‘Palaces for the People’

Sociologist Eric Klinenberg has described libraries as ‘palaces for the people’, places of social infrastructure which can help fight inequality and the decline of civic life. He speaks about the relevance of libraries as places where people gather and access services, as places where we come together and connect to the world. Going to the library helps provide acknowledgement of you as an independent, an individual, and also part of community.

As part of the Libraries ACT: Imagine 2030 project, we have researched innovative libraries around Australia and the world to gain insight into what might be possible for our library spaces into the future.

Share with us what appeals to you from these innovative libraries from around the world by posting your feedback and sharing your photos, videos and comments.

Denmark

Aarhus in Denmark is home to DOKK1, a library described as ‘the citizen’s house’. DOKK1 is a library and citizens’ service, with a media room, café, project room, halls, study spaces and a playground. It hosts film festivals, art exhibitions, democratic debates, kids’ art workshops, student study groups, book clubs, chess, playgroups, Minecraft, a repair café, language practice activities, and more. Citizens’ services include Justices of the Peace, a health nurse in the kids’ playroom, and driver licence services.

Dokk1

Finland

Oodi in Helsinki, Finland, is the city’s central library designed using thousands of its citizens’ ideas. Oodi includes a theatre, recording studio, spaces for social interaction, a 3D printer lab and urban workshop, and library robots that transport the books throughout the library. The library is described as an easy place to access for learning, story immersion, work and relaxation. It is a library of a new era, a living and functional meeting place open for all.

Central Library Oodi in Helsinki

Ireland

Ireland’s Dublin is where you will find the dlr Lexlcon library and cultural centre, which is described as ‘a knowledge hub for books and digital media, a place where the whole community can feel at home’. It is home to a library, art gallery, workshop, studio theatre and café, as well as facilities such as 3D printers. Services the dlr Lexlcon offers include Tough Topics and Autism Spectrum collections, family mindfulness and trivia programs, visits by celebrity chefs, and targeted yoga classes.

dlr Lexlcon

Image attributions

Dokk1

• CC BY 4.0
• File: Udstilling på Rampen
• Created: 11 October 2016
• Author: RhinoMind

Central Library Oodi in Helsinki

• CC BY 4.0
• File: Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland
• Created: 8 December 2018
• Author: Ninaras

dlr Lexlcon

• CC BY 4.0
• File: New public library in Dun Laoghair, officially called DLR Lexicon
• Created: 8 December 2014
• Author: William Murphy

State Library of Victoria

The State Library of Victoria used a co-design approach to reimagine their purpose. They worked with library staff and clients to explore their experience of the library, and surveyed clients to understand expectations and what they wanted from the library in the future. The result of their planning included a ‘children’s quarter’ in the library co-designed with primary school children; redesigned multipurpose internal and external spaces; and improved wayfinding.

State Library of Victoria Facade

Newcastle City Library

Newcastle City Library set out to align their ten-year library strategy with the City’s other plans, and to develop their vision to be a ‘world class library for a smart, liveable and sustainable city’. Through their planning process, they identified four strategic priorities for the library, and linked them to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. They wanted to be about more than books, and to encourage people to continually come back. For that reason, they designed for their customers’ lifetimes, rather than transactions. This library is a great example of how libraries contribute to the wide variety of government strategies and policies.

Newcastle Digital Library

Image attributions

Vic State Library Façade

• File: Vic State Library Facade Pano
• Created: 6 August 2006
• Author: John O’Neil

Newcastle Digital Library

• File: Newcastle Digital Library
• Author: Newcastle Libraries