List of libraries in Iceland
This is a list of libraries in Iceland. According to the Consortium of Icelandic Libraries, there are more than 300 libraries in Iceland when school libraries and libraries of government agencies and ministries are included.[1] The present list excludes school libraries below the university level as well as most libraries of government agencies which are not open to the public but participate in interlibrary loaning.
Libraries by locale
Reykjavik
- Althingi Library, Parliament of Iceland[2]
- Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies Library[3]
- Dagsbrún Library
- National and University Library of Iceland, Reykjavík[4]
- National Gallery of Iceland Library[5]
- Reykjavik City Library[2]
- Technical College Reykjavík Library[5]
Elsewhere
- Akranes Library[6]
- Akureyri County Library[6]
- Garðabær Library[6]
- Hafnarfjörður Library[6]
- Kópavogur Library[6]
- Mosfellsbær Library[6]
- Reykjanesbær Library[6]
- Seltjarnarnes Library[6]
- Vestmannaeyjar Library[6]
Libraries by type
State libraries
- Bókasafn Landbúnaðarháskóla Íslands[7]
- Heilbrigðisvísindabókasafn[8]
- Library of the Parliament (Icelandic: Bókasafn Alþingis)[9]
- National and University Library of Iceland (Icelandic: Landsbókasafn Íslands – Háskólabókasafn)[10]
- Skálholtsbókasafn[11]
Municipal libraries
Library systems operating multiple branches under unified management are presented as a single entry, with branch locations following a colon. Organisationally distinct units (e.g. main collection, special collection) are consolidated into a single entry for the purposes of this list.
Capital Region
- Borgarbókasafnið: Árbær, Gerðuberg, Grófin, Kléberg, Kringlan, Sólheimar, Spöngin, Úlfarsárdalur[12]
- Bókasafn Garðabæjar[13]
- Bókasafn Hafnarfjarðar[14]
- Bókasafn Kópavogs[15]
- Bókasafn Mosfellsbæjar[16]
- Bókasafn Seltjarnarness[17]
Southern Peninsula
Western Region
- Amtsbókasafnið í Stykkishólmi[21]
- Bókasafn Akraness[22]
- Bókasafn Grundarfjarðar[23]
- Bókasafn Snæfellsbæjar[24]
- Héraðsbókasafn Borgarfjarðar[25]
- Héraðsbókasafn Dalasýslu[26]
- Snorrastofa[27]
Westfjords
- Bókasafn Bolungarvíkur[28]
- Bókasafn Vesturbyggðar: Bíldudalur, Patreksfjörður, Tálknafjörður[29]
- Bókasafnið Ísafirði[30]
- Héraðsbókasafn Reykhólahrepps[31]
- Héraðsbókasafn Strandasýslu[32]
Northwestern Region
- Bókasafn Húnaþings vestra[33]
- Bókasafn Skagastrandar[34]
- Héraðsbókasafn Austur-Húnavatnssýslu[35]
- Héraðsbókasafn Skagfirðinga: Sauðárkrókur, Hofsós, Varmahlíð[36]
Northeastern Region
- Amtsbókasafnið á Akureyri[37]
- Bókasafn Aðaldæla[38]
- Bókasafn Dalvíkurbyggðar[39]
- Bókasafn Eyjafjarðarsveitar[40]
- Bókasafn Fjallabyggðar: Ólafsfjörður, Siglufjörður[41]
- Bókasafn Grýtubakkahrepps[42]
- Bókasafn Mývatnssveitar[38]
- Bókasafn Öxarfjarðar[43]
- Bókasafn Reykdæla[38]
- Bókasafnið á Húsavík[43]
- Bókasafnið á Raufarhöfn[43]
- Bókasafnið í Hrísey[44]
Eastern Region
- Bókasafn Fáskrúðsfjarðar: Breiðdalsvík, Eskifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður, Stöðvarfjörður[45]
- Bókasafn Múlaþings: Djúpivogur, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður[46]
- Bókasafn Vopnafjarðar[47]
Southern Region
- Bæjarbókasafn Ölfuss[48]
- Bókasafn Árborgar: Eyrarbakki, Selfoss, Stokkseyri[49]
- Bókasafn Grímsnes- og Grafningshrepps[50]
- Bókasafn Hrunamanna[51]
- Bókasafn Vestmannaeyja[52]
- Bókasafn Vestur-Eyjafjalla
- Bókasafnið Hellu[53]
- Bókasafnið í Hveragerði[54]
- Héraðsbókasafn Rangæinga[55]
- Héraðsbókasafn Vestur-Skaftafellssýslu
- Héraðsbókasafnið á Kirkjubæjarklaustri[56]
- Lestrarfélag Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahrepps
- Bókasafn Menningarmiðstöðvar Hornafjarðar[57]
Private libraries
Nongovernmental organisations
- Bókasafn Austurbrúar
- Bókasafn Dagsbrúnar[58]
- Bókasafn Lögmannafélags Íslands
- Bókasafn Norræna hússins[59]
- Rússneska bókasafnið[60]
Nonprofit organisations
- Bókasafn Háskólaseturs Vestfjarða[61]
- Bókasafn Háskólans á Bifröst[62]
- Bókasafn Háskólans í Reykjavík[63]
- Bókasafn Listaháskólans Stakkahlíð[64]
See also
- in Icelandic
- Leitir.is, library catalog
References
- ^ https://landskerfi.is/um-okkur/bokasofnin
- ^ a b "IFLA Members" (PDF), ifla.org, Netherlands: International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 2026-01-06
- ^ "Institutions: Iceland", europeana.eu, Netherlands: Europeana Foundation, retrieved 2026-02-16
- ^ "List of LIBER Libraries", libereurope.eu, Netherlands: Association of European Research Libraries/LIBER Europe, retrieved 2026-02-16
- ^ a b "Members", arlisnorden.org, Art Libraries Society Norden, retrieved 2026-02-16
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Um okkur: Bókasöfnin" [About us: the libraries], landskerfi.is (in Icelandic), Landskerfi bókasafna / Consortium of Icelandic Libraries, retrieved 2026-02-16
- ^ https://lbhi.is/nam/thjonusta/bokasafn
- ^ https://island.is/s/landspitali/bokasafn-landspitala
- ^ https://althingi.is/um-althingi/upplysingar-um-althingi/rannsoknathjonusta-bokasafn/
- ^ https://landsbokasafn.is/
- ^ https://skalholt.is/bokasafnid
- ^ https://borgarbokasafn.is/bokasofn
- ^ https://gardabaer.is/mannlif/menning-og-listir/bokasafn
- ^ https://bokasafnhafnarfjardar.is
- ^ https://bokasafn.kopavogur.is
- ^ https://mos.is/mannlif/menning/bokasafn/
- ^ https://seltjarnarnes.is/is/ibuar/menningarstarf/bokasafn
- ^ https://grindavik.is/bokasafn
- ^ https://sofn.reykjanesbaer.is/bokasafn
- ^ https://sudurnesjabaer.is/is/mannlif/menning-og-sofn/bokasofn
- ^ https://stykkisholmur.is/is/mannlif/sofn/amtsbokasafnid
- ^ https://bokasafnakraness.is
- ^ https://grundarfjordur.is/is/mannlif/menning/bokasafn
- ^ https://snb.is/is/mannlif/menning-og-listir/bokasafn
- ^ https://borgarbyggd.is/stofnun/safnahus/sidur/starfsemi/heradsbokasafn-borgarfjardar
- ^ https://dalir.is/thjonusta-og-starfsemi/sofn/bokasafn/
- ^ https://snorrastofa.is/snorrastofa/bokhlada
- ^ https://bolungarvik.is/mannlif/menning/bokakaffid
- ^ https://vesturbyggd.is/mannlif/menning/bokasofn/
- ^ https://safnis.is/bokasafn
- ^ https://gamli.reykholar.is/stjornsysla/stofnanir/Bokasafnid/
- ^ http://holmavik.is/bokasafn/forsida.htm
- ^ https://hunathing.is/is/thjonusta/sofn-og-menning/boka-og-skjalasafn
- ^ https://skagastrond.is/is/stofnanir/bokasafn
- ^ https://www.skjalhun.is
- ^ https://heradsbokasafn.skagafjordur.is/is/afgreidsla-og-thjonusta
- ^ https://akureyri.is/amtsbokasafnid
- ^ a b c https://thingeyjarsveit.is/is/thjonusta/stofnanir/bokasofn
- ^ https://dalvikurbyggd.is/bokasafn/thjonusta/opnunartimar
- ^ https://esveit.is/eyjafjardarsveit/mannlif/menning-og-listir/bokasafn
- ^ https://bokasafn.fjallabyggd.is
- ^ https://grenivik.is/is/thjonusta/stofnanir/bokasafnid
- ^ a b c https://nordurthing.is/is/mannlif/menning-og-listir/bokasofn
- ^ https://hrisey.is/is/thjonusta/bokasafn
- ^ https://fjardabyggd.is/menning/bokasofn/bokasofnin-i-fjardabyggd
- ^ https://mulathing.is/is/mannlif/menningarstofnanir/bokasafn
- ^ https://vopnafjardarhreppur.is/thjonusta/menning/bokasafn
- ^ https://olfus.is/is/mannlif/menning/baejarbokasafn-olfuss
- ^ https://arborg.is/mannlif/menning/bokasafn-arborgar/
- ^ https://gogg.is/is/thjonusta/menning/bokasafn
- ^ https://bokasafn.fludir.is
- ^ https://safnahus.vestmannaeyjar.is/page/bokasafn
- ^ https://ry.is/is/ibuar/skolar-og-born/bokasofn
- ^ https://bokasafn.hveragerdi.is
- ^ https://hvolsvollur.is/is/stjornsysla/brunavarnir-rangarvallasyslu/heradsbokasafn-rangaeinga
- ^ https://klaustur.is/is/mannlif/menning/heradsbokasafnid-kirkjubaejarklaustri
- ^ https://mmh.hornafjordur.is/bokasafn
- ^ https://akademia.is/thjonusta/bokasafn-dagsbrunar/
- ^ https://nordichouse.is/bokasafn/
- ^ https://rus.is/schedule/
- ^ https://uw.is/is/thjonusta/adstada-og-profthjonusta/bokasafn
- ^ https://www.bifrost.is/thjonusta/bokasafn
- ^ https://bokasafn.ru.is
- ^ https://lhi.is/bokasafn/
Further reading
- Einar Sigurdsson (1969). "Libraries in Iceland". In Allen Kent; et al. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Vol. 11. Translated by Peter Ridgewell. Marcel Dekker. p. 128+. ISBN 978-0-8247-2023-0.
- Dennis Auburn Hill (1988). Icelandic Libraries and Archives: A Selective Guide for Researchers. Wisconsin Introductions to Scandinavia. Vol. 5. US.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Steingrimur Jonsson (2001). "Icelandic Libraries". In David H. Stam (ed.). International Dictionary of Library Histories. Vol. 1. Fitzroy Dearborn. p. 77+. ISBN 1579582443.
- "Iceland". World Guide to Libraries 2017. Vol. 1 (32nd ed.). Germany: De Gruyter Saur. 2017. ISBN 9783110517514 – via Internet Archive.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Libraries in Iceland.
- "Library Map of the World: Iceland", ifla.org, Netherlands: International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
- Upplysing, Icelandic Library and Information Science Association, est.1999