Next Library People
- Next Library
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- Next Library People
Interviews from Next Library Festival 2023
“One of the things I’m bringing home is that I see cohesion between Europeans in their overall goals in libraries. Australia is quite isolated from the rest of the world, so this is something we probably miss out on. I think you end up here in Europe with a richer “fabric”.
I also hear a clear message of sustainability. We have the solutions but need to act on them. Libraries are ever evolving to meet the needs of their communities, particularly after COVID. Also with false media on the internet – more than ever – children and teens need a neutral, safe environment where they can learn about values. Libraries play a critical role in that sense.
My work is about human rights, and my company cooperate with public libraries, supplying them with resources and training – for example an educational game about human rights.”
Hugh Kingsley, The Brainary, Geelong, Australia
“I will bring home a lot of new inspiration. One keynote speaker said: “Play is not just for the little ones, it is also for younger adults and adults as well.” I would like to take that notion home to incorporate it into the way that we work with the students at the university level.
For example, how can we liven up our own library environment? Where I work is beautiful and gorgeous, but … it’s kind of monument and formal. I attended a session with children’s librarians from Helsinki and became aware of how you can liven the room up by incorporating simple things like splashes of color, sound or designated spaces. I wish to create a more whimsical place to foster experimentation and a sense of cheerful playfulness.
After a few days in Aarhus, I’m reinvigorated, overjoyed and feel privileged to be here. This library in itself, Dokk1, is just mind blowing to me in showing the possibilities of what you can have if there is infrastructure to support it. I would have loved for my daughters to have access to a space like this to play, learn and grow. It’s an incredible resource to the community here in Aarhus and beyond. I feel like I’m in a dreamworld walking around this space.”
Amanda Belantara, New York University Libraries, USA
“I find Next Library marvelously welcoming, energizing, contemplative and fun. One of the ideas I’m bringing home is the Dancing Library from Iceland. I’ll have to figure out how to do it in California. It was both individual and collective, vulnerable and super fun.
I’m impressed by the people here and how everybody is open and mixing naturally. I’m not used to that. It might be a European thing or an Aarhus thing? (laughs) People tend to be curious, which is unusual at a conference, and it feels like they aren’t walking around in their own circles.
And my job at home? I am a chief “listener”, and I work on a team that designs technology with communities which solves local problems in cooperation with libraries. I try to understand the problems and help translate them to the people who design technology.”
Sarah Washburn, Caravan Studios, San Francisco, USA
“I am enjoying my fourth Next Library festival – three in Aarhus and one in Berlin. I keep coming back for the international view on the things that I work with, primarily the Sustainable Development Goals 2017.
I’d like to share my knowledge and get new input from colleagues – to get impulses and perspectives from the outside.
Why should libraries work with Sustainable Development Goals at all? Because who else will? According to the Danish law about public libraries, we are obliged to spread knowledge and facts to the citizens. And that’s necessary in order to make people change their daily routines. In the libraries we can facilitate, for example, green communities or workshops about sustainability. In our houses we gather all kinds of people. Here we’re all equal: rich or poor, young or old.”
Thomas Sture Rasmussen, Ballerup Bibliotek/Danmarks Biblioteksforening/DB2030, Denmark
“The library that I’m in charge of in Seoul is dedicated to children and teenagers who come to explore and create stories. On weekends we have around 200 visitors a day. I also work for a foundation that supports public libraries while also running its own.
I am attending Next Library because I’d like to get new ideas about reimaging the library, and I heard that it’s the best conference to find that kind of insight and new inspiration. Here in Aarhus I’m surrounded by interesting people – so many nationalities – and I really feel alive here. Also I like Dokk1 because it’s not only about being a library but it’s also a playground, a park and everything. I really like this concept because it is dedicated to the whole society.
Our library at home is quite small because Seoul is so densely populated and rents are sky high, so we don’t have that kind of space for a huge library in the center of the city.”
JeungMin Kim, SeeArt Foundation, Seoul, Korea
“I love it here. It’s very well organized, but still within a loose and relaxed frame. I’m especially looking forward to the karaoke event. It is always fun to watch professional people let loose.
Back in Poland, I’m the founder of a LGBTQ+ library, an organizer and community outreacher. My role is to facilitate, make partnerships and collaborate with the community and other people involved in creating activities. For example, we asked queer authors and publishers all around the world if they could send us a copy of their books when we started our library.
Here in Aarhus, I’m fascinated by the amount of different people working for local contexts all around the world. I am very inspired by the conversations I’ve had. They encourage me about the things were doing at home.
And my other interests? I’m also an artist, dancer and choreographer, working with the potential of space and time. But, frankly, when I’m home I just like to take care of resting in between my busy schedule. Sunbathing, reading in the outdoors and making myself a nice and slow breakfast.”
Filip Kijowski, Biblioteka Azyl, Galeria Labirynt, Lublin, Poland
“Our site visit to Billund was really amazing because we got to play with LEGO and hear the history of the brand. It brought out my inner child, and I almost felt like a girl again.
We also visited the brand new Gellerup Library in the outskirts of Aarhus. I loved it because it actually shows what we are also trying to do in Nairobi with innovation labs and using materials at hand for workshops. I got really inspired.
I came to Aarhus to accept a prize on behalf of Eastlands Library, one winner of the EIFL Public Library Innovation Award. But I also came to explore different libraries and to talk with colleagues – to find out how they make their programs and events to make people visit libraries more.
I look forward to the Ignite Talks on Tuesday morning, and I want to absorb as much as I can. I’m also a bit anxious about my own presentation there …but, if it goes wrong, we just say: “Hoooray, I made a mistake. Now let me learn from it.”
Marianne Wamuyu, Book Bunk Trust, Nairobi, Kenya
“One of the things I´m bringing home is that I see cohesion between Europeans in their overall goals in libraries. Australia is quite isolated from the rest of the world, so this is something we probably miss out on. I think you end up here in Europe with a richer “fabric”.
I also hear a clear message of sustainability. We have the solutions but need to act on them. Libraries are ever evolving to meet the needs of their communities, particularly after COVID. Also with false media on the internet – more than ever – children and teens need a neutral, safe environment where they can learn about values. Libraries play a critical role in that sense.
My work is about human rights, and my company cooperate with public libraries, supplying them with resources and training – for example an educational game about human rights.”
– Hugh Kingsley, The Brainary, Geelong, Australia
“I will bring home a lot of new inspiration. One keynote speaker said: “Play is not just for the little ones, it is also for younger adults and adults as well.” I would like to take that notion home to incorporate it into the way that we work with the students at the university level.
For example, how can we liven up our own library environment? Where I work is beautiful and gorgeous, but … it´s kind of monument and formal. I attended a session with children´s librarians from Helsinki and became aware of how you can liven the room up by incorporating simple things like splashes of color, sound or designated spaces. I wish to create a more whimsical place to foster experimentation and a sense of cheerful playfulness.
After a few days in Aarhus, I´m reinvigorated, overjoyed and feel privileged to be here. This library in itself, Dokk1, is just mind blowing to me in showing the possibilities of what you can have if there is infrastructure to support it. I would have loved for my daughters to have access to a space like this to play, learn and grow. It´s an incredible resource to the community here in Aarhus and beyond. I feel like I´m in a dreamworld walking around this space.”
– Amanda Belantara, New York University Libraries, USA
“I find Next Library marvelously welcoming, energizing, contemplative and fun. One of the ideas I´m bringing home is the Dancing Library from Iceland. I´ll have to figure out how to do it in California. It was both individual and collective, vulnerable and super fun.
I´m impressed by the people here and how everybody is open and mixing naturally. I´m not used to that. It might be a European thing or an Aarhus thing? (laughs) People tend to be curious, which is unusual at a conference, and it feels like they aren’t walking around in their own circles.
And my job at home? I am a chief “listener”, and I work on a team that designs technology with communities which solves local problems in cooperation with libraries. I try to understand the problems and help translate them to the people who design technology.”
Sarah Washburn, Caravan Studios, San Francisco, USA
“I am enjoying my fourth Next Library festival – three in Aarhus and one in Berlin. I keep coming back for the international view on the things that I work with, primarily the Sustainable Development Goals 2017.
I´d like to share my knowledge and get new input from colleagues – to get impulses and perspectives from the outside.
Why should libraries work with Sustainable Development Goals at all? Because who else will? According to the Danish law about public libraries, we are obliged to spread knowledge and facts to the citizens. And that´s necessary in order to make people change their daily routines. In the libraries we can facilitate, for example, green communities or workshops about sustainability. In our houses we gather all kinds of people. Here we´re all equal: rich or poor, young or old.”
– Thomas Sture Rasmussen, Ballerup Bibliotek/Danmarks Biblioteksforening/DB2030, Denmark
“The library that I´m in charge of in Seoul is dedicated to children and teenagers who come to explore and create stories. On weekends we have around 200 visitors a day. I also work for a foundation that supports public libraries while also running its own.
I am attending Next Library because I´d like to get new ideas about reimaging the library, and I heard that it´s the best conference to find that kind of insight and new inspiration. Here in Aarhus I´m surrounded by interesting people – so many nationalities – and I really feel alive here. Also I like Dokk1 because it´s not only about being a library but it´s also a playground, a park and everything. I really like this concept because it is dedicated to the whole society.
Our library at home is quite small because Seoul is so densely populated and rents are sky high, so we don’t have that kind of space for a huge library in the center of the city.”
– JeungMin Kim, SeeArt Foundation, Seoul, Korea
“I love it here. It´s very well organized, but still within a loose and relaxed frame. I´m especially looking forward to the karaoke event. It is always fun to watch professional people let loose.
Back in Poland, I´m the founder of a LGBTQ+ library, an organizer and community outreacher. My role is to facilitate, make partnerships and collaborate with the community and other people involved in creating activities. For example, we asked queer authors and publishers all around the world if they could send us a copy of their books when we started our library.
Here in Aarhus, I´m fascinated by the amount of different people working for local contexts all around the world. I am very inspired by the conversations I´ve had. They encourage me about the things were doing at home.
And my other interests? I´m also an artist, dancer and choreographer, working with the potential of space and time. But, frankly, when I´m home I just like to take care of resting in between my busy schedule. Sunbathing, reading in the outdoors and making myself a nice and slow breakfast.”
– Filip Kijowski, Biblioteka Azyl, Galeria Labirynt, Lublin, Poland
“Our site visit to Billund was really amazing because we got to play with LEGO and hear the history of the brand. It brought out my inner child, and I almost felt like a girl again.
We also visited the brand new Gellerup Library in the outskirts of Aarhus. I loved it because it actually shows what we are also trying to do in Nairobi with innovation labs and using materials at hand for workshops. I got really inspired.
I came to Aarhus to accept a prize on behalf of Eastlands Library, one winner of the EIFL Public Library Innovation Award. But I also came to explore different libraries and to talk with colleagues – to find out how they make their programs and events to make people visit libraries more.
I look forward to the Ignite Talks on Tuesday morning, and I want to absorb as much as I can. I´m also a bit anxious about my own presentation there …but, if it goes wrong, we just say: “Hoooray, I made a mistake. Now let me learn from it.”
– Marianne Wamuyu, Book Bunk Trust, Nairobi, Kenya