Designing Libraries for Fun

I came across this blog posting from Jenny Levine of the Shifted Librarian about her visit to DOK, the public library in Delft, Holland and I had to share it.  You've got to love a library that has designed its facilities and services around the idea that “life is all about having more fun than you can think of, and it starts at the library.”

Not all of the "ultra modern" furniture and ambience would play well in our PVLD libraries but ideas like computer "pods" and listening stations?  Collections identified by "natural language" names?  Modular shelving and display stations on wheels?  Embracing genres such as graphic novels and romance novels?  There's plenty that we could figure out how to do here....and not all of them take much $$$

Comments

[MelissaW]

So awesome! I love the natural language labels, something I'd like to do with our library. I also like how they've highlighted collections of popular materials, like graphic novels and romance. Graphic novels are getting more respect these days, but romance has a ways to go (or is a paperback issue - that librarians tend to see paperbacks as less worthy than hardbacks?).

Thanks for sharing!