Ādisōke [Ottawa's New Central Library] | U/C

[silvergate]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

As a general rule of thumb, in North America 1995 is a significant date of birth cutoff. Generally, people born after 1995 are "full digital"--they generally grew up not playing outside, and never knew a world without the internet or ebooks or cell phones or computers in every house. This group, called Generation Z, has a large number of interesting traits based on this--for example, these people are far more likely to have very bad handwriting (most in this age group do not know how to write cursive at all), and generally, aren't that into paper books.

By contrast, those born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, despite generally growing up in the digital age, still have a large proportion of their numbers reading paper books and writing notes in cursive. And while probably not the majority, old school librairies still have a decent enough following from this cohort.

The death of the traditional library from attrition of paper book people is a long ways off yet.

People still write in cursive? People still write by hand?

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

As a general rule of thumb, in North America 1995 is a significant date of birth cutoff. Generally, people born after 1995 are "full digital"--they generally grew up not playing outside, and never knew a world without the internet or ebooks or cell phones or computers in every house. This group, called Generation Z, has a large number of interesting traits based on this--for example, these people are far more likely to have very bad handwriting (most in this age group do not know how to write cursive at all), and generally, aren't that into paper books.

By contrast, those born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, despite generally growing up in the digital age, still have a large proportion of their numbers reading paper books and writing notes in cursive. And while probably not the majority, old school librairies still have a decent enough following from this cohort.

The death of the traditional library from attrition of paper book people is a long ways off yet.

Even if 1995 is the cutoff (and given that e-books already have a 30% market share that seems a little surprising), those kids will be pushing 30 by the time the new library opens and pushing 70 by the time the building reaches the tear down or renovate stage, so it makes little sense to build a library counting on the long term future of the stacks. Also I wonder how many of the p-book readers are still using the stacks (as opposed to reserving online) so the stacks may go extinct before the paper books do.

[Aylmer]

I was born in 1995 and now that I think about it, I don't think I've EVER played outside in my life. Ever.




It seems that, for as long as there has been a younger generation, we've feared that it would be THAT generation that would ruin the human race and bring about rapture. Rest assured, we "digitals" know both what the sun is and how to actually speak in real life. We will no more forget how to interact with other human beings than the Boomers were supposed to bring about corruption and anarchy with their newfangled rock and roll.

And the sun shall rise in the east and set in the west.

/montée de lait

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I was born in 1995 and now that I think about it, I don't think I've EVER played outside in my life. Ever.




It seems that, for as long as there has been a younger generation, we've feared that it would be THAT generation that would ruin the human race and bring about rapture. Rest assured, we "digitals" know both what the sun is and how to actually speak in real life. We will no more forget how to interact with other human beings than the Boomers were supposed to bring about corruption and anarchy with their newfangled rock and roll.

And the sun shall rise in the east and set in the west.

/montée de lait

Nope. Wrong. This time it's it. Fur realz.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Even if 1995 is the cutoff (and given that e-books already have a 30% market share that seems a little surprising), those kids will be pushing 30 by the time the new library opens and pushing 70 by the time the building reaches the tear down or renovate stage, so it makes little sense to build a library counting on the long term future of the stacks. Also I wonder how many of the p-book readers are still using the stacks (as opposed to reserving online) so the stacks may go extinct before the paper books do.

I think we are far too quick to generalize these things. My kids are born more than a decade after the 1995 cutoff, and they still read paper books regularly, go to the library to take out books, share books with friends etc. Their school library is still full of books that they take out every week. When I go to the library on a weekend, I find it full of people, and it's not all the senior crowd. I would be surprised if paper books go extinct any time in the foreseeable future.

[OTSkyline]

For me, the new central library is much more of a community gathering spot than an actual book-lending organization.

We need an attractive, open and pleasant area where people can meet to chat, work on a project, read a book, newspaper, etc... I know I would love to have a public place where I could go sometime for this type of thing but the current central library is a concrete dungeon (no thank you) and other places around usually get crowded and busy to meet up (like Tim Hortons or Rideau etc..). So I usually end up setting up shop at a nearby Starbucks with a good newspaper or my laptop.

[Temperance]

I've been in many cities with brand-new very well-used libraries. Amsterdam and The Hague come to mind. I would, first of all, sign a note of caution that ebooks are replacing paper books. There are many, many books (both past and present) which are never digitised. If we simply throw out all paper books this is a significant reduction in our knowledge. Moreover, there is a simple preference among many people for paper books.

Secondly, as the article states, modern libraries are about much more than just books. They should have access to a diverse range of resources (including digital collections which are not normally accessible to individual consumers). They can (and should) also have public meeting spaces, as well as other amenities including restaurants/cafe, cinema, study spaces, etc.

[eltodesukane]

Local libraries are more useful/important than one central library.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by eltodesukane

Local libraries are more useful/important than one central library.

And Ottawa has over 30 branch libraries, which probably has an impact on decisions relating to the Central Library.

[Urbanarchit]

*

[Arcologist]

I signed up for the session at City Hall. Should be fun!

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Temperance

I've been in many cities with brand-new very well-used libraries. Amsterdam and The Hague come to mind. I would, first of all, sign a note of caution that ebooks are replacing paper books. There are many, many books (both past and present) which are never digitised. If we simply throw out all paper books this is a significant reduction in our knowledge. Moreover, there is a simple preference among many people for paper books.

Secondly, as the article states, modern libraries are about much more than just books. They should have access to a diverse range of resources (including digital collections which are not normally accessible to individual consumers). They can (and should) also have public meeting spaces, as well as other amenities including restaurants/cafe, cinema, study spaces, etc.

Fair enough, but recently opened libraries were probably planned a decade or more ago (i.e. before Kindle). Ottawa has the advantage of planning for a library in the post-kindle era, in an environment where e-books already have a 30% market share and streaming is an increasingly preferred method of delivering content. Ottawa can therefore consider whether a library opening in the 2020s needs to look like a library built in the 1990s.

I agree that it will probably be necessary to store paper books for the foreseeable future because of a lack of digitization or other reasons, but I think the question is whether the city needs its book warehouse downtown or whether it can go somewhere else. If during the course of the library's lifetime most of its users are either using electronic resources or ordering books online to be picked up at the front desk then it makes little sense to warehouse books downtown (where land costs are high). It might be better to store a few thousand books downtown (popular titles, new releases) and put the rest somewhere else.

My big concern is the footprint. If the library has to store a large collection of paper books, plus include restaurants, cinemas, study space, meeting space, etc. then the footprint is going to be too large for a downtown site and the thing is pretty much going to have to go to Bayview or Hurdman or somewhere else detached from the community.

[waterloowarrior]

consultation happening now...
http://ottawacentrallibrary.ca/

[citydwlr]

A poll done on CTV news tonight indicated 66% of respondents felt a new Central Library was not needed :S (At the time of this posting, there were 873 respondents).

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/community/poll-results

[rocketphish]

Ottawans urged to dream about a new downtown library

Robert Sibley, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: March 31, 2015, Last Updated: March 31, 2015 9:46 PM EDT

“If it’s out there, it’s in here.”

With that catchy phrase, a trio of consultants urged — and challenged — Ottawans at an open house Tuesday evening to rethink their notions of what a public library can and should be. In their presentation the consultants from the U.S. firm Library Strategies International outlined how the old notion of a library as a building mostly containing books has changed in the last decade or so, largely because of the advent of digital technologies.

“Ten or 15 years what was available in a library was in a building with books,” said Susan Kent, one of the consultants. “Now what’s available is what’s out there in the world. You can have a building now that contains the world.”

She and her partners, June Garcia and Kathryn Taylor, were speaking to 180 people who’d registered for the open house at Jean Pigott Place, with another 570 participating online. The session, sponsored by the Ottawa Public Library, was intended to get the public’s input on a potential new central library.

Judging by the turnout — there was a waiting list for those wanting to attend — it appears many Ottawans want a new central library. It’s a sentiment both library board chairman Tim Tierney and Mayor Jim Watson, who, still on crutches, put in a brief appearance as the open house, share.

“I believe that we can build a world-class facility for our nation’s capital,” said Watson.

“The first priority of the library board is a new library,” Tierney, who is also the councillor for Beacon Hill-Cyrville, told the audience. And he thinks the time is ripe for such a project. Ten years ago, no one was interested in such a project, but now “people want to talk about a news library.”

The current library on the corner of Metcalfe Street and Laurier Avenue is more than 40 years old, having opened in 1971. Cramped and bunker-like, it is widely considered out of date in terms of technology, amenities and functionality.

The Ottawa Public Library board is considering the possibility of a public-private partnership to build a new downtown library, but wants input from citizens on what they think is needed in a new facility.

A 2014 consultant’s report estimated that just renovating the existing facility would cost at least $70 million. Building a new library would likely cost no less, if not more. The new Halifax Public Library, for example, cost $57 million.

Watson said he’d like to see a library project added to the city’s list of “dream” capital works such as the Arts Court and the light rail transit system. “I’m confident a new central library can be added to those projects that are near and dear to our hearts,” he said.

Similarly, Tierney argued that a new library needs to “a place were people get together, a place for community engagement and collaboration.”

The consultants at Tuesday’s open house reiterated that view. They pointed out that libraries in many cities are reinventing themselves as de facto town squares and community gathering places, offering not only books but everything from 3D printing and online research capabilities to theatres and classes in “culinary literacy.”

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawans-urged-to-dream-about-a-new-downtown-library

[movebyleap]

Originally Posted by citydwlr

A poll done on CTV news tonight indicated 66% of respondents felt a new Central Library was not needed :S (At the time of this posting, there were 873 respondents).

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/community/poll-results

I voted!...and then I scrolled down to see the results of previous polls. Who are all these Negative Nellies?!? No to library, no to Kanye, no to Bluesfest, no to Uber, no to Lansdowne's new theatre, even no to hockey fever. And they still think the sunshine list threshold ought to be $100,000. LOL! Are they all CFRA listeners? (I am - so I recognize the type)

[1overcosc]

Newspaper commenters tend to be disproportionately from the 'grouchy right' segment of the population--ie CFRA's target demographic--so I'm not surprised.

[Urbanarchit]

*

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by citydwlr

A poll done on CTV news tonight indicated 66% of respondents felt a new Central Library was not needed :S (At the time of this posting, there were 873 respondents).

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/community/poll-results

Not a poll.

[rocketphish]

Q and A: Shedding light on the library of the future

Paula McCooey, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: March 31, 2015, Last Updated: March 31, 2015 9:33 PM EDT

Lyn Rice of Rice+Lipka Architects in New York City has been busy giving libraries around the Big Apple a facelift over the past three years.

Among the firm’s notable projects was the Hamilton Grange Library Teen Center in Harlem, described as the New York Public Library’s “first full-floor dedicated teen space.” Unlike the dark, formal buildings of the past, the modern spaces Rice and his colleagues create are designed to draw not only light, but also people from all walks of life.

As Ottawa moves closer to the renewal of its central library — the topic of a public discussion Tuesday night at city hall — the Citizen spoke with Rice about the evolution of libraries.

Q How do you see libraries in the future?

A The library is so much in demand as a new civic space, a place that has kind of gone by the wayside in previous decades. And we don’t have public meeting spaces so much anymore. We rely on Starbucks or Barnes and Noble to provide what used to be provided by civic functions and parks. So the library really has a place. Like in New York I know there is in demand for after school care, extra-curricular programs, not just reading programs but all kinds of youth programs, programs for the elderly, and it also becomes a venue for community meetings.

Q Other than books, what do new libraries include these days?

A The library is getting to a place where it’s more about participating than just book learning, but also providing access to individual exploration through internet technology, through gaming. I know at our teen centre we have a glass cylinder (room) where kids can go in and play Guitar Hero and Wii and they get physical and they get loud. They have bleachers for poetry readings and film screenings, niches for studying and lounges for more casual book readings and group spaces for socializing. Food and drink are allowed in a portion of it.

Q How are the building designed differently today?

A (The goal) of pretty much every project we are working on is to add daylight, and have that relationship to the outside … because it’s such a critical component of mental health. There’s really no reason not to have a lot of daylight. In the ’70s we saw a lot of additional egress stairs, people were blocking up windows, and sometimes without explanation.

Q How should the design make people feel?

A It was a rougher times in the ’70s in New York, everything got very defensive and bars got put on windows, and now we are stripping all of that away. And it’s kind of a metaphor for what I think is happening in general. The formality that might be a little intimidating for not just youth but older people is being stripped away and I think the emphasis is on welcome and warmth and almost having this kind of home for learning and exploring new relationships and information.

Q What helps to keep a library space current?

A There has to be more flexibility in terms of what libraries can provide. Like advanced technology zones that are designed in a way that they can be reconfigured easily (for new technology).

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

[email protected]

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/q-and-a-shedding-light-on-the-library-of-the-future