Yes you visit the library to bury head deep in a sci-fi novel, use free internet (sometimes for the air-con) or just for a moment of serenity, but in the 21st century, libraries can be so much more. From family story time and makerspaces to a community gathering hub, many visitors have eagerly returned to libraries as a place of inclusivity and connectivity.
Sue McKerracher, Executive Director of Libraries Tasmania and previous CEO of Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), told ArtsHub: ‘I think the thing that’s been missed hugely by communities is being in a public space with a purpose and a sense of connection to other people.’
She continued: ‘Yes, we’re about books and book borrowing, and we’re about [creating] that whole arts and culture space, but also we’re a place of social connection.’
Reconfiguring the library space
As creatives, architects, urban designers and cultural institutions rethink the purpose of public space, McKerracher said libraries have also jumped on the opportunity to reconfigure and improve their physical assets for greater engagement.
‘[During COVID] people have broke the habit of the library visit and now they’re rediscovering libraries, but also, they’re rediscovering all the new things that are there. I know a lot of libraries have taken the opportunity of lockdown to invest in new furnishings and new collections so that when they have reopened, people are finding something fresh and new.’
For example, the Westbury Library in North Tasmania (which McKerracher was standing opposite as she spoke with ArtsHub), replaced heavy wood shelving with flexible units that allowed for more natural light and the ability to hold larger events in a COVID-safe environment.
‘We’ve seen the need for meeting spaces [in libraries] very much expand over time, it’s rare that you’d find a new library being built without the big meeting rooms and community spaces, but certainly older libraries have had to adapt to that. It’s just one way that we’re making those spaces more adaptable for community,’ she added.
Supercharged digital, but what’s next?
Speaking to the changes that libraries have undergone through COVID, McKerracher said: ‘We were already on a journey, and what COVID has done is supercharged some of those activities, particularly in the digital space’.
‘When looking at our public library networks and our community space, I think what libraries can be really proud of is that they’ve changed very quickly their service delivery model [during the onset of COVID],’ said McKerracher.
Such new services include book borrowing through click-and-collect, pre-recorded story times, and even home outreach calls for vulnerable library users including the elderly or socially disadvantaged.
Even as visitors return to physical libraries, McKerracher said there’s growing demand to make these online services more permanent.
‘The fact that we’ve done all those [digital] things has been deeply appreciated by the community. The challenge now is that the community still wants those things but how do we deliver both [digital] and our normal library service within the same budget?‘
However, McKerracher is optimistic about libraries’ ability to adapt: ‘I think the thing is that we’re still in a COVID environment, and there’s probably another six to nine months away from actually buttoning down what a library service looks like in a post-COVID environment. But what I do know is that we’ve got lots of options because libraries have worked through various scenarios and have shown that they’re skilled at doing these things.
‘I think people have to see libraries as incredibly agile and we’ve proved that over a number of years, not just during COVID. If you look at all the industries having been disrupted by the digital technologies, libraries have been one of the most adaptive industry sectors. We’ve embraced digital technologies and we’re actually leading the way in terms of communities becoming more digital ready.’
This digital-ready approach can be traced through various library offerings, including working with the Federal Government’s Be Connected program to teach digital skills to small groups that are then passed onto their friends and family, as well as Tasmania’s extensive digital literacy program for those outside the workforce, as well as students and businesses.
The popularity of makerspaces across libraries in Australia have also played a prominent role in providing an experimental environment to trial out new gadgets.
‘Makerspaces have really taken off in a big way,’ said McKerracher. ‘They can include everything from music, technologies, studios and 3D printers, and having people get used to that in a library setting. We’re really a kind of petting zoo for new technologies,’ she concluded.
So next time you drop in to your local library, be sure to check out the range of activities and programs that might just open the doors to a new skill or hobby.
