I'm still not sure how to describe this place except to state that it's something of a hybrid…read morebetween an arts center and a shopping mall. At the same time, it really gives you a concentrated flavor of the Swedish modern design style most of us know only through trips to Ikea. It stands in a central area of Stockholm south of Sergels torg where the big, elliptical plaza sits with the geometric, black-and-white triangle design, a most arresting sight seen from the building's windows (photo: http://bit.ly/2aFTOud). If neither big Viking ships nor an ABBA tribute is your cup of tea, then I'd say this is a good place to chill during the day. A good portion of the center is devoted to performance venues like the Stockholm City Theatre, the Hörsalen lecture hall or the more club-like Kilen where young stand-up comedians perform. On the fourth floor is a children's library called Rum för Barn, where kids can hang and read books or listen to storytellers on kid-friendly couches. There's also a comic book library called Serieteket. Jamie W. and I strolled through the Design Museum which showed unique artifacts that gave way to bigger design trends (photo: http://bit.ly/2aWbJ0f). We were also particularly fascinated by an area devoted strictly to serious chess players (photo: http://bit.ly/2b24T9T). Definitely worth a stop.

Great food, medium sized entres. I chose the steak and the salmon for my partner. Both were well…read morecooked and delicious. Drinks were good as well.

Very cool spot to spend a bit of time while in Stockholm. Several floors dedicated to various news…read moreand books. There are locals studying so need to be mindful of that.

I was hoping to get a fabulous panorama of the massive rotunda at the center o Stockholm's main…read morebranch of the library but the view was disturbed by a large installation of scaffolding for renovation. Serious bummer. The rotunda is a 36 degree multi-level tower of books. It is completely open to the public at all levels including the lowest with study carrels and reading desks up to the top where the books are accessible without the help of a librarian. There are some 2 million books available here. The library is an example of Nordic Classicism, aka Swedish Grace, pioneered by Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund in the 1920s. And of course, access is free. It's a public library! [Review 18725 overall - 59 in Sweden - 2248 of 2022.]

From the owner: Medborgarplatsens bibliotek är Stockholm stadsbiblioteks näst största bibliotek och ligger i…read moreMedborgarhuset. Vi har media och verksamhet för alla åldrar och både för nöje och studier. På övre planet finns innehållsrika samlingar med fack- och skönlitteratur, tyst läsesal och Barnbiblioteket. PUNKTmedis PUNKTmedis är troligen Sveriges bästa bibliotek och mötesplats för ungdomar. Vi riktar oss främst till dig som är 13-19 år. Här finns bland annat brädspel, manga, roliga och spännade böcker, intressanta dikter och datorer med internet. Vi har ofta utställningar, skrivar- och rollspelscirklar, filmvisningar, stickcafé och läxhjälp. Ungdomstidningen Ponton har sin redaktion på PUNKTmedis.

Well, it's a library so I'm not sure how harsh you can be. They supply free books and free…read moreeducation to the public, and the cost of the infrastructure to access it is arguable cheaper than the internet (though in comparison to the breadth of material, I guess the internet wins). I like that they have a cafe inside, that's a nice touch. They didn't require me to have a Swedish ID in order to get a library card and it only took a minute or two to sign up. They are secured with a PIN which is good for both of us. No one who steals my card can run up my account, not that I suspect that's a big problem in Sweden. I see the Swedish reviews thought it was a bit sparse in terms of available rooms and felt a bit dreary. I don't know, it was small but seemed like...a library... to me. I guess my expectations for the environment aren't that high. Sure it could have been located in a better space, with windows and more room -- but it exists and is conveniently located just outside my door! They didn't seem to have any "read-along" books at this location. I asked two info desks and neither one could help me. I know that they have some at the main library in Odengatan so I went there instead (I'm trying to learn Swedish and listening to and seeing the words is really helpful). I guess if I were comparing this to the main library in Odengatan, I might rate it slightly lower but I just don't have the heart. If it has one benefit it's that you won't have people in here coming to take pictures of the main room!