Diane Koen – författare

Traditionally, libraries have served as storage spaces offering access to diverse physical collections. Today, following numerous social and technological changes, libraries are retooling their services, rethinking storage and reimagining their spaces. The transformation in information technology has had an enormous impact on users’ research behaviour, which in turn demands new discovery environments. A conference of the IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment and the Acquisition and Collection Development Sections spotlighted libraries from around the world who are providing quality, adaptable and innovative library spaces and services meeting the changing needs of their users, their collections, their staff and their communities.

Traditionally, libraries have served as storage spaces offering access to diverse physical collections. Today, following numerous social and technological changes, libraries are retooling their services, rethinking storage and reimagining their spaces. The transformation in information technology has had an enormous impact on users’ research behaviour, which in turn demands new discovery environments. A conference of the IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment and the Acquisition and Collection Development Sections spotlighted libraries from around the world who are providing quality, adaptable and innovative library spaces and services meeting the changing needs of their users, their collections, their staff and their communities.

Library design in the 21st century has one common theme: collaboration is at the heart of innovation. Designing modern libraries is a complex process involving many stakeholders and participants. Libraries of all types work with an almost limitless range of constituent groups for input, buy-in and successful implementation. Securing support for new library buildings and renovations of libraries engages many people: library clients, community members, faculty, funding agencies, donors, governing authorities, librarians, architects, interior designers and planners. Telling the right story and getting to the end game demand carefully crafted approaches, wide-ranging skills, a unified vision and productive teamwork. The IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Section has selected the best papers presented by award-winning architects and international thought leaders from the academic and public library sector at our recent satellite conferences and seminars: "Collaborative Strategies for Successful Library Design" (Chicago, Illinois), "What comes after the Third Place?" (Columbus, Ohio); "Key Issues for Library Space: International Perspectives" (Maynooth, Ireland); "Storage, the final frontier" (Munich, Germany) and "Telling and selling the space story" (Wrocław, Poland). The stories by the library and design professionals within this publication illustrate how powerful a role partnerships, outreach and cooperation play in a library project’s success.