Metroteka is a concept that is both simple and exciting for readers and book lovers. Warsaw Poland’s Metro now houses more than 16,000 books in an accessible free lending library exclusively for transit passengers. Separated into reading zones for adults and children, a “borrow a laptop” desk for those who’d rather work than binge, and a chill-out café-style space with hot beverages.

A special feature in the library is a hydroponic garden wall of fresh herbs and flowers (basil, oregano, nasturtiums, and pansies) right inside the station. It’s not just aesthetic flair, but food for thought (literally and metaphorically), as the library team plans to use it as a conversation piece about sustainability.

In an era when so many commutes are synonymous with screen time, be that on phones, tablets, or even laptops, the Metroteka takes a gentle “what if we did things differently?” approach. The local library team says the dream is for the space to become “an educational and cultural center, and not just a place where you borrow your books from.”