The news that Dublin’s central library will move from the rather grim precincts of the Ilac Centre to the grandiose, albeit down-at-heel, Ambassador cinema building seems like evidence of one of Dublin Corporation’s less calamitous planning meetings. The relocation will not come cheap: “The city council will become sub-tenants paying €1.2m annually in rent and €11.8m for fitout and tax costs if the scheme receives planning approval.”But with some imagination impressive things are possible, viz. El Ateneo bookstore in Buenos Aires:

(I came across the existence of this book palace through the Maud Newton blog, which is running a series on independent bookstores. Dublin’s Winding Stair bookshop and Kenny’s Bookshop in Galway (recently dematerialized into cyberspace) are also featured.)