DESIGNING LIBRARIES


Trends in library design and technology


Not so many years ago, digital and physical libraries were seen as two separate services. Nowadays they are two parts of the same whole, fully integrated and interdependent, offering customers enhanced experiences and more choice, says Designing Libraries Director Ayub Khan.


OVER the past decade or so, new libraries have featured in cultural regeneration projects worldwide. Think the bold architectural statement of the new Library of Birmingham or the waterfront Dokk1 in Denmark, with its own automated, driverless car park. The COVID pandemic accelerated the take-up of digital ­services­and­they­haven’t­looked­back.­The­digital­offer­


library­


–­and­usage­figures­-­continue­to­grow.­However,­the­virtual­ library is not the only story. Tech,­in­many­forms,­now­pervades­every­aspect­of­library­ provision,­ eroding­ any­ remaining­ demarcations­ between­ online­


­ and­ physical­ services­ and­ blending­ tradition­ with­


innovation to meet the needs of modern-day users. Cur- rent­trends­suggest­technology­ will­continue­ to­shape­the­ bricks-and-mortar­offer.­This­applies­not­only­to­shiny­new­ libraries but also to sensitively refurbished older buildings.


Techno trends Technology­is­not­only­exciting­–­it­is­a­cost-effective,­prob- lem-solving­tool.­Smart­lockers­and­automated­kiosks,­for­ example,­can­give­members­access­to­library­resources­long­ after­ the­ staff­have­gone­home.­Extending­opening­hours­ would­otherwise­be­too­expensive­to­contemplate.­The­floors­ of­the­Dokk1­Library­in­Aarhus,­Denmark,­incorporate­raised­


systems­for­rewiring­–­future-proofing­the­building­in­anticipa- tion­of­further­tech­upgrades.­The­library­also­has­an­automated,­ driverless car park for customer convenience. AI-driven­ tools­ offer­ customers­ personalised­ recom- mendations­and­help­backroom­operations­with­tasks­like­ predictive space planning. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality­are­creating­interactive­learning­environments,­par- ticularly in academic libraries. Maker-spaces­and­Digital­Labs­–­equipped­with­3D­print-


ers,­green­screens,­and­media­tools­–­foster­creativity­and­ digital­literacy­in­libraries,­allow­users­of­all­ages­to­try­out­ the­latest­techno-kit­and­software­free­of­charge.­Meanwhile­ mobile apps and cloud-based systems let library members borrow­ebooks,­audiobooks,­and­multimedia­resources­24/7­ –­from­anywhere­they­happen­to­be.


Design essentials There­ are­many­reasons­why­ libraries­lend­themselves­ to­ cultural­regeneration.­First,­they­are­valued­by­people­who­ use­them­and­people­who­don’t­as­key­facilities­that­are­part­ of the social fabric of local society. All this inevitably has an impact on library layouts. For- mer Carnegie Reading Rooms have been replaced by quiet study­zones­where­users­can­connect­–­and­charge­–­their


10 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL


Winter 2025


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