NovLibraries, Bookshops and Cultural Centres in Phnom Penh: Where to Read and Study
Phnom Penh does not have one single library that combines a large English-language collection, long daily opening hours, a modern work area and family programming. What it does have is a useful group of specialised places. The Institut français media library can work well for quiet reading and study. American Corner is useful for English-language educational resources and information about studying in the United States. The National Library and Bophana are the stronger starting points for Cambodian history and archival material. New books are easiest to look for at Monument Books and Kinokuniya; second-hand books at D’s Books.
The best choice depends less on the name of the place and more on the job you need it to do.
How to choose the right place quickly
Before going across town, decide what you actually need: to buy a book, find a rare source, work for several hours with a laptop, prepare for university applications, or bring a child to a reading space. One address will rarely do all of these equally well.
| Need | Start with | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet study | Institut français | Closed on Sundays |
| Books in English | Monument or Kinokuniya | Imported-book prices |
| Cambodian history | National Library | Confirm opening hours |
| Film archives | Bophana | Not a coworking space |
| Affordable books | D’s Books | Stock changes often |
| Study in the U.S. | American Corner | Confirm outside access |
A bookshop is mainly for buying books, not for working all day. A library may be suitable for reading and writing, but usually not for video calls. If you need meetings, stable office internet and longer hours, a coworking space will usually be more practical.
Libraries and research spaces
Phnom Penh’s library-like spaces fall into several categories: a national repository, a cultural media library, an academic library, an educational resource centre and an audiovisual archive. They should not be compared only by size. They serve different audiences.
National Library of Cambodia
The National Library of Cambodia is near Wat Phnom and functions as the country’s main public repository for printed heritage. It opened in 1924 and preserves books, periodicals, national publications, old French collections and material about Cambodia.
This is a useful place for researchers, students, journalists and anyone working on Cambodian history, culture, language or public institutions. The collections include Khmer, French and English-language material. Some specialised collections may only be consulted in the reading room.
Do not expect a modern European-style media library. Its main value is the collection and historic setting, not guaranteed high-speed internet, abundant power outlets or ideal conditions for an eight-hour office day.
Published opening hours differ between sources, and English-language information is not always updated evenly. Before a research visit, confirm the schedule, registration requirements, photography rules and the procedure for requesting material from closed collections. For serious research, prepare author names, titles, dates and variant spellings in English, French and Khmer.
Institut français du Cambodge media library
The media library of the Institut français on Street 184 is one of the more comfortable central places for regular reading. Visitors can use material on site, while borrowing books requires membership.
According to the institute’s current public information, the media library is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 to 18:30 and Saturday from 9:30 to 17:00; it is closed on Monday and Sunday. Hours can change during public holidays or special programmes.
The main collection language is French, with Khmer material also available. The collection includes fiction, comics, children’s books, press, films, reference works and material for French learners. A large modern English-language fiction collection is not its main strength.
Membership may include access to Culturethèque, a digital French-language library. The media library also has a games library. Young children must remain with an adult; librarians help with materials but do not replace supervision.
For reading, writing and working quietly on your own laptop, the space is usually more convenient than the National Library. Video calls and loud meetings are not appropriate. During children’s events, lectures or cultural programmes, the noise level may rise.
American Corner
American Corner at Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia was created in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy. Its purpose is to provide resources on American education, history, culture, English language learning and study opportunities in the United States.
PUC’s official description refers to books and resources on history, business, law, politics, democracy and English-language teaching, as well as computers, internet, workspaces and access to EducationUSA and eLibraryUSA.
This space is especially useful for someone preparing to study abroad, researching scholarships or improving academic English. It is not a universal public library with a broad fiction collection from every country.
Published rules previously mentioned free registration and limited book borrowing, but actual hours and access for outside visitors can change after updates to the space. Before visiting, confirm whether the centre is open to non-PUC students and what documents are required.
Hun Sen Library at the Royal University of Phnom Penh
Hun Sen Library is on the Royal University of Phnom Penh campus and is one of the city’s major academic libraries. Reference sources describe a significant English-language collection, alongside Khmer, French and several Asian-language holdings.
The library is primarily designed for study and research. It can be useful for academic books and reference material that you will not find in a normal bookshop.
The university’s public pages do not always explain current external-access rules in detail. If you are not an RUPP student, confirm in advance whether outside readers are admitted, whether a temporary card is required, whether internet access is available and whether the reading room is open on Saturdays.
Treat Hun Sen Library as an academic resource, not as a guaranteed free office for any walk-in visitor.
Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center
Bophana, on Street 200, is not a standard library. It is an audiovisual archive. The centre collects, preserves and provides access to films, photographs and sound recordings connected with Cambodia.
Its official website states that the archive is open to the public free of charge. In 2026, a public schedule listed opening hours from Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, and Saturday from 14:00 to 18:00.
Bophana is useful for people researching Cambodian history, documentary film, historical footage, photography and memory of the Khmer Rouge period. Visitors come for specific material, consultation, screenings or cultural programmes, not for ordinary spreadsheet work and video calls.
Before visiting, it is useful to send your research topic. Publishing an archival image, using a recording commercially or including material in a film may involve separate permissions and rights.
Where to buy new and used books
The choice of English-language books in Phnom Penh has improved, but it is still smaller than in Bangkok or Singapore. New releases may arrive later, and imported-book prices are often higher than in the country of publication.
Monument Books & Toys
Monument Books has operated in Cambodia since the 1990s and remains one of the city’s best-known bookshops. Its main Norodom Boulevard store sells fiction, business books, titles about Cambodia and Southeast Asia, children’s books, educational materials and gifts.
This is the most predictable option if you need a modern English-language title, children’s literature or a gift book about Cambodia. If a specific title is not in stock, ask whether it can be ordered; timing and prepayment depend on the supplier.
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Contact usTelegramBooks Kinokuniya at AEON Mall Sen Sok City
The Japanese chain Kinokuniya has a store in AEON Mall Sen Sok City. The chain’s international page and the mall’s public information list a Phnom Penh branch with English and Japanese books, magazines, manga, children’s books and stationery.
For someone living in the centre, the main limitation is distance to Sen Sok. The trip makes sense if you are already going to AEON 2 or if you are looking for a different selection from Monument.
D’s Books and the used-book market
D’s Books on Street 240 is an independent second-hand bookshop. Its stock changes constantly. You may find a modern novel, biography, old travel guide, popular-science book or French-language title.
A used-book shop wins on price and surprise finds, but it cannot guarantee a specific new bestseller. Before going, confirm the current address and hours through a recent page or listing.
In a tropical climate, book condition matters. Check the spine, signs of moisture, musty smell, insect damage and loose pages. A book with active mould can damage other books at home.
Books also circulate through expat groups, school fairs and family moving sales. This informal market is unpredictable, but it can help families build an affordable children’s library.
Books about Cambodia and cultural centres
For general contemporary reading, Monument and Kinokuniya are enough for most people. For serious study of Cambodia, separate book buying from archival research.
The National Library is stronger for printed heritage and older publications. Bophana is stronger for film, audio and photography. The Institut français is useful for French-language material and cultural programming. Hun Sen Library may help with academic sources if outside access is confirmed.
Bookshops often carry titles about Cambodian history, Angkor, the Khmer Rouge period, contemporary politics, food, culture and travel. Do not treat every such book as a neutral source. Check the author, date, publisher and underlying evidence. An old guidebook may be interesting as a historical artefact, but not for current prices or infrastructure.
Cultural centres complement libraries with lectures, screenings and discussions. The Institut français runs exhibitions, conferences and children’s programmes. Bophana organises film screenings and memory-related events. Meta House operates as a Cambodian-German cultural centre with exhibitions, films, concerts and workshops.
These spaces should not be forced into one ranking. Their value depends on the programme and on what you want to learn.
Where to go with children and where to find Russian books
For family reading, the Institut français, American Corner and larger bookshops are the most practical starting points. The media library has children’s picture books, comics, games and French-language programmes. American Corner may run English-language reading and learning activities, but the current schedule should be confirmed. Monument and Kinokuniya make it easier to choose new books by age and language level.
For a young child, consistency matters more than the size of the shop. A small home shelf of familiar books read every day is more useful than dozens of random titles.
There is no large permanent Russian-language bookshop in Phnom Penh. Individual Russian books may appear at D’s Books, in moving-sale groups and through private families, but you cannot rely on regular new stock.
Practical options are an e-reader, audiobooks, your own digital library, family book swaps and a small supply of paper books brought from trips. For children, digital books do not always replace paper, so families may want to bring a core set of favourites.
Reading in Russian does not prevent gradual development of English or French. A child’s home language supports vocabulary, connected speech and interest in books; foreign-language titles can be added as the child is ready.
Studying with a laptop: access, hours and rules
Not every library that allows reading is suitable for a full workday. Before using a space regularly, check the air conditioning, power outlets, internet, lighting, quietness, toilets, food rules and travel time in rain.
| Factor | Library | Coworking space |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet | Usually better | Depends on zone |
| Video calls | Often unsuitable | Meeting rooms available |
| Cost | Free or low-cost | Paid access |
| Power outlets | Not always plentiful | Usually enough |
| Long hours | Limited | Often more convenient |
For reading, writing and exam preparation, a library can be very good. For regular calls and confidential work, use a coworking space. A free media library should not be turned into an office for loud meetings.
Before a first visit, check the official website, recent social-media post and, for a long trip across town, confirm by phone or message. Cambodian institutions close for public holidays, and university spaces may change hours during exams or breaks.
Entry or membership may require ID. Do not photograph people, rare books or archive screens without permission. Free viewing does not mean free publication rights. Food is usually not allowed in reading areas, and children remain the responsibility of the accompanying adult.
Do not leave valuables on a desk during a break. Take your phone, wallet and documents with you.
How to store books in a tropical climate
Paper books in Phnom Penh are vulnerable to humidity, mould, insects and direct sun. Do not place a bookcase tight against a damp external wall, and do not seal a moist book in an airtight box.
Leave space for airflow, and regularly check spines and lower shelves. If a book smells musty or has spots, separate it from the rest of the collection and first deal with the moisture source.
Avoid a constant cold air stream hitting a shelf if it creates condensation nearby. Stable moderate humidity is better than sharp cycles of cooling and warming.
Check used books before placing them next to your home collection. For rare or expensive books, a closed cabinet in a dry room can be useful, but not an airtight plastic box without humidity control.
An e-reader is convenient because it takes no shelf space and lets you buy books without international delivery. Do not leave it in direct sun or in a hot car.
Three practical routes
A history-focused route can combine the National Library and Bophana. Both require a purposeful visit: printed material first, then the audiovisual archive after the midday break.
A buying route can combine Monument Books on Norodom Boulevard and D’s Books on Street 240. Use the first for new books and gifts, and the second for cheaper or unexpected finds.
For quiet study, the Institut français works if its hours suit you and you do not need calls. For U.S. study preparation, arrange or confirm access to American Corner in advance.
With a child, choose one media library or one bookshop with a children’s section rather than trying to visit several places in a day. Heat and transport are often more tiring than the programme itself.
Bottom line
Phnom Penh does not offer one library for every possible need, but it does offer enough specialised spaces if you choose by task. The National Library is for Cambodian printed heritage. Bophana is for film and historical memory. The Institut français is for comfortable reading and French-language material. American Corner is for English and education resources.
Monument and Kinokuniya are the best starting points for new books; D’s Books for second-hand titles and accidental discoveries. Russian-language reading is more realistic through e-books, your own supply and family exchange.
Before visiting, check current hours and access rules. When the place matches the actual purpose, Phnom Penh can be a workable city for quiet study, English-language books and serious research on Cambodia.
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Find a propertyTelegramSources
- National Library of Cambodia — official website, history, collections and access information. Checked 27 June 2026.
- Institut français du Cambodge — Médiathèque: opening hours, access, membership, Culturethèque and games library. Checked 27 June 2026.
- Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia — American Corner Cambodia: English-language resources, workspaces, EducationUSA and published access rules. Checked 27 June 2026.
- Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center — official website: archive access, programmes and 2026 opening hours. Checked 27 June 2026.
- Royal University of Phnom Penh and Center for Khmer Studies — Hun Sen Library and reference material on Phnom Penh libraries. Checked 27 June 2026.
- Monument Books & Toys, Books Kinokuniya, AEON Mall Sen Sok City and Meta House — official information on shops, collections and cultural programmes. Checked 27 June 2026.
Frequently asked
Where can I find books in English in Phnom Penh?
For new books, start with Monument Books and Kinokuniya. For used books, check D’s Books and private moving sales. Always confirm availability if you need a specific title.
Which library is suitable for working with a laptop?
For reading and writing, the Institut français media library or an academic space with confirmed access may work. For video calls and a full workday, a coworking space is usually more practical.
Where can I research Cambodian history?
For printed sources, the National Library is useful. For audio, photo and film archives, look at Bophana. Before a research visit, confirm access rules and prepare a list of materials.