While going through our module on hyperlinked communities I was particularly struck by the idea of a library as being a central “figure” so-to-speak, in a community. I mean, that’s certainly one of the points of the module, right? But to be honest it’s been so long since I’ve seen that concept tackled in any way beyond the theoretical (and frankly romantic), that seeing how a library can really be a pillar of the local community made the possibility of doing so in my own community feel more viable or feasible, if you like.
The Dokk1 in Denmark really did a lot of heavy lifting here. After our lecture in module 4 I did some digging on my own to learn more and I can see why it’s considered the benchmark for what a modern library can do and be for the community within and around it. I was also particularly intrigued by a few articles in module 5 talking about the positive impact libraries/books have on our physical and metal health. It very much reminded me of the similar studies done proving that spending time in nature can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
This all got me thinking about what I do and don’t find comforting in library spaces. I certainly love to spend any free time I have reading or just in bookish environments, but I realized I don’t tend to seek out my local libraries very often. I spent some time reflecting on this and came to the conclusion that a library space that would help me with my anxiety and and stress would probably need to look different than what is currently available.
Basically, this all got the creative juices flowing and I started to think about how we might take these ideas and create a community focused library that is built to counteract the immense and unnatural stressors we live with every day, keeping in mind my personal peculiarities because I know I’m not alone in needing gentler spaces. I wanted plants to be a big part of this because I think we can mash them together for something truly special.
This isn’t a new idea of course, I know there are libraries that have already done this work or parts of it. I’ve even seen some bookstores that appear to be working towards a less sterile or industrial feel, which is pretty cool. More plants, more natural light, more personal space.
For my part, I decided to create a collage to help solidify some of my thoughts. While I appreciate the strives we’ve made in library design, for me I tend to get medical office vibes. I can’t speak for others of course but as someone who doesn’t thrive in bright artificial light or empty spaces where people still tend to end up bunched together (I have a big personal bubble), I think there might be room improve these concepts with a more soothing atmosphere.
Museums and aquariums often strike a good balance of selective and/or indirect bright natural light. When light is artificial it’s not bright whites. They’re also often large but they make use of that space to keep people spread out. For me that’s the ticket to keeping my nerves calm. Space and thoughtful lighting.
Hopefully this collage conveys what I’m talking about. Pretty sure I’m more than over the word limit here but I’d love to read what other people find soothing about libraries or what changes they would make to build a library that might be more universally comfortable for patrons. Sorry if I strayed from the prompt professor, this idea ran away with me.
Sources:
https://hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/index.html
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/home
https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/Library