Maija Berndtson's presentation in Essere biblioteca, fare biblioteche-seminar, Trento May 2011

1. The Interactive and multimedia library
Being a Library. Making
Libraries.
Trento
20th May 2011
Maija Berndtson
Library Director
Helsinki City Library
Architects NRT

2. If you have a garden and a library,
You have everything you need.
Marcus Tullius Cicero

3. What are libraries for?
• Culture – all arts, continuation
• Democracy – information, versatility
• Development – lifelong learning
• Integration – social cohesion, equality
• Exploration – research
• Serendipity – discovery, innovation

4. ”Fantasy is more important than
knowledge”.
”Logic will take you from A to B
but imagination takes you
anywhere”.
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

5. The new library?
If this is the new library accessible
everywhere, why would you need the
traditional library?

7. The Ubiquitous Society
Connects everyone and everything.
Easy connection to networks ”anytime, anywhere, by anything and
anyone”. A society where ICT will be everywhere in daily life and can easily
be used.
Person to Person plus Person to Goods, and Goods to Goods. In every
aspect, communication will play an even more important role.
Creation of vitality of the individual, vitalize the society.
Based on users’ viewpoints.
Close to the user.
Users can be suppliers too, ”prosumers”.

8. Ubiquitous Library
The Younsei Samsung Library in South Korea
Any desired information and services are accessible to all users at any place within
the building due to the advanced IT facilities. The wireless LAN is installed
throughout the building and it offers high-speed internet access anywhere. Then,
there is a Radio-frequency identification (RFID) card. If students have their student
ID cards, they can easily use any personalized services and information provided by
the library.
http://annals.yonsei.ac.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=644

9. Cultural Library
The Younsei Samsung Library in South Korea
U-Lounge provides users with high technology equipments of the most advanced
design. Students can enjoy abundant digital contents such as IPTV (Internet
Protocol television), UCC video clips*, movies, digital book, and electronic
newspapers.
*Users can create User-Created Contents (UCC) video clips beyond text and images
http://www.iisi.de/fileadmin/IISI/upload/C_T/2007/Kim_Abstract.pdf
*Thousands of most popular UCC video clips in Korea are ready for your mobile
entertainment.
http://www.appbrain.com/app/nate-video/com.skcomms.android.natevideo

10. Drivers of library development
Interactive communal Open
Information in digital Active customer learning
format 3D virtual
community environment
artefacts
Communications Information
and exhibition
centre Games and intelligent
everyday digital
Education content
Database and
Technology’s semantic
Electronic and
critical mass ontology
hybrid books
Refinement of services
Data procedures
open communal
civic information Metainformation
Passive
customer Meeting
Digital media
place
Borrowing and Meeting
information technology
Linear services Literature, magazines and collections
published
information
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Copyright Helsinki City Library

11. Drivers of library development
Library as an active agent:
Creating Citizens as active and
values informed agents and as
intelligent communities
Development
• Thinking and problem-solving skills of the value network Exploratory learning and
• Working skills and ecosystem interactive communication
• Skills to master working tools of libraries as drivers of development
• Skills of active citizenship
Building and strengthening
the structures, processes Value-adding
and networks communities
Prevention of Web 2.0 methods of
social exclusion of the information
society: participatory economy
Democratic
agent Interactive
Development of social IT
Library capital
as a passive Interaction
subject: Digital media
and collaboration and the internet
Separate
libraries
as data resources IT and telecommunication
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Copyright Helsinki City Library

12. The library as an innovation centre – modular space
Data network
Broadband Initiator of
Activator of intelligent information activities
communities LAN 3G
for citizens
Advice
Conferences Work table space
Work table space Common user interface Creation of personified
Helmet.fi, libraries.fi – metadata
Urban office
library´s services on the Libraries.fi/
Meeting place
net Information service
Theme groups and
workshops Search engine guidance
SME incubator Workstations Seats, sofas
Printing, scanning, Computer terminals
copying, conferences Creation of new Lounge-like
Participation knowledge
Charging service
Café
Workshop and Workshop space
teaching space AV technology
AV technology Helsinki neighbourhood Refinery of civic
Video conference
Video conference associations Library 10 knowledge
Web community
Web community Facebook groups Organising library materials Involving the public
to support the customer Information technology
-physical content procedures
-online content
Copyright Helsinki City Library

13. Welcome to Library 10 in Main Post Office Building with
Post Office Helsinki 10

14. Library 10 in a nutshell
•Opened April 1, 2005
•Open 78 h/wk
•Customers 2 000/day
•Collection 63 000
•Recorded works 47 000
•Workstations 40
•Public space 800 m²
A Combination of Music and
Information Technology

15. Library 10 before

16. Library 10 now
- Materials that seldom ( one year) circulated were removed
- CDs: jewel boxes were replaced with plastic sleeves
- New lower shelves were installed

17. Visible entrance
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 10-22
Fri 10-18
Sat-Sun 12-18
Weekdays the lobby opens at 8

18. Low furnishings
Mobile furnishings
Light furniture

19. Customers
• Visitors per month app. 50 000
• Ages 15-30 60 %
• Percentage of customers that
are male 60 %
• Percentage of customers that check-out
materials 50 %

20. Visible customers

21. Active customers

22. Visible collections
Other collections:
• IT and media
Music:
• DVDs
• CDs 47 000
• Comic books
• Books 5500
• Travel guides
• Music notation 9000
• General periodicals
• Videos and DVDs 500 and newspapers
• Vinyl LPs 1000 • Bestsellers
• Music Periodicals 85 • Computer games

23. Changing collections
Current collections

24. Lobby and service point
• Opens weekdays at 8
• Newspapers
• Express workstations 12
• Automatic return
machine
• Pick-up of reservations
• Payment of fees

25. Service and info points
• Along the main avenue
• Visual contact with each other
• Easily approachable for customers
• Convenient for staff to exit
• Positioned for side by side guidance

26. Stage
• Concerts, performances and
panel discussions
• Exhibitions
• Multimedia displays
• Mobile furnishings
• Acoustic interior
• PA-equipment
• Lighting system
• Online broadcasting

27. Customers as producers and organizers
• Customers participate in organizing exhibitions, events, and concerts
• 80 % of all events organize by customers

28. Library as a publisher
• Concerts, lectures, panel discussions, writer visits, interviews, story
telling, and book talks are recorded
• Distribution channels: webcasts, podcasts, mp3, radio
• Sharing through web

29. Do you want to be something?
Do you want to be musician?
Do you want to be actor?
Do you want to be TV host?
Co-operating with Job Centre

30. Mobile Events Technology • Speakers
• Mixer
• Digital receiver
Box
• Microphones
• Digital Recorder
• Screen 130”
• HD-Projector
• Playstation 3
• Nintendo Wii
• DJ-gear
• Video cameras

31. All kinds of events
Movies
Gigs
DJ
Discussion sessions
Game-sessions
Interviews
Video recording events
Broadcasting video & audio online

32. In touch with the times:
Eurovision karaoke
Customer can sing favorite
Eurovision song on to a CD
and take part in an Internet
Competition

33. Studios: recording, audio, video
Customers can come to the library to
play, record and edit their own music,
spoken word and videos.
Customers can save their recordings
to their own Media Card for public
use.

34. Recording, rehearsing and playback
• Electric piano
• Stereos
• Microphones
• Guitars and bass
• E-drums
• Booking times: ½ to 2 hrs
• Utilizations rate: 90%

35. Audio editing
• Recording software
• Editing software
• Mixer
• Keyboard
• Drum pad
• DJ record player
• Booking times: ½ to 4 hrs
• Utilizations rate: 80%

36. Video editing
• Editing software
• 3D animation software
• Recording software
• DV recorder
• S-VHS recorder
• Booking times:
maximum 40 hrs in 2, 4
or 6 hour blocks
• Normally used for
project work

37. VHS -> DVD

38. Library Radio
Voice for library services:
Library introductions
Author introductions
Interviews
Secrets of Helsinki
Present at the various events
Published & broadcasted through radio &
web.

39. Group Work room
• Seats for 18 people
• 3M Super Close Projector
• Video conferencing
• Not for commercial use
• For associations and
organizations:
- Comic association
- Helsinki cyclist
- Ikebana association
- Board game group
- Traffic policy association
- Spanish literature group
- etc…

40. Staff
Average age under 35
All together 28
Males 19
• Library manager
• Staff manager • Events organizer
• IT planner • Library assistants
• IT specialist • Apprenticeship students
• Media assistant • Non-military service
• Music librarians • Students as covers and trainees

41. From living room to working room
• Space and equipment
for creating, displaying and
publishing media
• Wlan-connections to various databases
• Moveable tables and plugs for laptops

42. Furnish as you need

43. Work how you want

44. Library functions with a library card
• Workstations
• Studios
• Instruments,
microphones, etc.
• Listening to music
• WLAN for laptops
• Do it yourself –devices
Expanding the library card as a brand

45. The library as facilitator
The library provides its customers
with space, equipment, and know-
how as needed. The customers describe what types
of events, materials, and guidance
they need.
The library and its customers develop
activities and events together.

46. Meetingpoint in the Lasipalatsi Film and Media Centre
- Showcase for the information society and a meeting point and a modern market
place in the heart of Helsinki

47. Meetingpoint in a nutshell
• Guidance for electronic services
and communication
• Co-operative with public and private
sectors
• Urban Office
• Laptop services for seniors

48. Laptop doctor
The Laptop doctor helps customers
one-on-one with updates, security issues,
and installation of programs

49. The laptop club - learning together
•Once a week - every week
•Every week a new subject to learn
•Topic chosen by club members
•Learning together- helping each other

50. The moving laptop classroom
The Laptop classroom can be
packed in a small space,
for example two sport bags
The Laptop classroom moves
easily by public transportation
(or taxi) anywhere in the
Helsinki area
No need for a computer classroom

51. Local library Media days
Professional
knowledge
Fun Fun Fun!
Music
Everyday digital media

52. Urban Office in Meetingpoint open for all
- modern equipment, free work and business negotiation place
- skype calls, scanners, headsets, printing, WLAN-N wireless, web cams for
loan, chargers

53. Mobile soundproof walls

54. Urban Office for urban wanderers

55. Office kiosks and chairs

56. Urban Info
Old and new office supplies:
•Hole puncher
•Tapler
•Tape
•Pens
•Adapters
•Cables
•Memory card readers
•DVD, CD-RW, USB, ZIP drives

57. Meetingpoint@lasipalatsi.fi

58. Paradigm shift

59. Rikhardinkatu Library Library 10
(1904) (2007)

60. Kallio Library 1919 Itäkeskus Library 2007

61. Helsinki City Library
Vision 2005 -
The boundless library –
a source of
enlightenment
and
inspiration
throughout your life.

62. Helsinki City Library 2010
• 588 600 inhabitants
• 36 libraries
• 1,9 million library items
• 9,2 million loans
• 15,6 loans / inhabitant
• 6,4 million physical visits
• 11 visits / inhabitant
• 6,8 million virtual visits

63. Rikhardinkatu Library 1882

64. Pasila Library, 1986

65. The Central Library – developing the
city center for citizens and for those
who visit Helsinki

67. The New Central Library in Helsinki - Facts
A hub of knowledge, skills and stories
• 5,000 visitors a day
• 1.5 million visitors a year
• Extensive selection of items to borrow
• Events and guidance
• 10,000 m² of the library of the future
• Open public space, free for all
• Open 24/7 – part of it
• Every day something new
• Construction cost about 69,9 million Euros

68. The New Central Library, 10 000 m²
Orientation, 490 m²
Service point for circulation, 440 m²
Events, 1740 m²
Meeting, 1050 m²
Learning, 2100 m²
Doing, 2200 m²
Staff, 1360 m²
Maintenance, 620 m²

69. World of thrills, frills and adventure
• Lobby, lounge, creative office, oasis, silent areas, exhibitions spaces,
Suomi-experience, studysauna, studios, auditorium, cinema,
wintergarden, meeting rooms, free speaker’s corner, brainstorm, play
room, family space, space for young people, restaurants, cafés, shops,
market, gallery…

70. What do we want?
• Lots of space, c. 10 000 square metres for the customers
• Circa 200 000 item collection, part of it already in electronic format
• Low, moveable bookshelves
• Plenty of different meeting places
• Lecture rooms, studios, workshops, urban office
• Not one style and design

71. More new spaces
• Space for families and their needs
• Space for young people and their kind for games and meeting one another
• Extensive area for newspapers and magazines, newest technological
applications
• Silent areas, conference rooms, places for happenings
• Café, restaurant

72. Other fun and jolly things
• Stands for introducing and displaying new materials
• New ways of finding and grouping / arranging library material with the
help of new technology such as RFID
• Sawing machines, workbenches, musical instruments
• Gallery, space also for customers’ own works of art

73. And the Sauna
• Helsinki citizens already expect the new central library
to have a sauna for their own and tourists’ delight

74. Intelligent buildings become intellectual
through their users.

75. Anticipated time schedule
• 2017 opening of Central Library
• 2014 building begins
• 2013 invitation for tenders
• 2012 actual planning
• 2011 architectural competition
• 2010 June: project plan accomplished

76. Meeting Point Number 1 in Helsinki for
1,5 million people
Architects NRT

77. The public space which is lively, exciting,
colourful and involving
Architects NRT

78. A covered square
kuvateksti
A covere
The park in the library - the
library in the park
The library in the park – the park in the library

79. The strength of the library
• Customer is the “doer”
• Service is based on the customer’s needs
• Creative milieu for everyone
• Every “performance” is unique and individual
• Personal guidance face to face

80. Central Library 2017
www.keskustakirjasto.fi