Friday essay: the library – humanist ideal, social glue and now, tourism hotspot

Stuart Kells, La Trobe University Last year two Danish librarians – Christian Lauersen and Marie Eiriksson – founded Library Planet: a worldwide, crowdsourced, online library travel guide. According to them, Library Planet is meant to inspire travellers “to open the awesome book that is our world of libraries, cities and countries”. The name of the…

The Manchester Central Library – a community hub in neoclassical surroundings

Written by Concetta La Spada, library tourist from Cambridge For how to contribute to Library Planet look here:  https://libraryplanet.net/contribute/ In early July, I visited Manchester for the CILIP Conference. I had never been to Manchester and, during my free time, I could visit this city of such important history for the UK. During the Industrial Revolution…

Nørrebro Public Library – a new and buzzing community living room

Written by Library Planet editor Christian Lauersen, director of Libraries and Citizen Services in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark. For how to contribute to Library Planet look here: https://libraryplanetnet.wordpress.com/contribute/ I live on Nørrebro, a part of Copenhagen. It is a neighborhood what are characterized with a large amount of diversity when it comes to ethnical background, economic status and social…

Sydhavnen Library Karensminde, Copenhagen, Denmark – the perfect calm setting for a read

Written by Library Planet editor Marie Eiriksson, library consultant, Denmark. For how to contribute to Library Planet look here:  https://libraryplanetnet.wordpress.com/contribute/ A few weeks ago, on a rainy fall day, I visited my good friend Nicolas from Library School, who works in Copenhagen Public Libraries at Sydhavnen Library. Sydhavnen Library has been in the historical Karensminde building…