Dreaming of Libraries

Spijkenisse Library in the Netherlands

At this time of year many people's thoughts turn to summer holidays and trips abroad. I do not have any vacations planned for the summer, but if I were to travel abroad, my dream trip would be to the Netherlands on a library tour (I am aware that this is not everyone's idea of fun, but like Citizen Reader I am not a huge fan of hot weather and lounging around beside the pool).

The libraries that I am particularly interested in visiting are: Spijkenisse Library, Delft Media Library and the Library at Delft University of Technology

Spijkenisse Public Library, also known as Book Mountain is a really exciting concept for a public library. Around fifty thousand books are shelved on, what is in essence, one huge bookshelf which begins with a wide base and tapers up to the roof (like a mountain, hence the name). Sustainable principles were employed in the design of the building and the bookshelves are actually made from recycled plastic bags. The interior of the Library is designed to feel as spacious as possible and does not have a proper ceiling. A glass pyramid-shaped cover protects the books and patrons from the elements whilst allowing plenty of natural light into the Library.

The Delft Media Library also looks like an amazing space to use, with pod-like chairs, bright coloured fixtures and fittings and, again, lots of natural light. The Library occupies a former blast-furnace building which has been transformed into a bright, modern building.

I would also make another stop in Delft as part of my library tour, in order to visit the University of Technology Library which looks rather like a temple from Star Wars or some other space-age fantasy. It has an enormous grass roof which is skewered by a protruding cone-like structure and a glass facade to allow the light to flow in. The architects responsible for this innovative building, Mecanoo, also designed the new Library of Birmingham which opens in the autumn.

A Bookless Library

Artist's rendering of the no-book library. From ABC News

First bookless library to open in Texas.

BiblioTech, the first bookless public library is due to open this autumn. The institution will have 100 e-readers available for circulation (apparently theft is not an issue - at the end of the two week loan period the reader will run out of power and be more or less useless), they will have e-readers available for children on site, as well as 50 computer terminals, 25 laptops and 25 tablets. BiblioTech will start with a collection of 10,000 titles intending to add more as time goes on. Library users who have their own e-reader will also be able to borrow books without visiting the library through the online catalogue and a pin number. Thankfully, this new initiative will not replace a traditional library, it will be an additional service for the citizens of Bexar Country, Texas.

Definitions.

I'm not sure if we need to redefine the library of the 21st century, or if we should coin new terms to describe such initiatives as BiblioTech. For most people, I think, the base meaning of the word library is: a room filled with books. Libraries often have periodicals, archives, DVDs, and computing and printing services attached but these are often seen as extra services.

 Maybe we should name libraries like BiblioTech, information lending libraries, or ILL for short, which happens to be how I feel about the concept.