Hjørring New City Library “The Red Thread” Next Library International Un-conference, June 14’th, 2009 2009/Børge Søndergård, Hjoerring City Library

Municipality of Hjørring

Hjørring City Library - facts 2009 Visitors all libraries(2008): 449.000 (Main library: first year 330.000) Lending (2008): 630.000 (Main Library: 472.000) Web-lendings (2008): 147.000 Active Users (library tickets!): app. 20.500 Opening Hours in Total Library System: 151 hours per week Staff: 43 (full time) Budget net. (2009): app. 4.000.000 € 67.500 Inhabitants 10. Largest Municipality in Size: app. 1000 sq. km

Visitors all libraries(2008): 449.000 (Main library: first year 330.000)

Lending (2008): 630.000 (Main Library: 472.000)

Web-lendings (2008): 147.000

Active Users (library tickets!): app. 20.500

Opening Hours in Total Library System: 151 hours per week

Staff: 43 (full time)

Budget net. (2009): app. 4.000.000 €

67.500 Inhabitants

10. Largest Municipality in Size: app. 1000 sq. km

Library Structure: Head and Branch Libraries HL Hjoerring Metropol BL Hirtshals BL Sindal BL Vrå BL Loekken

Mobile Library in 16 local areas

Other Library Activities Library Deliverance Service App. 120 Users Service to Kindergartens etc. 44 Day-care Centres, 50 Kindergartens served either by Mobile Library, Reserve Collections or Visits to a Library Local Newspaper on CD App. 110 Users

Library Deliverance Service

App. 120 Users

Service to Kindergartens etc.

44 Day-care Centres, 50 Kindergartens served either by Mobile Library, Reserve Collections or Visits to a Library

Local Newspaper on CD

App. 110 Users

Library in the “Metropol” Visions, Dreams and Reality

From a book collection to the ”Metropol ” 1889: First Library 1901: Public Library 1921 – 1970: Regional Library 1927: New (classical) Library Building 1971: Codanhus (together with Town Hall) app. 1800 sq. meters 2008: METROPOL (together with Shopping Centre) app. 5000 sq. meters

1889: First Library

1901: Public Library

1921 – 1970: Regional Library

1927: New (classical) Library Building

1971: Codanhus (together with Town Hall) app. 1800 sq. meters

2008: METROPOL (together with Shopping Centre) app. 5000 sq. meters

The Process – incl. The Political Dimension Fall 2004: Mayor and building contractor ”Enggaard” have an agreement on a Shopping Centre including a new Library. Must be ready in March 2008 January 2005: Staff starts building visions June 2005: Political decision in past Cultural Board Spring 2006: Presentation in City Council – no final decisions – economical problems October 2006: Principal decision in City Council

Fall 2004: Mayor and building contractor ”Enggaard” have an agreement on a Shopping Centre including a new Library. Must be ready in March 2008

January 2005: Staff starts building visions

June 2005: Political decision in past Cultural Board

Spring 2006: Presentation in City Council – no final decisions – economical problems

October 2006: Principal decision in City Council

Fall/winter 2006/2007: Contracts with BCI/Eurobib and Bosch & Fjord May 2007: Workshop with BCI and Bosch & Fjord August 2007: Presentation of library project to politicians and staff October 2007: Final decisions on budget in City Council (increase in yearly budget 390.000 €) Opening of the new library 12.4.2008

Fall/winter 2006/2007: Contracts with BCI/Eurobib and Bosch & Fjord

May 2007: Workshop with BCI and Bosch & Fjord

August 2007: Presentation of library project to politicians and staff

October 2007: Final decisions on budget in City Council (increase in yearly budget 390.000 €)

Opening of the new library 12.4.2008

Library in the METROPOL: ”the Third Place” Changes in Libraries and Cities The “Metropol”: The answer to the needs of modern citizens: consumption – body - mind The Third Place Dreams and conceptions

Changes in Libraries and Cities

The “Metropol”: The answer to the needs of modern citizens: consumption – body - mind

The Third Place

What is ”the third place” ? The place that is neither home nor work The Meeting place – the Town Square A public space you seek to ”look” or ”to be looked at” In order to: enter into dialog experience learn be Etc.

The place that is neither home nor work

The Meeting place – the Town Square

A public space you seek to ”look” or ”to be looked at”

In order to:

enter into dialog

experience

learn

be

Etc.

“ All great cultures have had a vital informal life and, necessarily, they evolved their own popular versions of those places that played to host it.” (Ray Oldenburg: The great good place. 1989)

” Once again, we need to innovate – to re-invent public places, towns and cities for the twenty-first century.” (William J. Mitchell, e-topia ” Urban life, Jim – but not as we know it”, 1999)

“ What sort of meeting places, forums and markets will emerge in the electronically mediated world? What will be the twenty- first-century equivalents of the gathering at the well, the water cooler, the Greek agora, the Roman forum, the village green, the town square, Main Street, and the Mall?” (William J. Mitchell, e-topia ”Urban life, Jim – but not as we know it”, 1999)

The functions of third places May serve as offices – open off hours Brings youth and adults together Open for everyone – not a club A ”neutral ground” – people may come and go as they want Locally situated Not necessarily fine but cozy and comfortable Political and intellectual forum – conversation is the main activity Give the possibility to visit daily – the regulars – a low profile, easy to come - continuity A ”mixer” – assimilation – a leveler – expand the possibilities Uniting the neighborhood – an inclusive place – social place A staging area Neither personal advantage nor civic duty Serve elderly as well Provide ”public characters” – human personality and individuality Provide ”fun” – but the entertainment is provided by the people themselves – the mood is playful

May serve as offices – open off hours

Brings youth and adults together

Open for everyone – not a club

A ”neutral ground” – people may come and go as they want

Locally situated

Not necessarily fine but cozy and comfortable

Political and intellectual forum – conversation is the main activity

Give the possibility to visit daily – the regulars – a low profile, easy to come - continuity

A ”mixer” – assimilation – a leveler – expand the possibilities

Uniting the neighborhood – an inclusive place – social place

A staging area

Neither personal advantage nor civic duty

Serve elderly as well

Provide ”public characters” – human personality and individuality

Provide ”fun” – but the entertainment is provided by the people themselves – the mood is playful

Mads Lindholm: ”Modern nomads need oases” ” As we are constantly on the move and as work can be done from everywhere, (possibilities that the technological evolution has made possible already years ago), oases and meeting places become vital”. Mads is arguing, that these oases and meeting places might very well be public libraries.

” As we are constantly on the move and as work can be done from everywhere, (possibilities that the technological evolution has made possible already years ago), oases and meeting places become vital”. Mads is arguing, that these oases and meeting places might very well be public libraries.

Things we knew - things we wanted 50 % of library users do not borrow materials The virtual library must be presented in the physical library Long opening hours 24/7/365 – oops! People (staff) who want to be there for other people (users) Change of ”normal procedures” – habits among staff New staff roles

50 % of library users do not borrow materials

The virtual library must be presented in the physical library

Long opening hours 24/7/365 – oops!

People (staff) who want to be there for other people (users)

Change of ”normal procedures” – habits among staff

New staff roles

The Library Space: Stage Room for pieces of scenery Backstage

Jan Gehl ” Life between the houses” We move at a pace of 5 km. pr/h – not 50! We build insecurity and fear into our cities We need: Corners edges doorways broken lines “ un-square-ness” medieval cities

” Life between the houses”

We move at a pace of 5 km. pr/h – not 50!

We build insecurity and fear into our cities

We need:

Corners

edges

doorways

broken lines

“ un-square-ness”

medieval cities

What we require from the room? Direct and indirect dissemination of materials Invitation to stay Invitation to learn and experience Use the room as a tool for development Create contact between people

Direct and indirect dissemination of materials

Invitation to stay

Invitation to learn and experience

Use the room as a tool for development

Create contact between people

The given facts!

The Stage VIP-lounge & Waiting Room What’s up in town Café, Culture and Sitting Room Experimental Children’s Library Private Rooms, Group Rooms and Meeting Facilities Learning and Absorption Electronically up to date Different kind of dissemination We can’t build a library for the future – We can evolve a library for the future, though!

VIP-lounge & Waiting Room

What’s up in town

Café, Culture and Sitting Room

Experimental Children’s Library

Private Rooms, Group Rooms and Meeting Facilities

Learning and Absorption

Electronically up to date

Different kind of dissemination

Rooms for Pieces of Scenery

Backstage

Bosch & Fjord's visions

LIBRARY IN A NEW MANNER = THE MOST CENTRAL PLACE IN THE CITY

THREE KEY FUNCTIONS CITY’S MEETING PLACE CITY’S PEACEFUL WORKING PLACE CITY’S CREATIVE INSPIRATION SOURCE & PLACE OF DISSEMINATION

MAIN CHALLENGES IN THE ROOM : ACTIVITY & ABSORPTION AGE DISSEMINATION

Age

The ground plan!

And this is how it became ! Ground Plan Let's take a walk!

Ground Plan

… and the Meeting Hall!