My Favorite Libraries in Speculative Fiction

The library as plot point is one of my favorite things to see or read about. I’m a librarian; I’m biased. I love when characters visit the library or the archives for the sole purpose of doing research: discovering who owned their haunted house, who sealed a supernatural deal, what mystical solar phenomenon is about to happen (again) — or which planet got left off the intergalactic charts. Dustin goes on a “curiosity voyage” to Hawkins Public Library in Stranger Things; Hermione always knows exactly where to find answers in the Harry Potter franchise (face it, Ron and Harry would not have survived Hogwarts without her); and Brea discovers a reference to a strange but critical symbol in Ha’rar’s Great Library in Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Even just a snippet of a character reading a book is great. This enshrinement of a love of books in literature (and film) is the best self-referential code ever. It’s a secret handshake from the author or the filmmaker to you, the library user and book reader, and to potential book readers and library users.

I’m not sure I wish that most of these places are real (especially Night Vale Public), but I love the idea of them all the same. The library is a staple of science fiction and fantasy, and I can’t wait to see future representations. Here are my favorites so far.

Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix): The library here is neither practical, nor categorized, but it is whimsical — and in keeping with the organic setting of the series (and the movie). Books are everywhere! They are arranged along pathways and piled into carefully constructed pillars and archways. I have no idea how Brea would find any book she needed without completely dislodging the entire building. But the library is very pretty to look at. I’ve heard so many people say that when they walk into a library, they can just feel the knowledge and adventure seeping into them. Maybe you’ve said or felt this yourself.

That’s what Ha’rar’s Great Library has: atmosphere. All that knowledge, all those secrets, just waiting for people to discover them. It’s perfect for the world of The Dark Crystal. I have to be honest, if I were in Ha’rar’s Great Library, I’d try to start cleaning and categorizing by picking up a book — and then I’d start reading it, and stay until I did, then start another… and that’s how libraries get you. The Great Library looks like a place where a person could stay and read whatever they wanted for as long as they wanted. (I bet the Gelflings might even bring food to remind someone to eat.)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996-2003): Sunnydale High’s library was the epitome of full-service libraries. Where else can you cage a werewolf during the full moon, find obscure historical information and important spells, and train to kill vampires? The library, of course. Besides the kickass intro, who could deny the appeal of a library as a base of operations, and a librarian in one of the starring roles?

I was not a “librarian” when the show aired — I was a technical services student worker (meaning I placed call labels on incoming books), then a supervisor in a copy shop (meaning I herded a bunch of student workers, including myself, in between informing customers why the U.S. Copyright Act prevented us from copying entire books — no kidding), and finally, a shelver (which is exactly what it sounds like). I had never dealt with a patron challenging a book in the library collection, nor was I responsible for collection development, and probably I really wasn’t aware of the myriad things for which people use the library every day. (I have come across interesting titles, but nothing like “How To Cage Your Hyena Friend” or “How to Cast a Spell on Your Librarian.”)

I remember thinking Giles played too much into the librarian stereotype — when the school was rebuilt after the defeat of the Mayor, the library was replaced with a computer center, and Giles wasn’t exactly a fan of the progress (or the new principal’s office). It’s cute, but no library could be a library today without computer access. And I wonder if anyone ever challenged all those important occult books Giles kept adding to the library collection. I haven’t rewatched this series in awhile; Joss Whedon’s alleged behavior in recent years has not endeared me to his projects. But there’s no denying that Buffy made libraries cool.

Welcome to Night Vale (2012-current): I really wish there was an image for the Night Vale Public Library. Then again, I’m content to let it live in my imagination. This podcast, for anyone unfamiliar, pretends to be community radio announcements for the eerie X-Files-like desert town of Night Vale. It gets mentioned on Speculative Chic a lot. The podcast started all the way back in 2012, making it just about 8 years old. It satirizes urban legends, government conspiracies, and Lovecraftian horror tropes, all with a sense of helplessly optimistic humor. Including the Night Vale Public Library (NVPL) in this vein is particularly brilliant, because it parodies both what a library is and does, and what people are afraid it is. NVPL is an ominous edifice housing monstrous librarians (or entities said to be librarians), all of whom share the name Randall, and books that eat children. Cecil the announcer intones: “The Library is closed. There are no Librarians. Do not look at the Library. Do not acknowledge the Library. The Library does not exist. Stay away from Librarians.” To that end, if you must go in, NVPL comes stocked with “librarian repellent dispensers.” Episode 28 talks about the summer reading program:

The Summer Reading Program for children and teens has begun at the Night Vale Public Library. This comes as an alarming surprise, given that the program was abolished by the City Council 30 years ago. Though parents and teenagers have asked on several occasions to reinstate the program, the City Council has maintained its position, citing lack of taxpayer funds, the extreme danger posed by books, the peril of exposing children to librarians, and of course, the incident that precipitated the ban — which the town’s older residents will refer to only as “The Time of Knives.” Nevertheless, in a show of civic dedication (or mindless bloodlust, and they really are so similar), Night Vale’s librarians have banded together in defiance of authority to reinstate Summer Reading.

And, later in the same episode:

14 young people between the ages of 5 and 17 have already been reported missing, and are feared to be in the Public Library, and possibly learning. Attempts by the Sheriff’s Secret Police to enter the library, rescue the missing children, and put an end to all Summer Reading activities have failed…

Let’s just say the situation in NVPL gets worse. This episode spawned a million summer reading programs, WtNV listening parties, and DIY library cards. Also, I don’t know who started this tumblr account, but it is spot on. It brings me joy. Yes. I share the same twisted sense of humor as the Night Vale writers — and I like how they poke fun at legislators and the idea that a library is a threat to society instead of a gathering place full of knowledge and enjoyable adventures.

Adventure Time (2010-2018): This show’s episodes are so massively illogical and absurd, they are funny as hell. It’s like watching a million Robot Chicken sketches, only less bawdy, and with more of a plot. Just like any place else, the Land of Ooo has a library full of books and patrons, all of which are overseen by a librarian. In Ooo, though, the books are arranged by rhyming order, and the librarian is Turtle Princess, who lives in the library and can’t abide the slightest noise but otherwise acts like a teenage girl (sorry, teenage girls). Turtle Princess’s best friend is author Lumpy Space Princess (referred to as LSP) who, over the course of episode 4.12, writes a book for Turtle Princess in order to help her attract boys. Naturally this means going undercover with Finn and Jake, with hilarious results. But LSP’s efforts culminate in a manuscript that Turtle Princess loves enough to enshrine in the library.

That’s what goes on outside the library. Inside, the library is home to the Pagelings, secret origami guardians of the books, who are engaged in a war with the Moldos, a species that eats books. In episode 3.22, the Pagelings enlist “noble giant” Finn to help them in an upcoming assault. In turn, Finn tries to enlist Jake by seeking out the Moldos’ secret lair, but gets more than he bargained for when the Moldos develop a taste for Jake’s fur.

Jake eventually resolves the issue by ditching the books-as-literal-weapons effort and gives the Moldos his shirt to feed on, brokering peace between the Pagelings and Moldos.

There are some popular works I haven’t yet consumed. I have not: seen The Librarians, relevant Dr. Who episodes, or read or seen The Magicians. I’ll get there. I can leave you with one more of my most favorite library stories. It’s by Ellen Klages, and was first published in 2006. I was delighted to find that it’s online at Uncanny Magazine. Read “In the House of the Seven Librarians” here. If you’re looking for a poignant, cozy, magical story, I can’t recommend it enough.

If you have a favorite speculative library, do tell.