On the night of Sunday in all regions of Russia passed Traditional Night of Museums, during which not only funds and storage facilities, but also theaters, libraries and even parks opened their doors.
On the occasion of such an event, we go to excursion to the modern library. Culture shock. There is no other way to describe the state after visiting this library. There are no muddy windows, dusty shelves and a mischievous old woman with a file cabinet, grumbling at the only school visitor of the day. Wi-Fi and radio-frequency tags in books, computers with access to databases and digitized rare publications, a toilet for the disabled and even a show car in the lobby. And all this is fundamentally free for visitors.
Photos and text by Sergey Mukhamedov
Four years ago, this library looked like hundreds of regional counterparts, until it was taken up not just by "strong business executives", but by a team of people who are restless. And even the budget has remained the same, not more than others, it's just that here it is spent for its intended purpose.
Over the four and a half years that work has been underway to switch to “other rails”, we have made not only and not so much repairs, but a complete restructuring of the fund, the introduction electronic technology services throughout the library. But most importantly, the very concept of how our library should work has been changed - Anton Purnik, head of the project management department of the Russian State Library for Youth, leads me through the halls with burning eyes.
In principle, our budget is proportional to the number and area. But if the question is why some large libraries are like this, while ours is different, it seems to be rich, then in many respects it is a question of managing this budget, that is, what they consider it necessary to allocate money to. We solve a lot of things ourselves, without outsourcing: websites, selection and configuration of equipment, design, design... But we try to look at everything we do, not through the eyes of a librarian, but of a reader.
“I have seen a lot of library reform projects, the creation of new services, but to say that this is horror is not enough”
People often cannot explain what exactly they want to do, and most importantly - why. It's a lack of professionalism. Yes, everyone is in unequal conditions - someone knows how, and someone does not. Of course, there are also excellent projects, really breakthrough ones, which both the reader and the libraries need. But, unfortunately, they are in the minority.
“We don’t have any special lobbying opportunities, if you are able to justify the project, then money in the federal budget allocated for culture can be found for it”
“The most banal and uninteresting thing is to rent space and copy documents”
And it is interesting to receive commissioned works for research, organize joint events, seminars, exhibitions, and so on. Both professional library communication and informal communication takes place here - for example, a director will come here tomorrow and will show his film in our hall.
You won't earn much on paid services. The library should not be self-sustaining, its the goal is to provide free services to the population, which is "spent" on it, paying taxes, and so it is done all over the world. In America, the concept of library trustees is highly developed, and in Europe - sponsorship of individual projects, but in any case, there is always centralized support in addition to this.
The real need for big cities now is not for smaller ones. municipal libraries, but in powerful, large platforms with both printed and electronic resources, providing a variety of opportunities for intellectual leisure.
“The more electronic reading develops, the less the need for libraries, whose collections are virtually all available online”
Medium, not national, libraries need to change, the library should not be a place that provides access only to books, since in most situations it is simply easier for a person to go to the store and buy those that interest, or download.
There is no point in chasing university libraries stocked on a specific subject, they will be better filled anyway. And there is no point in moving in the direction of “more books” either. Therefore, in modern world the library becomes an integrator of the services provided, where you can get books, videos, audio, a platform for viewing, listening, informal clubs, reading periodicals, and so on, where this can be done well, conveniently, pleasantly and cheaper or free of charge compared to other places.
“The book as such, as a “brick”, as a material object made of paper will occupy less and less importance in society, which is why we are trying to work with other areas”
The library is no longer a place where only books are given, it is a house of culture in the old sense, only a house of culture, I would say, an intellectual one. This is a place where a person with brains can spend time. To sit at the computer or with your laptop and our Wi-Fi, read books, newspapers, meet with friends. Yes, and just run from the rain and drink a cup of coffee.
In libraries, it has always been believed that the book is the main thing, everything revolves around it and it must be protected like the apple of an eye. Therefore, everything that was available to a person in the public domain on the shelves always turned out to be the oldest and fig. And the necessary, valuable, new things are in the cellars and “we will raise it for you upon request.” We, on the contrary, have raised the most popular items to the top, and put the newest on separate turntables so that a person can quickly choose and take it home. In modern times, the concept reading room- funny, the majority does not want to sit at the table with a book and will not.
“Of course, we want people to spend as much time as possible within our walls, but they can do anything at the same time: write notes, make homework, yes, at least hang out on blogs, again there is free Wi-Fi, or stupidly doze off on poufs somewhere in the corner "
It is difficult to explain to people that they can sit on the floor, on poufs. Many still do not risk relaxing in the library, feel at home. In Western libraries, this is absolutely normal and natural.
“Libraries are stocked to capacity with a standard set of classics. The next Pushkin, brought by people who free their apartments from book surpluses, from the point of view of the library, is not a value of world importance, but a very specific place on our shelf, which is not always enough for new products.
There are 9 federal libraries in the country, which are subordinate to the Ministry of Culture. Our - former State Republican Youth Library. In front of us, in addition to the fact that we function in the city as a public public library, the task is to provide methodological support to all libraries in the country that work with young people. What we started to implement, we hope, will later be used by libraries in the subjects of the Federation.
Now our the building is divided into 2 halves. For the mind and soul - business reading (science, technical, social, humanities, foreign languages), and the other half is a computer library, a room with comics and periodicals for easy reading, a rare book room. Also a separate room. fiction and arts with a specialized fund for visual arts (including design, digital photography). Buying Western editions. Also, databases that are not accessible from home, for example, the dissertation library of the RSL, bases on periodicals, legislation. Come and work. Access to all databases that we have is free. This is actually our principled position: all resources, whether printed or electronic, should be free to our readers.
It’s no secret that many people don’t like it when shop assistants run up to them in a store and start interrogating them in the style of “what would you like to see”. The situation is the same in libraries: the majority are not happy with the fact that they have to interact with librarians, that they are asked questions, that they are trying to educate. We try to remove this kind of feeling from visiting the library as much as possible.
“We already have equipment that gives readers the opportunity to independently work with the library fund: these are copiers, round-the-clock return stations, and, most importantly, self-service stations based on RFID technologies, where a person can independently register literature and take her home"
The system works in such a way that a person, in principle, can go to the library, take a book home and leave without communicating with any of the staff.
Sometimes some ideas appear simply because someone tried to "knock us on the head." For example, by sanitary standards we must ensure constant access to drinking water for children and adolescents. Having a cooler with replaceable cylinders on your balance sheet is quite expensive, but after looking at the market, we realized that you can put a special cooler with filters and power it directly from the water supply. It is clear that the cost of such a solution is much lower. As a result, the inspectors are satisfied, and we ourselves have an extra bonus.
“We do not tremble over each individual book, as we understand that, as in the army, it is necessary to pledge in advance that a part will inevitably be plundered”
Our task, of course, is to minimize this. For example, with the help of RFID tags pasted on all books, we can see online which books are in this moment passing through the gate. If there is a trigger on unauthorized removal, we immediately know which particular book they tried to take out.
“We wanted to make a kind of show-stopper. Something that everyone would pay attention to, that could uniquely identify us in the stories of "eyewitnesses". I liked the idea: “Ah, this is that library with a car in the lobby!”
A suitable car was obtained by barter for the right to film on our territory. The only thing that suited us in size was the "morgunovka" - a disabled woman from "Operation Y". It was brought to us in the back of a gazelle from the Vladimir region. Of course, I had to repair the car, make it catchy. Now it stands and shines.
We had a clear desire to make the library as accessible as possible for all categories of readers. Unfortunately, it is no secret that disabled people have limited access to many cultural institutions, because they just can't go there. We had a good trump card - the entire library was on the first floor, there was little left to do: widen the aisles, organize ramps, push the shelves to fit the stroller. The most difficult thing was that there was no separate toilet on the first floor, and it was impossible for us to organize the descent down the stairs, no matter how squirming. Therefore, we decided to build a separate building with all the necessary infrastructure, not only for the disabled, but also for young mothers with babies. Access to it had to be restricted, but the corresponding categories of readers can get inside by simply putting their reader's card to the lock.
There is a small fund, about 3 thousand rare editions. The most Old book it dates from the 16th century. A program has now been launched to digitize this fund and make it publicly available on the website.
One of the main directions is the provision of venues for a variety of exhibitions, performances, events, seminars. At the same time, most of these were partner projects, without payment from the organizers.
“I would like society to get rid of such a tearful-snotty attitude about libraries. They say, ah, the temple of science, ah, the book is the focus of knowledge "
We are aware that the market is full of leisure time hunters besides us, so we do our best not to look pale compared to other providers of similar services: bookstores, cafes, cinemas, clubs, etc. But when you give all your best, you do everything to ensure that your site provides maximum opportunities for revealing your creative, intellectual - whatever potential, and people come and exclaim “oh, where, where is this smell of books”, “oh poor , poor librarians, it would be better for you to raise your salary with this money. I don’t want to be treated like bright enthusiastic idiots. And the smell of books (to be honest, when there are a lot of them, they are old, unclaimed and dust free) is very unpleasant. And book "secular dust" is a source of constant threat to the health of those who work with this fund.
“Fortunately, most of those who come to us now, themselves, without unnecessary prompting and pointing fingers on our part, understand that what has been done is not a banal repository of books, but something more. Which means it's not all in vain."
Is it necessary to say that modern libraries are something more than a reading room and an archive?
Most likely no.
And all because architects treat this type of public spaces with special trepidation and are not afraid to experiment. What comes out of it - let's see soon!
Library in the trade pavilion of CREC Corporation in Guiyang (China)
Implementation year: 2016
This space, designed by the architectural studio Van Wang Architects, has a very funny story - the building was originally created as a CREC trade pavilion, which would have awaited the sad fate of its "brothers", because such structures are quickly demolished after they are installed. commercial goals have been achieved. But the architects said "no" to such unforgivable waste and introduced a public function into the project!
This is how the library space appeared, inspired by the idea of a children's toy-constructor. Mezzanine galleries, bookcase sections, shelving, shelves - all this creates a playful and holistic impression.
Cedar Rapids Public Library (Iowa, USA)
Implementation year: 2013
After a flood in 2008 that destroyed central library of the city, it was decided to create a new facility that would become a dynamic center of the entire city, showcase the technological achievements of the 21st century and minimize the negative impact on surrounding nature. A lot of requirements for one library, right?
But architects from the OPN Architects studio courageously withstood the pressure and realized exactly what the whole city expected from them.
The idea of combining public and technical spaces (archives, administration premises, etc.) has been implemented here, a system of natural and artificial lighting has been thought out, all the spaces necessary for visitors have been created, flavored with a beautiful green roof.
Photo: MainStreetStudio - WayneJohnson
Public Library in Bandung Province (Indonesia)
Implementation year: 2016
This small library in the Indonesian province of Bandung has most likely topped the list of the most original buildings of its type more than once.
And all this is due to the fact that the architects from the SHAU Bandung studio approached the issue with knowledge and a sense of duty. Their first priority was the most important problem of ecology. Thus, a small city Library area of 160 sq.m. from plastic ice cream buckets. In total, by the way, it took more than 2000 units.
The construction of the building is very simple: a metal frame, concrete slabs and buckets as elements of the outer walls. The climate of the region allows you not to bother with insulation and air conditioning.
Library in Tongling city (China)
Implementation year: 2014
It is noteworthy that the library building is located on the territory of an abandoned embankment on the banks of the river. The building itself, designed by the ATA studio, is part of a large-scale project to transform an industrial area into a city park.
An artificial pier 40 meters long and 14 meters wide was created from crushed stone and concrete.
The base of the building is a steel structure supported by 6 reinforced concrete columns.
The interior of the library is very concise and comfortable. Everything has been done so that visitors can read, look at the peaceful view from the window, think and philosophize in peace and quiet.
Old library in Delft (Netherlands)
Implementation year: 2015
The library building, built in 1912-1915, is an example of the Renaissance style. Later, it served as a training center for the marine energy industry, and in 2015 it underwent a massive renovation, during which architects and interior designers breathed new life into this architectural monument.
So the historical heritage of the library was supplemented with modern design elements, and the air conditioning system, ventilation and acoustics were supplemented with the latest technologies.
Dramatic changes are possible within the standard budget for repairs
The KIDZ design team turned the library to them. N.V. Gogol into one of the most fashionable urban spaces and has since transformed more than one St. Petersburg library. It was they who, on the portal of the New Type Library, visualized the ideas and principles laid down in the “Model Standard for the Activities of a Public Library”.
How to transform book storages into actual social spaces? Designers shared their experience.
Alexey Puzin,
Development Director, Design Bureau KIDZ
Egor Bogomolov,
architect, design bureau KIDZ
Nastya Tereshchenko,
architect, designer, design bureau KIDZ
Saint Petersburg
Ideology determines design
When we were offered to transform Gogol's library, we asked ourselves the question: “What is a library? What is she now? Who does she work for? It is from the answers to these questions that depends on what the structure and design of the space will be.
The ideology of space is changing. The Model Standard states that the public library becomes a center of social activity and communication. The book itself loses its value as a type of value, and the library is reorganized from the book storage (although one of the main functions of the library is to continue to store books as a value) and acquires a social function: holding events and building communication. It is from the format of events when people gather and through different kinds activities interact with each other, and the concept of space is also repelled. A person should be comfortable ideologically, visually and at the level of sensations.
Focus on the event
At the top of the new website of the Gogol Library, the phrase “propose an event” attracts attention. This is an iconic detail. The user himself can offer to hold a lesson or a meeting in the library and, most likely, he will not be refused. This approach, of course, is reflected in the structuring and design of space. In fact, it is necessary to give an opportunity to organize a cultural event in a small area, without knowing in advance what exactly the visitors can offer. This means that in 10–15 minutes, without the use of coarse male power, the space that was adapted, for example, for 50 people to read, should turn into auditorium for 100 people. How to do it? And just move the racks on wheels, make room, arrange chairs - that's it, the lecture is on! After an hour and a half, it ended and the space also easily takes on its former form.
Make space mobile
Mobility is achieved through multifunctional furniture, which at the same time serves as a space delimiter. We love versatility. For example, we have objects that are at the same time a bookcase for storing books, a place to sit and relax, and separate zones of different activities. One piece of furniture solves several problems: functional, spatial and design. In addition, most of the furniture - on wheels, it can be easily and quickly moved.
Make space transparent. Literally
In the Gogol library, the entrance area is decorated not with a heavy massive door, but with the help of large glass surfaces. Full-wall windows and glass doors symbolize the openness of the library. Passers-by see what is happening inside, that is, the functionality of the room is clear from the outside. Such “transparency” is not always perceived positively by the staff, because it obliges and even requires changes in working methods.
However, if all libraries were decorated with large windows, it would help them a lot. A person who did not plan to come to the library, but simply passed by, could see that something alive was going on there. That alone might motivate him to come in. The librarian, who greets visitors and tells what is happening and where, makes it clear that they are expected here. Such ethical aspects are no less important than design techniques.
Librarian - activity facilitator
The new library format does not serve books in terms of value, but people. If earlier the librarian performed the technical functions of issuing a subscription, now he becomes a facilitator of activities in the library environment. One of the goals of the New Type Library project is to create a space that would eloquently declare that it can become a platform for almost any event. We think in terms of events - in this format it is most convenient for people to interact. Each visitor can come up with the whole idea, so the librarian should be open to any idea and build communication with active users. Plans for the future - to form a caring community around the library and its staff. It must be said that the space in its development is ahead of the community. Even in St. Petersburg, the amount of reorganized space is now a level higher than the number of people who can professionally serve it.
Let the space be flexible
Any rigid functions run the risk of dying off over time, so it is necessary to lay the ability to change in space. For example, the art hall was originally planned by us as a space for musical evenings and exhibitions. But over time, he especially fell in love with the children who began to come here after school. As a result, the art hall expanded its functionality. In the daytime, children's activities are held here: lessons and master classes. And it is right: the space must be flexible and responsive to the real needs of users. In addition, we are against the division into children's and adult libraries. A parent can come with a child and leave it to a teacher for a couple of hours: both will spend time with benefit.
From traditional division to open floor plan
The library has always been created as a book depository where you can come and borrow a book. Related to this is the traditional layout: a subscription, a reading room, a storage for books, as well as many shelves and narrow aisles between them. Time has shifted priorities: we expect that a person, having come to the library, will stay here, not only to work, but also to communicate, attend events. That's why the need to divide the space in the old way has disappeared. All space is for people, there are practically no closed areas, all books are in the public domain. Gogol's library has a closed storeroom of unpopular literature, but this is a very small room.
Of course, visitors have different goals: someone came for communication, and someone needs to concentrate on work. Therefore, we divide a large space into smaller zones, including through mobile furniture. Oddly enough, in order to retire and feel protected, there is no need to hide behind a concrete wall, just the shelving on the left is enough. Yes, it is impossible to create an ideal space, especially on such a limited area. Therefore, a network of city libraries is needed: if you feel uncomfortable in one of them, you can go to another, solved in a different style.
Every library has its own face
Each of the libraries should have its own conceptual solution: one may specialize in events and lectures, the other in musical evenings and to have a recording studio, the third to conduct master classes and have their own workshop. It's not even so much about a network of libraries, but about a network of urban spaces, whether they are commercial or non-commercial. The partnership of the library with commercial partners is very important. The idea is to bring the local community together. People can gather in the library, among other things, in order to solve pressing problems (for example, the issue of parking or landscaping the yard). The library becomes an activating space and influences what happens in the city, its cultural, social and physical landscape. The goal is this.
Standard renovation budget
Many people think that a cool, trendy environment is either foreign or very expensive, but it is not. The furniture for the Gogol library was designed by us and assembled at the Ryazan factory. Good spatial solutions are not always expensive. No space budget! We fit into the amount allocated for a standard renovation for a district (not even a city!) library. A good designer will always be able to find an effective solution for a specific problem, which will require minimal costs.
It turned out to be difficult to convince the contractors to meet us and produce custom-made furniture according to our sketches. Suppliers have developed a standard line over the decades, which they sell to libraries, and see no reason to change anything. It would be more convenient for us, designers, to cooperate with small workshops that can easily make changes to the technological process, unlike large manufacturers. But a rigid system of tenders prevents them from entering this market.
Fit the library into the urban context
What exactly to create in the library depends on where it is located and what residents need. For example, a recording studio was created in one of the St. Petersburg libraries, following the example of Finnish colleagues. The project is not bad, but artificial, because there is no real need for this studio. Whereas visitors to the library of Finland, with which they took an example, really needed such a studio - a sociological research. Next to her is School of Music and residents need a venue for recording, rehearsing and performing.
You cannot create a library in a vacuum, in isolation from what already exists. It is necessary that the library supports the already established activities, then people will come themselves. The Gogol library is a pilot site, the context was not fully taken into account there, its goal was different - to loudly declare itself and the changes taking place in the library world. But working on the Rzhev Library, we "tune" it to the surrounding space. For example, for many years there has been theatre studio and people want to keep it, so the project provides for an auditorium. It is important to pay attention to what is around. If there are a number of institutions that already perform a certain function, the library should abandon it so as not to duplicate each other.
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Huge shelves with books, library cards and obligatory silence - the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "library". But progress has not bypassed the storage of books, so today libraries are convenient modern platforms where you can not only read and study.
website offers to look into the libraries, which with all their appearance remind us that the 21st century has long been in the yard.
1. Tianjin Binhai Library
As you can see in the photo, the futuristic library in the Chinese city of Tianjin is not for nothing called "Eye", but it is remarkable not only appearance. The full-height shelving of the 5-story building can store up to 1.2 million books, and the sphere in the center serves as an auditorium with a capacity of 110 people.
2. Library in Thionville
3. Philological Library of the Free University of Berlin
The Philological Library is not called in vain "Brain of Berlin": the rounded shape of the building follows the shape of the human brain, and the curved stairs and galleries really resemble convolutions. One of the features of the library is natural lighting and energy saving.
4 Sir Duncan Rice Library
Inside the 7-story cube of strips of white and transparent glass, about 250 thousand ancient manuscripts collected almost 5 centuries since the founding of the university. The architects took care of the environment: special systems collect rainwater, and photocells on the roof and timers control the lighting.
5. Library and Education Center of the University of Vienna
Unusual geometry from the outside is replaced by smooth lines inside, and different areas of the building are connected by bridges, galleries and terraces. Visitors enter through the main entrance central audience- large atrium with natural light.
6. Bishan Public Library
Bishan is a small town in Singapore, but even a metropolis could envy its library. The 4-storey building itself - tree house metaphor, and cells protruding from the walls are places for solitary reading or work.
7. Tama Art University Library
This library has been designed to reflect the spirit of the arts university and inspire students to be creative. One of the areas of the library is an open space where visitors can simply sit or even sleep.
8 Birmingham Library
Birmingham Library is the largest public library in the UK and one of the country's most visited attractions. One of the two most important collections is kept here. works of Shakespeare, as well as many rare and old books.
Julia, Gogol's library is located on Okhta, far from the center, around wastelands and high-rise buildings of the mid-twentieth century. From which side you approach, nothing foreshadows such a riot of modernity, bright colors… How did this become possible?
The library itself is almost a hundred years old, and we are the central regional library of the Krasnogvardeisky district. In all respects - quite a classic institution. The initiator of the changes was Marina Borisovna Shvets, who heads the district library system. The Gogol Library was the first site where a complete reconstruction took place. Behind us, this path has already passed the children's library "City". It is planned that the changes will gradually affect all thirteen libraries of Okhta.
- Did you focus on any samples?
We focused on Finland - fortunately, it is very close. There is a great library culture, a lot of inspiring initiatives. Both the library staff and our designers-architects (KIDZ bureau) specially studied the Finnish experience.
- What is the main idea of change?
The main task is to attract young people to the library without losing a more mature reader. Become a place where people want to come to spend their free time in contact with culture.
The library has been operating in the new format for two years now - are there any noticeable changes? Right now, for example, the beginning of the twelfth - and there are very few visitors in the library ...
Our library is for adults, and during the day most of our potential visitors are working. That is why, when we opened after the renovation, we changed our opening hours. Now we are open daily until 20.00, the only day off is Monday. We open at 11, and in the first half of the day, when most adults are studying or working, mostly elderly people come to us. After 4 p.m. and until closing time, high school students, students, working adults go. Yes, quantitative indicators - attendance, book lending - have increased after the update, but this is not the main thing. What matters most to me is quality change. Our own sense of the library has also changed. Young employees came with burning eyes, with drive, with a desire to invent and implement new projects. We really like our place of work.
And what do adults do in the renovated district library? Do you have any new formats of work, besides lending books?
We always try to proceed from the needs of the audience, and many events are arranged at the initiative of our readers and visitors. For example, this is how the Children's Time project arose, aimed at popularizing family leisure. Mothers, fathers with children, grandparents with their grandchildren come to us, and we conduct classes in reading, drawing, modeling, we make performances even for the youngest spectators.
Do I understand correctly that in these cases the library simply provides space for enterprising visitors? Are neither her collections nor employees involved in these activities?
Not certainly in that way. Indeed, the events I mentioned were born from the “initiative from below”, and the library supported them with its resources. But not only in the premises: for such meetings we make thematic book fairs from our funds, and those who come to these meetings often become our regular readers.
As for the library staff, in addition to their current work, they also have their own big projects. So, as a manager, I am only glad if some events are held without the direct participation of employees on the site.
- Tell us about the most interesting, in your opinion, project.
It must be the Mad Sixties. For six months, from February to June 2016, the library hosts lectures and meetings with philologists, art historians, musicians, and culturologists. They talk about music foreign literature, art, fashion, subcultures of the 1960s. We are preparing book exhibitions, we are inviting presenters. The project turned out to be incredibly popular, lectures often do not have enough seats for all those who came. People are very interested in listening, asking questions, suggesting further topics. For the last time, all the books discussed in the lectures were sorted out. As part of this project, we watch movies and listen to music, and we even plan to hold a fashion show of the 60s.
How it works: through the halls of the Gogol Library
The library has its own brand book, which includes a logo and corporate identity, in which all announcements, printed materials and videos created by the library are designed. Elements of this style are constantly found in the interiors of the building, starting with the hall.
The first thing a visitor sees upon entering is a media wall: screens and reproductions in identical frames are fixed on a black wall. On a large TV panel and four small TVs, thematic videos made by the library staff are constantly broadcast. For example, on one TV, slides on the topic “Literature News” replace each other, on the other - “Libraries of the World”, on the third - “Poster of St. Petersburg Events”. Videos from the series “I am a reader” are broadcast on a large TV, in which Alexander Arkhangelsky, Maya Kucherskaya and others notable critics talk about literary events. Booktrailers, videos of readers "I advise" also appear here.
Before the reconstruction, the Gogol library had two traditional halls: a subscription and a reading room. Now instead of them there is a hall of fiction and a hall of industry literature. This proved to be very convenient for readers, who usually know exactly which room they are going to. The art and branch halls mirror each other, which makes it much easier for readers to navigate in the library.
The "art" hall presents classics, modern mass and not only literature, and there are several computers with access to full-text databases.
One of the "heroes" of this hall is Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, whose name the library on Okhta received in 1952. Gogol had nothing to do with either this place or the library, it was just then that the centenary of the death of the writers was celebrated. After the reconstruction, the library staff decided not to miss a great opportunity and created the project "Library with a Name", becoming one of the centers of "Gogol studies" in St. Petersburg. Here they develop and conduct excursions to Gogol's places in the city, collect a collection of his books, and conduct educational events. On the wall is a symbolic portrait of Gogol, composed of his quotes.
Hall of Industry Literature
Here literature is collected on various branches of knowledge, there are places for working with electronic resources, a dialogue zone. And there is even a stylized telephone booth where the visitor can retire to talk on a cell phone.
All furniture in both the art and trade halls is on wheels. This makes it easy to move bookcases and organize the necessary seats, turning the library into a lecture space, then into concert hall. When Gogol's library participated in the Night of Museums, even fencing tournaments were held here. Mobility, transformation is one of the basic principles of the library's spatial structure, which allows the most efficient use of small spaces.
The main design element in this room is bookshelf WORD, created from large decorative letters. “You need to be honest with words,” said Gogol. The meaning of this space is precisely the honest treatment of words. A business atmosphere has been created here, up to 40 people can attend meetings at the same time. Serious scientific conferences are also held (the hall is equipped with a videoconferencing system), and master classes for children and adults (for example, related to needlework, drawing or mastering computer programs).
Library staff position this space as a coworking space, a territory for youth initiatives, and a platform for communications. There is a large fund of media publications (including training programs), webinars, computer master classes. The shelves are stylized as the Tetris game, since the key principle of this game - the richness of interpretations - has become the basis and concept of the media library. Even window decoration is included in the concept: above each window there is an inscription, for example, “Real life” or “Nice view”
“Take a book and go home” - Gogol's library decided to abandon this classic scheme. There is also no strict inscription "Entrance with printed materials is prohibited." You can come to the Gogol library with your books and read them in a comfortable environment.
There are comfortable places for solitary reading in the industry and art halls, and the art hall is designed for those who want to read together - aloud or to themselves. Here students prepare for exams. Held literary readings and competitions, youth film festivals, exhibitions. On weekends - children's hour when parents and children watch movies or theater plays together, read aloud and play Board games. Here you can lie on the floor, similar to a grassy lawn, or sit on the windowsills. The symbol of the art hall is a tree bookshelf, an image of constant growth and development.
The material was prepared by Anna Rapoport
Author's photo