Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
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Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#2This 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 services and open to anyone.
[1] "A library is a curated collection of sources of information and similar resources.." as per Wikipedea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#3This 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.
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#4Weird. 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.
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#5Weird. 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.
This is how I felt about the New York Public Library. It's famous; everyone goes there. There's even a Gutenberg Bible there.
But I've been 2-3 times and I never found a book. It's like the books are all deliberately hidden, it's infuriating.
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#6Weird. 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.
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 as I already have the need for books satiated with Kindle and such.
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#7Weird. 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.
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...
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#8[deleted]
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#9Weird. 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.
This is how I felt about the New York Public Library. It's famous; everyone goes there. There's even a Gutenberg Bible there. But I've been 2-3 times and I never found a book. It's like the books are all deliberately hidden, it's infuriating.
The NYPL In Bryant Park? Basement floor hallway past the bathrooms. There’s a separate entrance for it also on 42nd st? I go there all the time for books and free public restrooms. The big NYPL space is for all the other things libraries do, like workspaces, meeting spaces, etc. I think there’s also a very rare book section but that requires special permission.
Re: Helsinki Central Library chosen as the best new public library
#10Weird. 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.
This is how I felt about the New York Public Library. It's famous; everyone goes there. There's even a Gutenberg Bible there. But I've been 2-3 times and I never found a book. It's like the books are all deliberately hidden, it's infuriating.
The main building at Bryant Park is a research library.
It's beautiful - but it doesn't have much circulation, just items of interest for researchers.
The Mid-Manhattan branch is a HUGE circulation library. It's across the street from the main library but confusingly enough - it's in the middle of being renovated so, for now, its colocated in the basement of the main library and a subset of its collection is available. It is _very_ browsable.