Dua Lipa Launches a Physical Library at Portugal's Livraria Lello Celebrating Banned and Bold Literature

Pop star Dua Lipa is expanding her Service95 book club into the real world with the opening of the Manifesto Library, a permanent physical space inside the historic Livraria Lello bookshop in Porto, Portugal. According to Rolling Stone, the library will debut on June 27 as part of the BABELL, City of Books international book festival, a location Lipa called a "dream partnership" that extends her years-long mission to promote literary arts.

Rolling StoneDua Lipa to Open Physical Library Inside Livraria Lello in Porto as Part of Service95 Book Club Expansion

The collection, personally curated by Lipa, focuses on works that push boundaries. As reported by The Cut, the library will feature 100 books that "challenge power, censorship, exclusion, and dominant narratives," with an emphasis on banned and controversial literature intended to promote intellectual freedom.

"challenge power, censorship, exclusion, and dominant narratives"

The Manifesto Library marks a significant step for Lipa's Service95 Book Club, which launched in 2023 and now gains a dedicated physical venue. Consequence noted that the space is designed to highlight diverse and challenging literature, pushing back against rising book banning trends by celebrating works that have been suppressed or censored.

Beyond the library, Euronews noted that Lipa has had a busy period recently, with a new live album, chart success, and her marriage to Callum Turner. Yet the singer's focus on literary advocacy continues to grow, placing the Manifesto Library at a landmark bookstore that Rolling Stone described as one of the most famous in the world.

The library's permanent location inside Livraria Lello, a neo-Gothic bookshop that draws tourists from around the globe, ensures that the fight for intellectual freedom will have a lasting home in Porto.