The destination of the future…the library

I have worked with libraries around the world for many years, but in recent years many libraries a have become a problem for Local Councils as they have not kept up with consumer trends.

Over the last two months I have discovered two entrepreneurial libraries, Mundijong in Western Australia who won the best library in the State, and Howard County Library near Baltimore in the USA, that was awarded the best library in the USA.

Howard County Library has gone through a $6.1 Million renovation, on the outside it now has an outdoor environment instruction lab, a bio-habitat garden and has incorporated green technology. On the inside are simple things such as a water bottle refill station along with 3D rendering computers and 3D printers.

Whilst in Florida the Polytechnic University has taken the books out of its library in a radical new open-plan concept. Housing 135 000 e-books, the 1000 square metre library is situated within a white-domed building designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

It is wonderful to see the library industry reinventing itself.