This post is written by Leah Rachel von Essen.
By now, most bookworms have at least heard of BookTok. Many of us follow amazing creators, authors, and reviewers who give us ideas for which book we should pick up next from our local indie or library.
But what about the providers of those books? Across the United States, and truly, around the world, the co-owners and booksellers of independent bookshops, and the hard-working librarians who apparently don’t have enough to deal with, are taking the time to make their own original, fun, entertaining content.
Learn more about how libraries operate and what resources they have up their sleeves, follow a Black-owned bookstore as it makes its way towards opening its doors, laugh at how hard you relate to the familiar troubles and tribulations of your friendly indie bookworms, and connect with book lovers from all over the world by following these 17 amazing bookstores and libraries on our favorite app.
Bookstores
Catch updates from the biggest indie in Texas: Book People, a gigantic, beautiful bookstore in Austin, Texas, that posts everything from bookstore maintenance to their takes on trending memes.
This book and record store in Truckee, California, has a great TikTok full of diverse book recommendations and exciting book stacks!
One of my favorite bookstores in Chicago also happens to have a great, growing TikTok run by its indie owners. This bookstore has had some struggles in the past, and I love watching as it blossoms in its newest (and hopefully permanent) location.
This Black-owned indie (located in Petersburg, Virginia) has lists on lists of amazing book recommendations provided by the incredible Sera (and her amazing glasses).
This used bookshop in Holland, Michigan, shares updates about Michigan’s banned books fight, beautiful stacks of old books, and the struggles of running inventory and management, all with a sense of humor and a clear love of books. Their TikTok features owner Aimee!
This bookstore (located in Murray Bridge, South Australia) focuses exclusively on indie romance and is run by a single mother and chronic pain warrior.
Which books are a red flag? Which books are best for summer reading? And what is one bookseller’s Roman Empire? Find out by following Books Are Magic, a Brooklyn-based bookstore known for its YA selection (it’s also co-owned by novelist Emma Straub!).
Peach Street Books is a precious blue-and-white little building in Cape Charles, Virginia, and their TikToks are always darling, lovely, and aesthetic.
Want to see a bookstore getting started right from the beginning? Dogwood City Books is a Black-owned bookstore hoping to open in 2024 in Sylvania, Georgia —accompany its owners on their journey to opening the doors!
Women and Children First in Chicago (“your local gay feminist bookstore”) has some of the best booksellers in the game — and on their TikTok, you can catch their book recs, including the books they wish they could read again for the first time.
The Ripped Bodice is an iconic woman-owned all-romance bookstore with locations in Los Angeles and (recently) Brooklyn. Their TikTok is regularly updated with relatable, funny videos about loving books so much it hurts!
Libraries
Weston Public Library (located in Weston, Massachusetts) is one of my favorite accounts because they have these ultra-satisfying videos of them laminating or re-laminating the books in their collection!
Cape Breton Regional Library (located in Nova Scotia, Canada) is fun, silly, and has videos about all the things your local library offers, the funniest jokes about being a librarian, and all kinds of timely, fun TikTok content.
Greendale Public Library in Wisconsin has a TikTok run by the amazing Megan, a teen librarian, and is full of fun, bookish content and questions about using the library — as well as some fun do’s and don’ts!
This fun, vibrantly-colored library (located in Pleasant Grove, Utah) has a whole great series of funny, relatable TikToks about the truths of working in a library. Some have gone viral!
This library (located in Arizona) has a lot of things going for it, from book recommendations to hilariously edited videos, but honestly, my favorite series is the “Things You Didn’t Know the Library Had” one — which includes everything from a blood pressure cuff to mobile hotspots!
The Cincinnati Public Library went viral a couple of times over the past few years for their hilarious videos in which their staff are 110% committed to the bit!
Want more BookTok content? Check out our other recommendations — from 20 of TikTok’s favorite nonfiction reads to a look at whether BookTok’s reign is easing up.