Libraries in the Digital Age

The March 2011 issue of Architectural Record focuses on library projects as part of its series of Building Type Studies, featuring slide shows of several recently constructed academic and public libraries. In an introductory article Beauty and the Book: Libraries in the digital age raise questions about the place of books, James Murdock (journalist and video producer for the New York Public Library) provides some insights into how the role of libraries is changing, and how architects can “help libraries make a transition to an increasingly digital world.” A common theme in the featured projects is the design of social environments and community spaces:
“Although digitization means that anyone, anywhere can access pretty much anything from home, people still tote their laptops and smartphones into a library to do work. The modern library has always been something of a community center — a place where people gather to learn, whether in a story hour or a craft workshop, in the presence of others. Many observers contend that this role, often referred to as an “information commons,” must now take center stage.”
Other trends in cutting-edge libraries include providing “users with the tools to create their own stories — content creation in the form of videos, theater, and self-published books,” celebrating printed books, and sustainability to promote environmental literacy. The concluding summary expresses the design strategy that MPL and other leading libraries are pursuing through our building programs and infrastructure opportunities:
“Libraries must satisfy as many different user needs as possible with a range of flexible spaces: some quiet, some active….But rest assured, books will always be there in both paper and digital form. In a world where everything is digitized, there is knowledge to be gained from the simple, tactile act of holding a printed work….The library’s future rests with its ability to be a comfortable space where people come together to tell their own stories and discover new ones.”
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/Building_types_study/libraries/2011/Libraries-Intro.asp