There are few things as enjoyable as taking time in the summer to lose yourself in a great book. Geared toward students, Enschede has quite a few places for the lover of literature in addition to all the bars and restaurants in town.
There are several branches of the public library (Openbare Bibliotheek) in Enschede. The central (downtown) location is on Pijpenstraat 15 and has a good selection of English language material including books and international newspapers and magazines, as well as cheap internet access. There are also locations in Twekkelerveld (Zonstraat 1), South Enschede (Wesselernering 46), and Stadsveld (Meindert Hobbemastraat 28).
One of the most popular and extensive bookshops is Broekhuis; they have a small location on campus as well as larger shops in Enschede (Marktstraat 12) and Hengelo (Wemenstraat 45). Along with a wide selection of current Dutch and English literature, sci-fi, and non fiction, the stores also have maps, calendars and date books, and children's books. This is the place to go for the latest release.
Just across the street facing Broekhuis in the centre of Enschede is De Slegte. Slightly larger, they specialize in discounted books and secondhand sales; they also buy used books. With plenty of English language books, they have a wide selection of art books, cookbooks, and young adult and children's books for low prices.
Arguably the most charming bookshop is located very close to the central library downtown. Kruimeltje (Zuiderhagen 35) is worth a visit for the atmosphere alone, but also has a great rotating selection of used books in English and Dutch. The comic book fan will find a decent assortment at the Strip-aap (Javastraat 22). Another place to find light reading or magazines in Dutch or English is the bookshop in the train station. If you are looking for something you can't find in the shops, bol.com (http://www.nl.bol.com/) has a broad range of books and reasonable delivery costs in the Netherlands.
