Famous Libraries in Abu Dhabi – A Literary Treat

A literary haven in the city the Al Shaheen is the only privately owned library in the city. Tipped to be the best secret to stumble upon, this place boasts a stock of over 10,000 books. Since its inception in 2002 the place has been well archived with classics and best sellers while always being well stocked with the latest in health and fashion magazines. The membership cost for 4 months is extremely cheap with books being lent only for a week. The library is open 9 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 10 pm Monday to Thursday and is located behind Al Noor Hospital.

Membership may not be cheap here but it is highly popular being the only library well stocked with French literature in the Emirates. There is a stock of over 18,000 French literature works to browse through while as a bonus members get a discount on the French and Arabic language classes conducted there. Please note that at the Alliance Francaise there are no English language books; it is open 9 am to 8 pm daily and is located in front of Khalidiya Mall.

The Club boasts a fine collection of over 16,000 literary works that include a wide selection of books, periodicals, magazines and novels. Mind you this is not a cheap library and membership is costly but in true Arabic style you get what you pay for. The place is almost as ritzy as luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi offering access to the clubs sports activities, private beach, restaurants and bars. Of course if you love luxurious confines to curl up with a book look for hotels located around the Abu Dhabi waterfront; home to the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara. The Club is located at Mina Al Saadiyat.

Operating since 1978 this is one of the city's oldest libraries; although choice is limited to its stock of 7,000 odd books. The library is owned by St Andrew's Church and is not bent on making a profit with membership costs being added towards rent and upkeep of the library. Another plus is the special discount offered to children at Daly Community Library. It is located at St. Andrews Church on Airport Road.

This is undoubtedly the city's largest resource for literature. The National Library will not offer you a personal service instead it offers a staggering collection of literature works that revolves around 300,000 Arabic titles and 100,000 books in other languages. Getting lost in the world of books is literally possible here. The icing on the cherry is that membership is free and books are lent for up to 15 days at a stretch – a marvellous treat for all bookworms.