertips, including books in multiple languages, e-books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs and even video games. If you’re primarily interested in digital reading, there’s an E-Abo membership for 40 francs that gives you full access to the digital collection. The library card is also free for all children (0-19) which allows them to borrow books from all GGG libraries in Basel and Binningen. The E-Abo is also free for children aged 0-15 (40 francs for ages 16-19).

 


Finding Your Reading Home

Every one of the nine GGG locations has its own character and rhythm. The Bibliothek Schmiedenhof sits in the heart of the city centre, a natural starting point for many newcomers. But I’d encourage you to explore the neighbourhood branches too. There’s something special about having a local library, a place you can walk to on a Saturday morning or pop into after work.


For English-speaking readers - and this matters enormously when you’re navigating life in a new language - the Bibliothek Basel West at Allschwilerstrasse 90 is a treasure trove. It maintains a substantial collection of English-language books for both adults and children. I remember the relief of finding familiar authors on those shelves, of knowing I could still escape into a novel in English whenever Swiss German conversations left my brain spinning.

 


Beyond the Books


Modern libraries have evolved into much more than repositories for books, and Basel’s are no exception. The digital library offers streaming services for films and series, access to newspapers and magazines from around the world, and thousands of e-books you can borrow with just a few clicks.


Several libraries also offer what is called Open Library access, allowing card-holding members to enter the building from seven in the morning until ten at night, even on weekends. Your library card becomes your key. There’s something rather magical about having a quiet place to read or work at eight o’clock on a Sunday morning, with sunlight streaming through the windows and the city still waking up outside.


The event calendar surprised me too. These libraries host more than 1,000 events each year - readings, children’s story times, book discussions, movie nights, German conversation groups. They’re not just places to borrow books; they’re cultural spaces where the literary community gathers.


 

The Practical Bits

Joining the GGG Stadtbibliothek is straightforward. Simply visit one of the branches with a valid ID (passport, Swiss ID or driving licence), fill in a short registration form with your address and contact details, and pay the membership fee: CHF 65 per year for full membership or CHF 40 for digital-only access. If you qualify for discounted membership due to social-benefit eligibility, bring the relevant documentation. Several other membership options are available, so check out their website or ask in one of the libraries and choose the one that fits you best. Once registration and payment have been processed, your library card and invoice will arrive by post, and you can start borrowing straight away.


If you’d prefer to register online, that’s possible too. Visit the GGG website, complete the same form digitally, select your membership type and submit it. After your payment is confirmed, you’ll receive your card by post and gain full borrowing access. You can even purchase a membership as a gift. Simply provide the recipient’s details and indicate where the invoice should be sent.


Once you’re a member, you can search the library catalogue from home, reserve items, and have them delivered to your preferred branch or even to your home. Returning books is easy thanks to drop boxes located across the city, most accessible 24/7. You can also return items to any branch, regardless of where you borrowed them. The staff are friendly, often speak English, and are happy to help if you’re new to the system or still learning the language.

 


The Academic Alternative

If your reading interests lean more scholarly, or if you’re pursuing research of any kind, Basel’s Universitätsbibliothek is well worth your attention. First documented in 1471, it is among Europe’s oldest academic libraries and now serves both as the University of Basel’s main library and the cantonal library of Basel-Stadt. Its collections span millions of physical and digital items, and the library is open to all interested users. Materials may be borrowed for home use by users whose primary or secondary residence is in Switzerland or in the Baden or Alsace regions.


The Universitätsbibliothek is also part of swisscovery, the national platform linking hundreds of academic libraries across Switzerland. This network dramatically expands what you can find and request.


 

A Starting Point


Libraries might seem like an obvious first stop for book lovers, but they’re also an often overlooked one. We get caught up in the romance of independent bookshops or the convenience of online ordering and forget that libraries offer something unique: discovery without commitment, exploration without expense, and a built-in community of fellow readers.

 

For me, Basel’s library system became more than just a place to borrow books. It became one of my first connections to the city itself: a space where I could be both a newcomer and at home. A place where I could retreat to English novels when I needed comfort. Where I could attend an author reading and slowly, tentatively, begin to feel part of Basel’s literary landscape.


In the coming articles in this series, I’ll explore Basel’s bookshops - both the cosy independents and the larger chains - along with antiquarian dealers and the reading communities that bring it all together. But the libraries felt like the natural place to begin. Because every book lover’s journey in a new city starts with a simple question: Where will I find my books? In Basel, the answer starts here.

 


Basel Library Locations

Bibliothek Schmiedenhof (Main Library)

Address: Im Schmiedenhof 10, 4001 Basel

Phone: +41 61 264 11 00


Bibliothek Basel West

Address: Allschwilerstrasse 90, 4055 Basel

Phone: +41 61 381 60 93


Bibliothek Bläsi

Address: Klybeckstrasse 95, 4057 Basel

Phone: +41 61 692 32 00Email: blaesi@stadtbibliothekbasel.ch


Bibliothek Breite

Address: Zürcherstrasse 149 (Breitezentrum), 4052 Basel

Phone: +41 61 312 83 55


Bibliothek Gundeldingen

Address: Güterstrasse 211 (Gundeldinger Casino), 4053 Basel

Phone: +41 61 361 15 17


Bibliothek Hirzbrunnen

Address: Bäumlihofstrasse 152, 4058 Basel

Phone: +41 61 601 71 73Email: hirzbrunnen@stadtbibliothekbasel.ch


Bibliothek Neubad

Address: Neuweilerstrasse 67, 4054 Basel

Phone: +41 61 302 25 60Email: neubad@stadtbibliothekbasel.ch


Bibliothek St. Johann JUKIBU

Address: Lothringerplatz 1, 4056 Basel

Phone: +41 61 322 63 19Email: stjohannjukibu@stadtbibliothekbasel.ch


Gemeinde- und Schulbibliothek Binningen

Address: Hauptstrasse 71, 4102 Binningen

Phone: +41 61 421 83 73



Maria Blatkowska

Maria Blatkowska is a marketing and communications professional with experience in pharma, healthcare, and event management. A Polish transplant to Basel, she volunteers with community organizations, hikes in the Alps, and perfects plant-based recipes that prove vegan cooking is delicious.


 

 

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