A Beacon of Hope: Libraries for the Future

A Beacon of Hope: Libraries for the Future, Wednesday 30th August, 2pm-4pm, GWL

Libraries are one of our only surviving free public spaces. They are accessible, diverse hubs that allow people to gather together, share ideas and imagine different futures. In this spirit, we’re thrilled to welcome two inspirational libraries from across the world, to share what they’re doing and to spark our own imagination about what the future could look like for libraries in Scotland. Oodi, Helsinki’s Central Library and Book Bunk from Nairobi will be zooming in online to give us a flavour of their amazing approaches to transforming public spaces, from tackling climate change, to celebrating activism, to opening their doors to new audiences. There will be time for questions before we share tea and cake, roll up our sleeves and explore together how we imagine our libraries of the future and how we can shape them.

This event is supported by CILIPS Research Fund. Oodi, Helsinki’s central library, opened in 2018 and can be found right at the heart of the city, opposite the parliament building. The flagship library for a nation of booklovers, Oodi is proud to be a welcoming, living and breathing space for everyone, providing opportunities for people to learn, share, meet, read and create. Founded in Nairobi in 2017, Book Bunk are restoring, revitalising and reimagining some of the city’s most iconic public libraries. Their work is rooted in a love for literature and storytelling, and the belief that art is a major catalyst for social change. Book Book envisions libraries as places where we can go to learn about who we are, and where art and creativity can be nurtured, protected, shared and celebrated.