14 College Libraries So Stunning You'll Actually Want to Study

9. The Maughan Library – King’s College London, UK

Tucked behind imposing Gothic gates, the Maughan Library feels like something Sherlock Holmes might have used between cases. Once a public record office, it’s now a sprawling academic library with stone spires, vaulted halls, and a circular reading room lit by a soaring glass dome. Study here, and you’ll be surrounded by history while immersed in silence—a strangely motivating combination. The architectural details make even mundane tasks feel noble. It’s stately, serious, and slightly mysterious—the kind of place where academic hustle meets cinematic ambiance.