library as a third place - nyla 2008

Library as a "Third Place" 

NYLA Annual ConferenceNovember 7, 2008

Arezoo MoseniThe New York Public Library

amoseni@nypl.org

Terry KirchnerColumbia University Libraries

tk96@columbia.edu

Goals

1) To better understand libraries as “third place”

2) To show examples of “third places” created at NYPL and Columbia University

“Third Place”

Ray Oldenburg (1989)

The great good place: Cafes, coffee shops, community centers, beauty parlors, general stores, bars, hangouts, and how they get you through the day.

1st place = home

2nd place = work

3rd place = welcoming ‘other’ space

3rd place characteristics

• Distinct from home or work—neutral

• Liberating & “free” space

• Destinations of choice

• Encourages people to stay & to return

Library as a “Third Place”

Art

DesignColorFurnitureLight

Outdoor Space

TechnologyClassesComputersDigital ProjectsVirtual Space

Entertainment

Art

Exhibition Area

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

General Research Reading Area

Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10458

Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Portrait of a Young ReaderA dramatic depiction of a youngperson’s DNA sequence

Bronx Library CenterChildren Area

Melrose Branch, 910 Morris Avenue , Bronx, NY 10451

Teens Area

Melrose BranchToddlers Area

Jerome Park Branch, 118 Eames Place , Bronx, NY 10468

Interactive Learning

Morris Park Branch, 985 Morris Park Avenue , Bronx, 10462

Toddlers Lounge

Riverdale Branch, 5540 Mosholu Avenue , Bronx, NY 10471

South Beach Branch, 21-25 Robin Road, Staten Island, NY 10305

Jerome Park Branch

The Mobiles

Color

Furniture

Light

Design

Clason’s Point Branch, 1215 Morrison Avenue, Bronx, NY 10472

Toddlers and Children Area

Riverdale BranchToddlers Area

Mulberry Street Branch, 10 Jersey Street , New York, NY 10012

Toddlers Area

Hamilton Fish Branch, 415 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002

Picture Books Seating

Van Nest Branch, 2147 Barnes Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462

Story Steps

Aguilar Branch, 174 East 110th Street, New York, NY 10029

Children Area

Bloomingdale Branch, 150 West 100th Street, New York, NY 10025

Children Lounge

Fort Washington Branch, 535 West 179th Street, New York, NY10033

Children Area

Fort Washington BranchLampshades

Aguilar BranchTeens Lounge after renovation

Teen CentralTeen Message Center

Hamilton Fish Branch, 415 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002-1197

Teen Lounge

St. George Library Center, 5 Central Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10301

Teen Area

Jerome Park Branch Teen Lounge and Graphic Novels

Muhlenberg Branch, 209 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011

Teens Area

Parkchester Branch, 1985 Westchester Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462 Adults Lounge

Tremont Branch, 1866 Washington Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457

Adults Lounge

Riverdale BranchAdults Area

Belmont Branch, 610 E. 186th Street, Bronx, NY 10458

New Lights in the Atrium

Previous lighting

Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10458

Bronx Library CenterReference Area

Technology / Web 2.0

Classrooms

Computers

Digital Projects

Virtual Space

Humanities and Social Sciences Library476 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018-2788

South Court Classrooms

Science, Industry and Business Library

Classroom

Laptop Docking Area

Fort Washington Branch

Adults Computes

Francis Martin Branch, 2150 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453

Adults Computers

Aguilar BranchTeens Computers

Before renovation

Computer tablewire management

Morris Park Branch, 985 Morris Park Avenue , Bronx, 10462

Teen Computers

Clason’s Point Branch, 1215 Morrison Avenue, Bronx 10472

Teens Information Desk, Computers and Self Check Out

Morris Park Branch, 985 Morris Park Avenue , Bronx, 10462

Children Computes

Aguilar BranchChildren Computers

Bronx Library CenterChildren Computers

Hamilton Fish Branch

Children Computers

Science, Industry and Business LibraryBusiness Information Wall

Outdoor Space

58th Street Branch, 127 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10022-1211

Riverdale Branch, 5540 Mosholu Avenue , Bronx, NY 10471

Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011

Selis Reading Room

Reading Terrace

Great Kills Branch, 56 Giffords Lane, Staten Island, NY 10308

23 September 1954 Glass vestibule under construction

Library for the Performing Arts40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498 Drama Film Dance Reference Desk and Reading Area

Belmont BranchHome to the Enrico Fermi Cultural Center Collection

 Entertainment

Humanities and Social Sciences LibrarySouth Court Auditorium

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Reconsidered: A Conversation with Henry Louis Gates & Margo Jefferson. Moderated by Thelma Golden

Humanities and Social Sciences LibrarySouth Court Theater

Clason’s Point Branch

Community Room

Eastchester Branch, 1385 East Gun Hill Road , Bronx 10469

Community Room

Before renovation

Riverdale BranchCommunity Room

Van Nest BranchCommunity Room

• User-friendly• Interactive• Do-it-yourself

“Relational Aesthetics”

Nicolas BourriaudRelational Aesthetics (1998/english version 2002) and Postproduction (2001)

“A set of artistic practices which take as their theoretical and practical point of departure the whole of human relations and their social context, rather than an independent and private space."

• Freedom to explore opportunities• Imagination to initiate new possibilities• Collaborate with communities

Butler Library Lobby

Lounge as “Third Place”

Guide to Butler Library Study Spaces (Fall semester 2008)

Location: Hours*: Food zone:

Quiet study:

Group study:

Stacks 9am-10:45pm (M-Th), 9am-8:45pm (F), 11am-5:45pm (Sa), 12pm-10:45pm (Su) Yellow Yes

Rm. 202 23/7; closed 7am-8am Green

Rm. 209 23/7; closed 6am-7am Green

Rm. 210 23/7; closed 5am-6am Green

Rm. 211 23/7; closed 5am-6am Green

Rm. 212 23/7; closed 5am-6am Green Yes

Rm. 214 23/7; closed 5am-6am Green

Rm. 301 9am-10:45pm (M-Th), 9am-8:45pm (F), 11am-5:45pm (Sa), 12pm-10:45pm (Su) Red Yes

Rm. 303 23/7; closed 2am-3am Yellow

Rm. 303A 23/7; closed 2am-3am Yellow

Rm. 304 23/7; closed 2am-3am Yellow

Rm. 310 9am-10:45pm (M-Th), 9am-8:45pm (F), 11am-5:45pm (Sa), 12pm-10:45pm (Su) Red Yes

Rm. 401 9am-10:45pm (M-Th), 9am-8:45pm (F), 11am-5:45pm (Sa), 12pm-10:45pm (Su) Yellow

Rm. 403 23/7; closed 3am-4am Green

Rm. 404 23/7; closed 3am-4am Green Yes

Rm. 405 23/7; closed 3am-4am Green Yes

Business Library - Before

Group rooms along perimeter wall

Inside group room

Business Library - After

Geology Library - Before

Geology Lib. - After

Library as a “Third Place” Credits

David Aaron

Amanda Bielskas

Davis Brody Bond

Dattner Architects

Marzena Ermler

Regina Golia

Diana lacshatanere

Anne Lehman

Laini Madhubuti

Mark McClusky

Jonathan Pace

Jennifer Rutner

Noel Ruiz

Edward Walker

Humanities and Social Sciences Library