A Library Lover’s Guide to Paris

One man’s Paris, mapped through its quietest rooms.

Apr 22, 2025

Slice of Life Guides are personal, specific, and completely subjective glimpses into what makes Paris meaningful to someone. Shaped not by what’s “best,” but by what’s beloved—the routines, routes, and rituals that quietly define life here. Each guide is partially or fully hand-drawn or handwritten, grounded in the idea that there are endless ways to live well in this city. These guides don’t aim to be exhaustive or definitive. Just one person’s obsessive perspective on a slice of their life and routine here. This edition: Joe’s guide to the libraries he frequented most in his time here.

This Edition: Joe’s Paris

Joe Burgess unexpectedly found himself in Paris for almost a year. His wife wanted to pursue her lifelong dream of cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, and Joe said: let’s do it.

While many in his position might have dissolved into a whimsical city sabbatical, Joe spent most of his days in libraries—finishing writing his first novel, starting a new company, and insatiably exploring every nook and cranny of Paris. Whenever we got together, I was amazed by how much ground he covered, and how thoroughly.

Bibliothèque Mazarine, as drawn by the incredibly talented Sera Takata.

We'd sit in parks while he told me how much it moved him that he had encountered people all over France who devote entire lifetimes to perfecting things like lute construction. That there’s still a sense of care and honor in slow, deliberate work.

I can see why it resonated. Joe is like that. He cares deeply about people, ideas, how the world is evolving, and our place in it. He’s precise and analytical, but also deeply creative and low ego—a rare combination.

We met in 2018 when he was running the News team at Apple and found my name in a resume book with MBA students. As a longtime reader of Drift, the coffee magazine I co-founded, he reached out. I joined the team in California. On my first day, he asked me: How do you like to be managed? No one had asked me that before or has since, but I now ask it to everyone I work with. It showed a level of thought and self-awareness that astounded me in a workplace then and still does. He’s the best boss I’ve ever had, and now, a good friend.

I’m so glad we got to spend time together in Paris years later—now my home, and for a short time, his.

I loved hearing how he spent his days reading, writing, finding public Wi-Fi and quiet in the city’s many overlooked libraries. So I asked him to make me a list for Bokeh. I hope you find the same quiet and commitment Joe carried with him into those libraries and back with him to the Bay.

This is his slice of Paris.

What did you love most about living in Paris?

The top 3 things most indicative of your life in Paris.

One moment during your time in Paris that changed you forever.

Which libraries became part of your routine in Paris?

Here’s a list of libraries I frequented most in Paris.

Bibliothèque Mazarine. The most beautiful library in Paris I've discovered so far. It’s in the 6th arr. across the Seine from the Louvre. It’s 15€ a year to join. Open six days a week. Packed all the time, and it's understandable why. [23 Quai de Conti, 75006 Paris]
The American Library in Paris. The best English-language library in Paris. There are 80,000 thousand or so English-language books, ample working space, and late hours on weekdays. Surprisingly good book clubs and programming, a good place to meet people. 60€ for four months, or 120€ for a year. Open six days a week. [10 Rue du Général Camou, 75007 Paris]
Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris. This is my favorite library I don't discuss much. The Japanese culture house on the border of the 7th and 15th on the Seine has a wonderful small library on its 3rd floor with French, English, and Japanese books. It's free to use the library and 40€ a year to borrow books. Amazing mochi downstairs when one needs a break. [101 bis Quai Jacques Chirac, 75015 Paris]
Bibliothèque de l'Hôtel de Ville. The best city-run library, with ample space to work and good wi-fi. A library card is free and grants access to all city libraries in Paris. [5 Rue de Lobau, 75004 Paris]
Bibliothèque du cinéma François Truffaut. My other favorite city library is more rogue and a bit to my tastes: It's in Les Halles and focused exclusively on cinema. [Forum des Halles, 4 rue du cinéma niveau -3, 75001 Paris]
Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac. The anthropology museum has a wonderful small media library that is free to use and normally empty. I don't visit it as much, but it's a great option near the Seine. [37 Quai Jacques Chirac, 75007 Paris]
Other libraries. There are two main BNF libraries: Richelieu and François-Mitterrand. Mitterand is the official library of France, I believe. Both didn't make sense for me to visit regularly, but they are beautiful spaces. [BNF Richelieu, 5 Vivienne, 75002 Paris; BNF François-Mitterand, Quai François Mauriac, 75706 Paris]