Tenerife resort Puerto de la Cruz has an English Library

If you live in Tenerife's north or happen to be on holiday there and are an English-speaker then the chances are you might like to get books to read in your own language. Whilst many bookshops mainly have books in Spanish and a limited supply of titles in English, there is a solution to the problem.

In the Parque Taoro area of Puerto de la Cruz is the English Library, and it could be just the place for you to find some excellent reading matter. Set in beautiful ornamental gardens, the English Library is very easy to find and a wonderful place to relax and browse through the many bookshelves of titles there.

The English Library was built way back in 1903 and stands in peaceful subtropical gardens full of flowers, cacti and succulents, palm trees and many exotic shrubs and climbers. Of course there are lawns too and tables and chairs outside, making it ideal for garden parties or just quietly relaxing in the sun.

Monarch butterflies

The grounds are lovingly and expertly tended by a gardener called Bob who is always adding new plants to the collection. He has recently got some Scarlet Milkweed plants and is hoping to attract the beautiful Monarch butterfly to breeding in the gardens.

Inside the library are many shelves of all sorts of books, both hardback and soft-back, fiction and non-fiction. There are modern best-sellers and old and rare books too.There are novels, classics, science-fiction, poetry, books about history, books on art, books about religion and philosophy, books on nature and gardening, just about every sort of book you could think of probably is there on one of the many bookshelves of this well-stocked library.

Resident astrologer Hara Davis

There is even a copy of the Urantia book, a speciality subject of Hara Davis, the English Library's resident professional astrologer. Hara does astrology workshops and creates personal birth-charts. If you are interested in the Zodiac and what the stars can tell about your future then she is the lady to speak to. You can phone here here: 922 333945 or 645 988 571

The English Library has audio-books, and DVDs of films and music as well. It also has an information area where you will find notices and flyers. The library also stocks local free papers and magazines. It is a place you can pick up a copy of the Tenerife News newspaper, for example.

The English Library publishes an online Newsletter too on its website, so you can catch up with all the latest news. Amongst the most recent happenings at the English Library comes the retirement of Ken Fisher who is stepping down from being president and handing over the role to his successor Brian Arnold.

To make full use of the facilities offered by the English Library you need to be a member. Full membership of the library is 30€ annually, and Temporary and Visitor's memberships are available too from 12€, and are ideal if you are not a resident of the island.

The English Library is easy enough to find. It is past the Hotel Sol Parque San Antonio on the Ctra General Puerto de la Cruz - Las Arenas, to give the road its full name. To drive there you take the next turning left into Parque Taoro and then immediately go left again into Calle Irlanda which is behind the British School Tenerife, which used to be the International British Yeoward School until recently. You can find extra parking at All Saints' Church ( just a short walk away) during opening hours as well.

The English Library is also conveniently on local bus routes. From the main bus station in Puerto you can catch the 350, 353 or 391 and ask for the Parque Taoro stop. It is just minutes from the bus stop and you can't miss it.

The English Library is far more than just a place to find books in. It is a place where friends gather to socialise, and it often holds special events too. I went along to one of these recently and was very impressed.

It was a full house for a talk by Bob Handy all about the restoration of Westminster Abbey over a 25 year period. Not the sort of subject I would have thought I would be interested in but was very pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed Bob's lecture which he brought to life admirably with a slide show and anecdotes.

Refreshments are served at events like this and there was a a buffet with sandwiches, crisps and other snacks as well as a range of soft drinks and wines. It is much more than just a library there.

The English Library is a great place for surprises because you never know what you might find there, and it is a wonderful place for making new friends too!

Opening hours for the English Library:
Monday 3.00pm – 5.30pm
Wednesday 10.00am – 1.00p
Friday 3.00pm – 5.30pm
Saturday 10.00am – 1.00pm

Phone during opening hours (0034) 922 383098