The OBA (Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam) was our second site visit on 6.26.19. I wasn’t sure what to expect - I hadn’t done any research on the library and didn’t know what types of innovations we would see. Let’s just say that I was not prepared for the sheer mass of space and resources that this public library had in store to share with us (despite navigating funding cuts and bureaucracy). I’ve created a list of the main innovations that stood out to me at the OBA:
The children’s section on floor -1
- This area showed how essential a children’s area is for a library center. It’s more than a space where children can get books, but it’s a space that allows kids to engage with each other and understand a library is not some silent building for reading but a place where they can actively learn and create community. The furniture was very thoughtfully designed for both kids and adults, and the maker space seems like such a great opportunity to expose kids to new STEM experiences.
Leef en Leer
- This is a language program that they library uses to teach Dutch language to new Netherlands dwellers. This is a way to promote incorporation of diverse populations without forcing assimilation into Dutch traditional culture and practices.
Cafe settings on different floors
- These cafe/coffee settings are calming and stress-free environments that make a seamless transition between cafe culture and library resources.
These three innovations really stood out to me as a way that a library can be more of a community center and integral part of a cultural fabric than I originally thought it could be.
Makes me think about the intersection of Bourn/ACE/Library in a school design. 😉 Learning labs.....maybe an innovative school and a library of the future are one in the same.