The Information Specialist's Scoop

by Stephanie Bonjack

Here’s my theory: the proliferation of "shoppes" and "towne centers" may have satisfied a need (or collective desire) for designer sunglasses, fusion restaurants, and relaxing places to drink coffee, but commercial spaces will never satisfy all of the needs that a library can address. A great library has the potential to serve as a community hub, where resources and services intersect with work, learning, and culture. A space designed to facilitate such interactions while making the patron feel something – inspired, creative, curious – cannot be replicated commercially.

Image: Jose Vasconcelos Library

Via Miguel Mimoso Correia, Karen du Toit