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Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

oodihelsinki.fi

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Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#11

Post by knolax »

tow21 wrote: post #4

Weird. I think it’s rubbish as a public library. I mean, it’s an interesting building, and a nice place for a cup of coffee, but it’s absolutely useless if you want to go and browse some shelves and borrow some books; it’s like it’s been actively designed to make that hard to do.

To be fair I don't think I've found the exact book I was looking for in any library before. As book dispenseries libraries are inherently inferior to just downloading off of Libgen. However they do function very well as a place for you to physically sit in while you're on Libgen.

Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#12

Post by ceejayoz »

clarkmoody wrote: post #7
trm42 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, it’s awesome that they have realized that the definition of library is changing from a store of media into place where people can meet and hang around and do stuff together. There isn’t that much of public space for people unless you’re attending some school. And in case somebody asks, hanging outside in Finnish winter is not that fun all the time ;D I’ve visited Oodi a lot more than traditional libraries a…

What you've described is a community center, not a library...

Sure, and that's what a lot of smart libraries are evolving towards.

One of ours locally has a tool library and 3D printing, which I think is awesome. Performance spaces for poetry, music, etc.

Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#13

Post by AriaMinaei »

In the library, next to a row of regular PCs for internet surfing, they have a couple of beefed up workstations for CG artists and video editors and even data scientists. The workstations had super juicy internals, connected to large displays, and came with a very nice Wacom tablet!

Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#16

Post by ghaff »

ceejayoz wrote: post #12
clarkmoody wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you've described is a community center, not a library...

Sure, and that's what a lot of smart libraries are evolving towards. One of ours locally has a tool library and 3D printing, which I think is awesome. Performance spaces for poetry, music, etc.

I like physical books as much as the next person. And providing access to and/or lending out physical books, journals, references, etc. is certainly an important library function. But, at the same time, it's important not to fetishize the value of a library as being defined by how much dead tree storage it has.

Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#18

Post by _dw7s »

tow21 wrote: post #4

Weird. I think it’s rubbish as a public library. I mean, it’s an interesting building, and a nice place for a cup of coffee, but it’s absolutely useless if you want to go and browse some shelves and borrow some books; it’s like it’s been actively designed to make that hard to do.

Heh... that's my take on the Seattle public library. First time I visited it, It gave me anxiety. I fucking hate it and refuse to visit it. Part of it feels like some Eastern European communist polytechnic institute, other parts feel like it's a scene from blade runner. Grabbing a book and reading it by the shelf is the last thing I want to do. It's a weird building with a weird vibe designed to be anything but a library. I honestly don't like this trend of architecting 'interesting' buildings which serve little use to its intended purpose.

Turns out I wasn't the only one thinking this: https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/article/On-Architecture-How-the...

Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#19

Post by fhbdukfrh »

knolax wrote: post #11
tow21 wrote: post #4

Weird. I think it’s rubbish as a public library. I mean, it’s an interesting building, and a nice place for a cup of coffee, but it’s absolutely useless if you want to go and browse some shelves and borrow some books; it’s like it’s been actively designed to make that hard to do.

To be fair I don't think I've found the exact book I was looking for in any library before. As book dispenseries libraries are inherently inferior to just downloading off of Libgen. However they do function very well as a place for you to physically sit in while you're on Libgen.

The Calgary public library has a pretty decent online holds system that will transfer physical goods to your local branch within a day or so. I've never been to out fancy new downtown branch that cost a fortune but hear the focus is definitely not on books or even media, but social activities. I find this disappointing because IMO we still need physical repositories of knowledge; they are the unifying hub around a broad audience but specific purpose

Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library

#20

Post by fhbdukfrh »

blakesterz wrote: post #3
late wrote: post #2

This is interesting due to the concept of Oodi being totally different from most libraries and only to some extent fitting the definition of a library [1]. Oodi is more of a living meeting place for people where you can play board games, video games, make art, 3D prints, music and such. It might be dubbed as a library to ensure that its visitors have a vague understanding of the place i.e. it's free to use all the se…

"Oodi is more of a living meeting place for people where you can play board games, video games, make art, 3D prints, music and such." Ask any librarian today and they'll say that's what a library is now. Or at least that's probably what they want their library to be now. This probably only goes for public librarians.

My love of wandering through the stacks of a library is definitely nostalgia-driven but there's something about being around mountains of books that is exciting. Probably the same reason people like old record stores, flea markets and bargain stores like winners...
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