I wanted to talk about hygge in a previous blog as it had come up in a reading, but at the time, other topics had caught my attention. As Hygge came back, and several times in this module, I did want to sit down (well, I was already seated), take a warm cup of tea, place a blanket over my legs, and put on some ambiance sounds…
I learned about it a few years ago while browsing The Little Book of Hygge in a store. I was drawn to it. The coziness, and mainly the slowness. Many of us live hectic lives: schedules, deadlines, places to go to, endless list of things to do, etc. The more time goes, the more I feel like practicing hygge becomes difficult to do, and feels like a luxury when we are eventually able to do it. While it should not. It is a necessity to regularly slow down and appreciate a good book, a coloring artwork, or sip a warm beverage by a fireplace. Stephens says that “promoting comfort, a sense of belonging, quiet, and coziness for our users, will serve as an equalizer of sorts, balancing our “living out loud” times with a bit of warm and fuzzy” (2019). In this sentence, the word “equalizer” resonates louder than any other for me. As I am sitting here in a quiet and comfortable spot in my apartment, I know that everyone does not have that luxury. And I believe our libraries should provide this for their patrons: a space in which they can rest, recharge, and reset before sometimes being thrown back in the tumult of their lives. People deserve a time during which they can connect to a story, to an idea that they’re reading more about, or just connecting to themselves. Libraries are a pathway to knowledge , the one you find out in the world, but they should also help with the knowledge and comfort you can find within yourself. And I think that is what hygge can mean.
Furthermore, because I am an Inspiring teacher librarian, I always try to think of ways to get teens to engage with literacy. Teenagers are very attracted to moods/vibes. I play different kinds of ambiance music in my classroom during individual work (witchy vibes in October, blizzard storm or a crackling fire in the winter, …). They love it. Similarly to the revival of dark academia, I think that this type of space would be very appealing and inspiring to some of them.
PS: And to just display how à propos this topic came about: I bought a hygge coloring book at the beginning of summer break!
References
Olive Raquel TV. (2024, April 14). Cafe for Bookworms in Baguio City – Hygge Library Cafe [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vumlMsRoRfY
Sound of Winter. (2025, January 7). Tranquil Snowstorm Nights: Cozy Fireplace Ambience for Rest and Relaxation [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RbH5sc6v2Y
Stephens, M. T. (2019). Wholehearted librarianship : finding hope, inspiration, and balance. ALA Editions.
@jenniferw I love this post, and I love Hygge! I am a huge cozy mystery book reader and ended up reading a few books in a series called Hygge and Homicide (I know, ridiculous). That was the first time I ever heard that phrase and I totally vibed with it. I had a colleague who told me he thought my love of cozy mysteries had to do with the predictability. The plots always follow a similar arc, you know that things will always work out, and there is a sense of relaxation when reading them. I think this is the draw to Hygge in general, too. I love the idea of being able to relax and not overwork my brain, especially after a long day. I’m so glad to hear you are going to pass this onto your students too!
Hi @vbrownsmith ! Hygge and Homicide: how fun! Hot chocolate and daggers! haha. That would have definitely intrigued me too. I completely see what you mean, that comfort of knowing that all will end well or as it “should”. It’s a bit like a Lifetime movie 🙂
High school can often be very chaotic, and I think it relaxes them. And it relaxes ME that they are relaxed! 😉
@jenniferw this is one of my favorite topics for planning library spaces and we’ve actually invoked it in discussions about the new library for elk Rapids. There will be a fireplace comfortable seating spaces for everyone of all ages, a kitchen and a place to make coffee tea, etc. for free.