DESIGNING LIBRARIES
Designing Libraries fit for the future
As a Director of Designing Libraries (DL) I am constantly considering new and remodelled libraries from across the world, exploring how architecture and interior design can support and enhance the important work happening in and around library buildings, says Ayub Khan.
MY ‘day job’ is heading up library services for the county of Warwickshire in England. This gives me a dual perspective – excitement about what innova- tive architecture can achieve alongside a practical approach to what libraries can and should do for local communities, making sure the services, events and activities on offer are ones that people need, want and will use.
In this edition I will focus on a more general piece about library design – in the run-up to DL’s inaugural national con- ference on June 17 –book at
https://tinyurl.com/DLConf2026.
Libraries today Libraries never stand still – they are constantly developing new ways to serve local people, ensuring they remain rele- vant, attractive and exciting places to visit in an increasingly online world. The first step for architects and designers is to understand what libraries do nowadays – and to anticipate how a build- ing could respond to changing use over its lifetime. Flexibility is always of paramount importance. It’s important to emphasise that books are still at the heart
of what libraries do – but today they fulfil a much wider brief – as cultural venues, social centres and community hubs. Libraries open up a world of possibilities – whatever your background, circumstances, age, needs or interests. They can, for example, keep you warm in winter, offer company and social interaction if you’re lonely, help you find a job, show you how to use a computer - or even a 3D printer. Libraries entertain, educate and inform, welcoming all-comers. They stimulate young minds and teach children to love books from the earliest age. Research has shown that reading for plea- sure can improve the future prospects of children and young people. Libraries also have a role in economic development, sup- porting individuals, start-ups and established businesses and contributing to local economic growth by widening hori- zons, promoting ambition and teaching new skills. Moreover, libraries can promote and reinforce a sense of place amongst users – a feeling of belonging and pride in their area. Many celebrate their indigenous and multicultural communi- ties through specialist spaces, spotlighting collections and hosting programmes. Technology is evident in ever more libraries with Maker Spaces, robots and book machines. Meanwhile services sup- port the disabled or users with special needs with features such as low sensory rooms, Braille libraries and all-gender,
accessible bathrooms. Research conducted by Arts Council England concluded
that “public libraries, first and foremost, contribute to long term processes of human capital formation, the maintenance of mental and physical wellbeing, social inclusivity and the cohesion of communities”.
Emerging trends We have come a long way from the fixed book-shelves, solid counters and silent spaces of nineteenth-century library buildings. But where are libraries heading next? Here are some of the trends that need to be considered in any design project:
l The growth of digital libraries, offering an ever-increasing range of online services, was accelerated by coronavirus pan- demic restrictions on physical services and interactions. Now ‘hybrid’ libraries, such as the Metaverse Experience Hall in Beijing Public Library, integrate the physical and digital into a single, coherent ecosystem;
l co-location is another current trend. For example, seven of Warwickshire’s 18 static libraries share sites with other services including town councils, museums, art galleries, a children’s centre and nursery school, an assisted housing complex and the Registration service. ;
l increasingly libraries offer a wide range of ‘extended ser- vices’. In Warwickshire these include concessionary travel, dementia and autism support, battery recycling, bereave- ment and repair cafés, job clubs and digital skills training. Libraries host Council consultations, MP surgeries, Citizens’ Advice Bureau sessions, health and wellbeing promotions, and more;
l mainstream services remain a priority. However, there is ever-increasing focus on provision that targets the least-advan- taged communities and those most in need;
l finally, libraries are the original recyclers – a shared com- munity resource allowing books to be repeatedly reused and enjoyed. Current thinking is that the concept could be extended by working with partners to create a ‘library of things’. Items like lawn-mowers, sewing machines and other costly equipment could then be borrowed by library-mem- bers, just like books.
Green agenda Libraries must respond to the climate change crisis and the green agenda by taking environmental responsibility for their
10 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
April-May 2026
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
