Libraries as public 3rd places
Posted by marshallshore on January 14, 2010
Libraries as public 3rd places
Libraries as public 3rd places
Seth Godin and CEOs for Cities raised the issue of what do to with public libraries in the 21st century. Over time, all books will be available on the internet, which will mean fewer people checking out the hard-cover, hard copy versions.
Seth thinks they should “train people to take intellectual initiative.” Not a bad goal, but we have universities for that and increasingly they are reaching out to the broader community.
So what to do with all these small and large public places dotted around a city that belong to the taxpayers. Why not make them into “third places” that are free as well as community resource points. Currently, small business people and others wanting to network or discuss an idea need to spend money to “rent” a table at Starbucks or another wireless cafe.
What if libraries offered comfortable spaces for people to meet and chat, as well as spaces for silent reading or working –free wireless, of course, plus the ability to borrow a computer while you’re there. Maybe for a small fee (or free), small meeting rooms could be reserved complete with technology like projectors. Maybe local groups including meetup ones would have a free place to meet: a novel writing support group or political campaigners.
What if these existing places could also become community resource points staffed by volunteers. Tourist and travel information in one corner, help with your resume in another, tax advice in a third place and maybe legal help at certain times in another area.
At certain hours childrens’s programing (typically available now) would continue– story time, song time, etc.
All the books libraries currently own would still be available and people would still come to read them. Children love the magic of books with bright colours, fun pictures and pages they can “turn by self”and this won’t change when it’s possible to download the same books.
Rooms to watch classic movies and documentaries could exist for those who prefer to watch them in a group and discuss the content afterward with fellow aficionados.
What do you think? Would this work?
Topics: urban history |
