Sunday, July 15, 2012

Delft Public Library...

Marion, this is for you. I read somewhere about the Delft library and its innovative practices. So when I happened across it yesterday I went in to explore. What a delight! At its centre is a cafe with an attractive seating area and lots of magazines...


The adult books are arranged in bays with nice bucket chairs. I had been walking for four hours so I was very grateful to sink into one...


The children's library has lots of neat seating areas...


...and the books are housed in these large trolleys on wheels.


I really liked the use of colour, especially the splashes of red.


What's not clear from my photos is that it is on several levels and the outer walls are actually glass so there is a lot of natural light. Also there were more people around than the photos suggest - I was just a bit reluctant to point my camera at them!! 

I found it a very inviting and congenial space - and that's without even looking at the books! Also it seemed very high-tech in an integrated, user-friendly way.

6 comments:

  1. It looks great Jane - I think the Dutch are pretty good with their libraries and innovation. The only thing I'm not sure I like is the tall green stacks on castors. They look a bit inaccessable with the height and the shelf sticking out at ankle level.
    Our warehouse is nearly a library - only one more week to go to opening day.Very exciting.

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  2. Looks and sounds a bit of a green building .. CCC is similar .. maybe we could use book shelves on castors as will move when the ground does and not spill its contents :) Keep shooting and get people too .. even if they look at you funnily :)

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    1. More of our Christchurch libraries are getting shelves on castors. The new temporary library Central Tuam has most of its shelf units on castors.

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  3. I am hanging out for the return of more of the Aotearoa Room Marion!!

    I really do feel uncomfortable photographing people without their permission PG. Ducks and geese - well....

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