A library should be more than just a quiet place with rows of bookshelves, desks, pin-drop silence, and people shushing each other.
Instead, imagine a diverse, multi-use space for creativity, reflection, discovery, fun and play—a place of life—open to the community. Imagine comfortable seating and colorful spaces where you can stop by after school or work or on the weekend to play board games with your friends, lounge around on a bean bag reading your favorite novels (or maybe writing one!), surf the internet on an e-tablet, find language learning material according to your level, listen to a live storytelling session, watch movies, or enjoy a tiny desk concert by the shelves. Of course, there should also be a study corner where conversations are allowed but loud noises are discouraged but that is just one part of what a library can be.
These are just some of the ideas our team explored with our trainer Florence Dimani at the Alliance Française de Karachi as we begin to rethink our library and médiathèque. Merci à Florence Dimani et à l'Institut Français pour cette formation animée et engageante !
Are libraries a part of your life? Have you visited the Alliance Française de Karachi library? If you have any ideas on how we can make the space more engaging and welcoming, we’d love to hear from you as we begin to think through this.
