Satisfy your love of literature at Schiphol

If you’re a bit of a bookworm, you’re in for a treat when you fly from Schiphol. Not only do we have several shops selling a wide range of literature, we also have an Airport Library where you can browse the books or even sit down for a spot of reading. What’s more, the airport has plenty of comfortable spots where you can curl up with a good book before your flight. Keep on reading to find out more!

A variety of bookshops

Whether you’re looking for a new book to keep you entertained on your flight, or you want to find the perfect literary gift for friends or family, you’re sure to find something at Schiphol. From thrillers and romance novels, to children’s books and travel guides – the shops at the airport cater to all tastes and age groups. News & Books stores can be found at various spots after security, with six permanent locations and one pop-up store. They stock a wide range of Dutch and English books, as well as several international magazines.

Travel Books & Electronics sells books related to travel, so it’s a great place to buy a guide for your destination in order to prepare for your trip. You can find Travel Books & Electronics in Lounge 2. Not got much time before boarding, but want to grab a last-minute book for your journey? You’ll find V!ZZ!T (which also sells gifts and other popular items) on Pier C, and well-known chain WHSmith (which also sells drinks and snacks) on piers D and F.

Airport Library

Did you know that the world's first airport library was at Schiphol? Feel free to visit, browse through the books, take one off the shelves and sit and read for a while. If paperbacks aren’t really your thing, you can discover storytelling through images on the library’s iPads and touch screens. There’s also a book swap system in place here – travellers can leave books they have finished reading and pick up another one left behind by a fellow traveller.

Our library is also a great place to bring children. There are shelves full of children’s books in several languages including Dutch, English, Turkish, Arabic and Polish. You can also discover Dutch music at the library; simply scan the QR code to listen to fine selections of pop, jazz, dance and classical music from the Netherlands. The Airport Library is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can find it along Holland Boulevard, between Lounges 2 and 3.

Reading spots

Once you have your reading material, you might want to find a comfortable and cosy place to sit down and enjoy it. Luckily, there’s plenty of suitable reading spots to choose from at Schiphol. If you’re borrowing a book from the Airport Library, you don’t have to look far because there’s a lot of different kinds of seating options, including loungers, benches and armchairs, in the vicinity. In Lounge 2, you can head upstairs to escape the hustle and bustle. There are seats in the area around the Meditation Centre that offer travellers a quieter place to sit and read their books.

And how does reading among real trees sound? It’s possible at the Airport Park in Lounge 1 – a green oasis with loungers and bean bags! Lastly, you always have the possibility of going to one of our many cafés to enjoy your literature with a nice cup of coffee.

Happy reading!

Read the previous blogs

  • A day in the life of... a project controller

    We asked project controller Isho Toma about his position within the Finance & Control department at Schiphol and discovered that it’s a multifaceted role.

    Read about Isho's workday 

  • Ook Schiphol herdenkt met twee minuten stilte

    Eens per jaar is het 2 minuten stil op Schiphol. Want ook hier herdenken we de Nederlandse slachtoffers van de Tweede Wereldoorlog en latere oorlogssituaties.

    Lees meer 

  • 75 years of the Schiphol Fire Brigade

    Where firefighting at Schiphol once involved little more than a sandpit and a few hand pumps, today a professional organisation is on hand 24/7 to keep us safe.

    And we are proud of that