If you needed proof that reading is having its biggest cultural moment in years, look no further than this: on June 27, 2026, pop star Dua Lipa officially opened a permanent library inside one of the world's most famous bookshops. Not a pop-up, not a sponsored shelf — an actual, permanent library dedicated to books that have been banned, challenged, and censored around the world.
Welcome to the Manifesto Library.
What is the Manifesto Library?
The Manifesto Library is a permanent space located within Livraria Lello's new cultural auditorium in Porto, Portugal, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Álvaro Siza. It brings together 100 books organized around four themes: Power, Control, Voice, and Memory.
The library opened as part of the new international book festival BABELL, City of Books, and represents the first permanent physical expression of Lipa's Service95 Book Club's editorial vision. Rather than functioning as a static archive, it has been conceived as a living cultural space for reading, debate, and public participation.
Why banned books?
Lipa explained in a statement that when she founded the Service95 Book Club, her ambition was for it to become a home for writers and readers, wherever they are and whatever their circumstances.
The collection includes books that have been banned by school districts for themes of race or sexuality, books written for LGBTQIA+ readers that have been restricted from display, and in some cases, books whose authors have paid for their words with their lives.
The library has been described as a shrine to books that have disappeared, to authors whose courage unmasks structures of power and control, and to readers who refuse to be told what book they are allowed to read.
The books inside the Manifesto Library
Books featured in the library include Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Franz Kafka's The Trial, Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes, and Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. The collection also includes Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, one of the most challenged books in American schools.
These are titles that generations of readers have loved, debated, and fought to keep on shelves — and now they all have a permanent home in one of the world's most beautiful bookshops.
Why Livraria Lello?
At 120 years old, Livraria Lello continues to redefine what a bookshop can be. The Manifesto Library is the latest chapter in that transformation: a permanent space where heritage and contemporary thought meet.
Livraria Lello is no ordinary bookshop. Located in Porto, it is consistently ranked one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, with its iconic red staircase and stained glass ceiling attracting readers and visitors from across the globe. As a home for the Manifesto Library, it couldn't be more fitting.
Dua Lipa as a literary force
Dua Lipa has long been a passionate advocate for reading, and she is set to curate the Southbank Centre's 2026 London Literature Festival, which takes place from 21 October to 1 November.
Through the Service95 Book Club, she has interviewed some of the most important writers of our time, including Margaret Atwood, Olga Tokarczuk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Percival Everett, helping bring books and literary conversation back to the center of contemporary culture.
Lipa is also an avid reader herself. She and her now-husband Callum Turner first bonded after they learned they were both reading Hernan Diaz's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Trust — genuinely one of the most bookish celebrity love stories of recent years.
What this means for reading culture
The Manifesto Library is not just a celebrity vanity project — it's a statement. At a moment when book banning is accelerating in multiple countries and reading lists are being contested at a political level, a space that permanently celebrates challenged and censored literature feels genuinely significant.
It's also proof of something BookTok and Bookstagram have been showing for years: reading is not a quiet, private hobby anymore. It's cultural, communal, and increasingly political.
Feel inspired to read something meaningful?
The Manifesto Library is a reminder that the most important books are often the ones someone, somewhere, didn't want you to read. If this story has you in the mood to discover something new and unexpected, step outside your comfort zone with a surprise pick in a genre of your choice.
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Frequently asked questions about the Manifesto Library
Where is the Manifesto Library located?
Inside the iconic Livraria Lello bookshop in Porto, Portugal, within their new cultural auditorium designed by architect Álvaro Siza.
When did the Manifesto Library open?
The Manifesto Library officially opened on June 27, 2026, as part of the inaugural BABELL, City of Books festival in Porto.
What kinds of books are in the Manifesto Library?
100 books organized around four themes: Power, Control, Voice, and Memory. The collection focuses on books that have been banned, challenged, or censored, including titles by Margaret Atwood, Ray Bradbury, Franz Kafka, Jodi Picoult, and Trevor Noah.
What is Dua Lipa's Service95 Book Club?
Service95 is Dua Lipa's cultural platform, which includes a book club she founded in 2021. Through Service95 she has championed contemporary literature and interviewed major authors including Margaret Atwood, Olga Tokarczuk, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Can you visit the Manifesto Library?
Yes. The library is permanently housed inside Livraria Lello in Porto, which is open to the public and is one of the most visited bookshops in the world.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is read a book
The Manifesto Library is a beautiful reminder of why reading matters — not just as entertainment, but as a form of resistance, empathy, and connection. Whether you visit Porto or simply add one of those 100 titles to your own TBR, the spirit of the Manifesto Library is something every reader can take home.
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