Where to Buy English-Language Books in Morocco

Morocco’s book market is mainly French and Arabic. English-language shelves exist, mostly in the big cities, but they are small, weighted towards classics and bestsellers, and imported titles cost more than at home. Most regular English readers here end up combining three things: ebooks or audiobooks, the occasional bookshop find or order, and swapping with other readers.

Ebooks and audiobooks

For most people this is the easiest route: no shipping, no customs and no waiting. The catch is that ebook and audiobook stores, and the titles and prices they show you, depend on the country your account is registered in. Before you move, check that your existing accounts will keep working from Morocco, and what happens if you change your account’s country.

If you have a library card at home, check whether your library’s ebook app lets you borrow from abroad. Public-domain classics are available free from projects such as Project Gutenberg.

Bookshops

A few bookshops in the larger cities carry English titles alongside French and Arabic. In Casablanca, Le Carrefour des Livres in Maârif lists English titles among its stock; the Casablanca culture and leisure directory has its details. Elsewhere, ask other English readers in your city which shops are worth trying, since stock changes.

For a particular book, call or message the shop first, and ask whether it can order the title for you. Expect imported English books to cost more than they would at home.

Libraries and cultural institutes

Some foreign cultural institutes in Morocco have libraries or reading rooms, but what they hold in English, and whether non-members can borrow, varies. The Institut français’s médiathèques, for example, are mainly French-language. Check each institute’s current services before you go. The Casablanca directory also lists the médiathèque of the Hassan II Mosque Foundation and the King Abdul-Aziz Foundation library, with their access terms.

If you are affiliated with an English-medium school or university, such as Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, ask about library access for staff, families or alumni.

Ordering from abroad

Some international online retailers ship printed books to Morocco. Before ordering, check the delivery time and cost, and ask whether customs charges or handling fees may be collected when the parcel arrives. Rules for imported parcels are set by Morocco’s customs administration and can change, so check them with the retailer, the carrier or customs rather than relying on a rule of thumb, and do not structure orders around a threshold you have not confirmed.

Swapping and second-hand

Some second-hand sellers in the big cities have English paperbacks left behind by travellers and residents, and some cafés, guesthouses and hostels keep swap shelves. Book clubs and English-speaking community groups are often the best source of all: ask when you join. The guide to anglophone communities suggests where to start.