What libraries need now is a relevant evolution of ideas.

Libraries are one of the oldest and most prominent institutions in any society. They have been around for a long time, but they are now facing major challenges that threaten their existence. The need to evolve is urgent; libraries need to be relevant today and tomorrow. Libraries should not just be repositories of books, but spaces where people come together to share ideas and knowledge, about anything from technology to philosophy.

There is a deep need for libraries to evolve and be spaces where people come together. In the digital age, public library systems can’t just be repositories of books; they have to provide an experience that cannot be replicated online or in bookstores – a “third place” where people are stimulated by new ideas. Libraries should not just offer large collections of newspapers, magazines, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs but also provide access to web platforms for the access of fact-checked digital content with open access points. They should sponsor discussions on current events related to history as well as topical issues such as world hunger or immigration reform. 

We asked our community of Architects to share their ideas and thoughts on: 

"How can we rewrite the universal definition of a public library and democratize education and learning through refreshing spatial ideas?"

As always, the architecture community came up with some brilliant ideas. Here are the top 5 ideas that architects came up with:

1. The Book Tower

The book tower is a new social instrument. Everybody with the knowledge to sharing could perform in the space, and open to the public. The new role of the library will become the vital think tank of the city. The public domain spiral and characterized by diverse learning activities, intertwining with the city view. - Zhiyuan Zhang, Hua Xing, Zhengshuai Hu, & Jiayong Lu.  

2. S T O P - MOTION

"Libraries are places of accumulation. But it is not only books that accumulate; it is also human, experience and city. The tool of this accumulation process is flow. When something starts to flow, accumulation occurs. As a result, libraries are actually places of flow." -  Oğuz Kağan Erge & Burçin Pelin Kantaş

3. SHIFTER

Shifter, which considers the urban and library users together, provides a continuous change of both space and time with its programs. The library finds itself on the gap created by this change. Crossing between the most familiar way of recording knowledge to the most formless one - Bengüsu Yeşiloğlu & İrem Malgas.

4.  Tower of Wisdom

In order to be able to serve as an information hub in the twenty-first century, libraries need electronic workstations and even futuristic technologies such as virtual reality on top of traditional hard-copy books which will always remain at the core of libraries. The design tells a story and manifests the way to wisdom into built architecture. - Thomas Gössler.

5. Shell

The project establishes the space of self-learning by creating a multi-layered formation in the region with the shell that takes its reference from the historical walls of the city. . With the changing architecture as a result of the concept of individuality, the shell and deformed topography constitute the future library - Beyza Ayaz