The soundproof space is packed with 500 titles, offering a quiet pause from city life
In a city defined by its record-breaking scale, this intimate new experience is a welcome contrast. On World Book Day, two Dubai-born names, Julith Coffee and Bookends, are joining forces to unveil The Smallest Library in Dubai. Tucked inside one of Julith’s signature working pods, the compact, curated space offers a quiet retreat from the city’s pace. It’s a place to pause, unplug, and reconnect with reading in its simplest form.
The little library is located within Julith’s light-filled Al Quoz space, set within one of the cafe’s three soundproof pods. The pods are free and typically used by guests for remote work and meetings. But, for a few days, one of the pods will be transformed into an intimate, book-lined retreat measuring just 128cm by 198cm.
And don’t be fooled. The books aren’t just decoration or fake. You will be able to browse through 500 titles spanning five languages, courtesy of our friends from Bookends.
The best news? The library will be available to use free of charge. The only catch? You need to book the space in advance, and the space is yours for one hour. If your time is up but you don’t want to leave the book behind, don’t worry – you can purchase it from Bookends.
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How does that work? No, you don’t have to drive down to Bookends HQ. It can be purchase via the library’s honesty programme. All you have to do is scan the QR code and pay for it by phone.
The experience will be available for a limited time from Thursday, April 23 to 30, 2026.
Speaking on the collaboration, Somia Anwar, co-founder of Bookends, said, “Reading has always been one of the simplest ways to slow down, but it’s also one of the easiest things to push aside. With this space, we wanted to make it feel accessible again – not something you have to plan for, just something you can step into, even for an hour. It’s a small reminder of how valuable that time can be.”
Beril Helvaci, Co-Founder of Julith Coffee & Roastery, added that Julith was designed to be a space where people can focus, slow down and spend more time intentionally. She added, “This collaboration with Bookends felt like a natural extension of that – creating a dedicated moment for reading without distractions. It’s simple, but that’s exactly the point.”
Make your bookings on julithcoffee.com
The details
Where: The Smallest Library in Dubai, Julith, Al Quoz, Dubai
When: April 23 to 30, 2026 | Mon to Fri 7am to 6pm, Sat to Sun 9am to 8pm
Cost: Free to use, but reservations required
Contact: 055 585 4849, @julith.coffee / @bookendsae
Images: Supplied
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