By Aaron Tomak
Is it a building to store books? Is it a place to quietly read? Is it a place to rent movies for free?
Is it a building to store books? Is it a place to quietly read? Is it a place to rent movies for free?
Many of our preconceived notions about libraries have been challenged in the Internet age. But what remains consistent about libraries is the philosophies it represents. Freedom of, and access to information are foundations of what the library wishes to accomplish. In the digital age though, this basic principle is no longer as important. Instead libraries are focusing on other foundations of the field: Service, literacy, and rationalism.
The libraries of tomorrow cannot rely on old habits to remain relevant. Instead they are taking new and important steps to better aide their communities. Hellen Niegaard states in her article “Library Space and Digital Challenges” that libraries are already beginning to make the transition away from the “shelving-dominated library space”. She points out that access to information resources and technology is what is driving the new age of public libraries.
A presentation by the Library Leaders and Management Association shows what the District of Columbia Public Library is doing to stay modern.
While still providing all of the traditional services expected of a library, the DCPL has expanded its mission to place itself as a community learning center, providing the tools and facilities for educational growth, collaboration, and instruction.
Around the globe, in Japan, is the Sendai Mediatheque. This unique library also includes an art gallery, cinema, and a cyber cafe. Designer Toyo Ito says the library prides itself on being 'barrier free' - that is free to all people, free from the constraints of traditional libraries, and even free of literal barriers such as standard walls and rooms, instead hoping to integrate the building with the natural flow of the city. Its unique architecture and mission may well be an example of where the future of libraries lies.
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| Sendai Mediatheque is a large clear cube built upon "tubes". The architecture is meant to integrate the building into the city and create an "ephemeral connection with infinite space". |
New services, new technologies, and new ideas are shaping the modern library into a public space provided freely for the betterment of the community. And whether or not the there are any books contained within, the library will continue to provide the crucial services needed by any enlightened society.
In the article, "The Library as a Place," Hapel (2012) pointed out "we have a need to meet others, to move in publicly accessible spaces, to enter into interim and noncommittal communities, and to be inspired and challenged as physically sentient and social beings" (p. 52-53). With this being said, it is true that every person who comes into the library has a different reason to be there. Hapel (2012) discussed that people come to libraries for a quiet place to read or study, to find books to read, to work on homework, to meet other people, or to go to a library event or program.
ReplyDeleteHapel (2012) explained "the library is where citizens can borrow facilities for civil society activities and organize their own meetings, organize exhibitions in cooperation with the library, and receive assistance, guidance, and answers to questions based on printed and digital media" (p. 53). From this, it is important for libraries to offer various services and materials that cater to all ages from children to young adults to adults. Additionally, it is important for libraries to offer places where all people can read, study, or meet with others in order to meet everyone's needs.
-Lindsay Fricke
References:
Hapel, R. (2012). The library as a place. Public Library Quarterly, 31(1), 48-55. doi:10.1080/01616846.2012.654737
The Sendai Mediatheque reminded me of the Providence Athenaeum in Providence, RI. NPR had a feature on it not too long ago, and although many libraries are headed toward this model (without the membership dues), I feel more public libraries need to be headed this way--as community centers for arts, entertainment, and learning.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I need to go to Japan. Now.
http://www.providenceathenaeum.org/
http://www.npr.org/2012/02/25/146814120/athenas-library-the-quirky-pillar-of-providence
The move toward an emphasis on community and collaborative space has been an imperative of libraries since the early 20th century. When Adam Strohm (now mainly known for the beautiful hall in the Detroit Public Library named for him http://www.flickr.com/photos/w4nd3rl0st/7318319644/ ) was head of the library in the 1920s, he opened the stacks to the public, no longer keeping books behind glass. It's in this spirit that libraries like the Sendai Mediatheque are returning to places used for community. It seems that more likely than not, more libraries in the future will have spaces for theaters and other places to work.
ReplyDelete- Julie Darow
Whilst researching my blog topic (social media in libraries), I came across something really cool that I wished I could have included but didn't quite fit my topic, but will fit in nicely here: the New York Public Library's Biblion app. The NYPL calls it "the boundless library" (how's THAT for a new catchphrase for the library of the future? Rolls off the tongue a lot better than "information commons"!).
ReplyDeleteEssentially, the app is an assemblage of materials from the NYPL's archives about a specific topic, arranged in an interactive magazine-like format. Their first Biblion was on the World's Fair of 1939-40, but my favorite is their new one on Frankenstein.
It covers everything from the films (it has some luscious production stills) as well as the novel. In fact, they even included scanned sections of Mary Shelly's original manuscript loaned to the NYPL from Oxford (Robertson, 2012).
There's much more, of course (you can watch a good youtube video review of it at the link below), but I think this is another way of re-purposing libraries in the 21st century: prove once again to the public that librarians are still the kings (and queens!) of information presentation and gathering, and can be just as technically savvy as Google. And, the library can be "boundless" and follow you on the go.
References:
Robertson, A. (2012, June 7). NYPL's Biblion 'Frankenstein': annotating one of literature's greatest monsters. Retrieved from http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/7/3068968/nypl-biblion-frankenstein-ipad