The New Role of Libraries: Places for All

Cécile Houpert

doi:10.6092/issn.2612-0496/10429

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Cécile Houpert EUROCITIES
After a Master degree in European affairs and international relations, Cécile joined EUROCITIES in 2015 as part of the culture team where she works as project officer for culture and cultural heritage. She was involved in the management of the Culture for Cities and Regions initiative, a three-year peer-learning programme for European cities and regions financed by the European Commission. She now coordinates EUROCITIES’ activities as part of the H2020 project ROCK, monitoring implementation in the 10 ROCK cities and organising peer-learning and capacity-building activities with partners. She is also involved in EUROCITIES’ culture forum and working groups related activities.After a Master degree in European affairs and international relations, Cécile joined EUROCITIES in 2015 as part of the culture team where she works as project officer for culture and cultural heritage. She was involved in the management of the Culture for Cities and Regions initiative, a three-year peer-learning programme for European cities and regions financed by the European Commission. She now coordinates EUROCITIES’ activities as part of the H2020 project ROCK, monitoring implementation in the 10 ROCK cities and organising peer-learning and capacity-building activities with partners. She is also involved in EUROCITIES’ culture forum and working groups related activities.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2612-0496/10429

Abstract

Libraries are reinventing the concept of open public places for everyone by becoming third places. "Third places" is a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg and refers to places where people spend time between home ("first" place) and work ("second" place). Famous coffee chains brand their stores as third places. But the most effective third places come from the community in many forms, from creative breeding grounds to cultural centres, from neighbourhood gardens to open public spaces and to libraries. Third places are playing a growing role in cities as they function as meeting places for a variety of people, as spaces for cooperation, connection and inspiration. The text presents three recently designed and built public library buildings---De Krook in Gent, Dokk1 in Aarhus and Oodi in Helsinki.

The New Role of Libraries: Places for All

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