Library Science Talks - Knut Skansen (Oslo)

Link zum Livestream

The new Deichman main Library - Do we still need public libraries?

Oslo public library, founded in 1785, consists of 22 libraries. During the last 6 years, almost all branch in the city have undergone an extensive upgrade and refurbishment. At the core of the design process is strong focus on social interaction and creating “public living rooms” for the communities. The development has repositioned the libraries in the city and made them more relevant than ever. This development culminated with the opening of the 20.000 square meters big Deichman Bjørvika, the new central library, in June 2020. Deichman Bjørvika has already reached the goal of 2 million visits per year despite the effects of the pandemic. In this lecture, the focus will be on the history of the public library in Europe and the design process and development of the library room as well as the change in staff competence, use of technology and user involvement. At the end of the lecture, I will draw up the major strategic lines for Oslo Public library for the next years. The lecture also includes a video from the new main library.

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