Libraries as Social Hubs
By: Angela Lee
Libraries are a place where everyone can gather. Whether an academic library or a public library, more libraries are becoming a space where people meet and socialize as well as use technology and books. Libraries are changing their image of being a quiet, boring place with only books to being a fun, inviting place to further the community. As Wayne Seville, author of the article "Public Libraries: The Hub of our Communities" suggests, the library is the one place "where residents of all ages and incomes visit and enjoy spending their time." Libraries bring together people of all backgrounds-social and economic into one place. In addition to providing technology for those that need access, libraries offer many community programs for enrichment. Along with checking out books, patrons can join a book club, meet an author, learn to play chess, use the internet, borrow movies and many, many other services. Libraries offer activities geared at so many different ages- and these are free for everyone. Last summer, my daughter and a friend went to a tween event at the local public library and got to make tye-dye t-shirts with other kids their age. They had so much fun at this event and it was great how it brought so many kids together in a fun, safe environment. Many libraries are also offering events that introduce children to technology. In the article, "Changing Needs, Changing Roles" by Joseph Thompson, he discusses the importance of "Science Cafe's" where families can take their children for science night. These are the kinds of activities that bring families together as a community.
College's and universities keep their library spaces inviting and up to date with technology and this encourages students to meet and collaborate. As stated in the article "Creating Shared Campus Experiences: The Library As Culture Club", "a university library can be a serious space for research and study, but that does not mean cultural events cannot provide fun for participants." It's important for academic libraries to offer events and activities to encourage the campus to feel like a community. I think this it is good for the students to know that the library is a reliable place to research and study, but to also experience cultural and inclusive activities.
While reading about this topic, I came upon the website http://designinglibraries.org.uk which is a site dedicated to sharing library renovations and design ideas from around the world. It was interesting to see some of the new library designs from other other countries. One link on the site was the architects video of the vision for the Library of Birmingham (located in Birmingham, England). It is an incredible vision for the library and in it you can see its purpose as a social hub. (I've included the design video below, it is really neat to watch.) The Library of Birmingham's (Library of Birmingham, Wikipedia page ) new design reopened in September of 2013 and is a beautiful example of a library that encourages community. Malala Yousafzai, activist, Taliban terrorist attack survivor, and co-winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize who resides in Birmingham, officially opened the library. She said, "Let us not forget that even one book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world". See part of her speech and the library's opening in the YouTube video below.
Works Cited
"Library of Birmingham." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Library of Birmingham 2013. "Library of Birmingham Flythrough Video-Six Minute Version." YouTube, YouTube, LLC., 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Library of Birmingham 2013. "Malala Yousafzai Opens the Library of Birmingham." YouTube, YouTube, LLC., 3 Sep. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
"Malala Yousafzai" Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Thompson, Joseph. "Changing Needs, Changing Roles." Reference & User Services Quarterly 54.3 (2015): 2-5 Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts. Web. 9 Apr. 2015.
Harris, Ryan, et al. "Creating Shared Campus Experiences: The Library As Culture Club." Journal Of The Medical Library Association 101.4 (2013): 254-256. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Great post, Angela! I see you've found the Senville article too lol. I like that you mentioned that libraries allow ourselves to meet with people of all kinds of different backgrounds. Libraries are for the people, regardless of background, income, race, gender, sexual orientation etc. and is a great way to expose ourselves to people who might be different or very similar to us.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you can definitely see how libraries today are designed to encourage people to meet with others. Modern libraries from what I've gathered are bright, more cozy looking, and generally feel like they are a place where people can come to hang out. That video you provided in your post about Birmingham library is amazing by the way. I would love to work in an environment like that!
The activity your daughter attended last summer seemed really fun. I think that is a good example for showing off the activities that libraries offer. By looking at all the great activities that public libraries host, everyone probably will agree that libraries are social hubs.
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