Where to work when you are in Stockholm, Sweden? There is, for sure, a wide range of places to work, such as cafés, hotel lobbies, and co-working chains to choose from. But if you want to focus, maybe check a source, or don’t have access to your home university’s network – well, then nothing beats a good research library.
The KTH Library
Location: Valhallavägen, 6 min subway (red line) from the Central Station
If you are in the northern parts of the inner city, the Royal Institute of Technology has an excellent library. It can sometimes be a bit crowded, but you can always find a place to sit. You will find both single study places and group rooms. Wi-Fi is available via eduroam. In addition to a café right next to the library, there are plenty of restaurants nearby, for example, the student restaurant Nymble and Järnvägsrestaurangen with traditional Swedish dishes. And in the neighbourhoods around the library you will also find the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and the Swedish Defence University.
The Riksdag Library
Location: Storkyrkobrinken 7A, Old town, 14 min walk from the Central Station.
One of the hidden gems of the Old Town is the Riksdag Library. It is a fairly small library with about 20 study places and a couple of group rooms (no pre-booking needed). The premises are bright and beautiful. Although it is small, there is always plenty of space. One downside to the library is that you must go through a security gate, like the one at an airport, before being allowed in. You will receive a password for the free Wi-Fi from the librarian. The place lacks a café, but there is one almost everywhere in the area. If you get hungry, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts is nearby with a restaurant and café in beautiful premises.
The Royal Library, National Library of Sweden
Location: Humlegården at Stureplan, 20 min walk or 3 min with subway (red line) from the Central Station.
You cannot get more classic than the Royal Library. The author August Strindberg worked here, and Nobel laureate Nelly Sachs’ study is preserved here, among other things. The Royal Library is located in the heart of the city, just a stone’s throw from Stureplan and Kungsgatan. Here, you will find all material printed in Sweden since 1661, and a large selection of scientific journals and databases. The library has free public Wi-Fi and eduroam. The large research and study hall is one of the country’s most beautiful, but if it is full, there are more study places a few floors down. Down there you will also find all of Sweden’s newspapers, either digitally or on microfilm, from 1645 onwards. Unfortunately, there is currently no full-service café in the library. But you can find a varied selection of cafés and restaurants just around the corner. And if you want to buy a book, Stockholm’s largest antiquarian shop, Rönnells, is a little further up along Birger Jarlsgatan.
Stockholm Public Library
Location: Odengatan 53, 4 min subway (green line) from the Central Station.
Not far from Odenplan is one of Europe’s most beautiful library buildings – architect Gunnar Asplund’s gem from 1928, Stockholm Public Library. There are many reading places and a wide range of literature here. Parts of the building are being renovated, so please check that it is open on the day you are in the area. There is a café and free Wi-Fi. Just a short walk from the library, you can look at author Astrid Lindgren’s home at Dalagatan 46.
Goto 10
Location: Hammarby Kaj 10D, Hammarby Sjöstad, 7 min with subway (green line) from the Central Station to Skanstull and a few minutes’ walk over the bridge to Hammarby Sjöstad.
Goto 10 is a meeting place at the Swedish Internet Foundation for knowledge and ideas about the Internet and digitalisation. Goto 10 offers free Wi-Fi, a café, and a podcast studio. Nota bene, you need to bring your own SD card (not a micro), but otherwise the studio is free of charge. If you would rather sit in a downtown café, then you will find that Urban Deli (Sveavägen), Hobo (Brunkebergstorg), and Il Caffe (Drottninggatan) are usually popular among laptop users.
Heading to Helsinki Instead?
In a previous article in this series, Maarit Jaakkola explored Helsinki, the capital of Finland, for laptop workers. And stay tuned: The series will continue with other Nordic capitals!
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