What does a Library look like?

What does a Library look like?

Is it just a building? A place where people go to find information? A good place to find books? What would a new Library look like?

A few years ago, when the library board started the process of looking at what libraries were doing, they found a bunch of new things that we had not seen. There were libraries that lent out laptops, makerspaces, video editor studios, music studios, family centered libraries, and large genealogy collections. Seed Libraries too, were unique and interesting. Newer libraries for the community that built special collections of board games, or video games.

With those trips the question became what might be important to have in a library here in Bath County. So, the Library did a bubble diagram for the ideas we felt would fit the community. We talked about the importance for people to have quiet spaces, good meeting rooms, and a lot of places to be comfortable and feel good about. We considered including a space for community rooms that doubled as an emergency shelter that could be used by everyone.

As the board and staff combined ideas into the diagram, the bubbles that everyone agreed on got bigger and the ones that were not so important shrank. The largest bubbles were then identified and grouped with other bubbles that would need to be close to them in an actual facility. But are we finished? Do you see something we missed? Help us create a better version of the diagram that fits the needs of our community.

Email us at bcml@bathlibrary.org.

A Library serves its community and needs to have the facilities necessary to make that service possible. So, as we continue to provide facility updates about where the library is in the process of updating our facility plans, please take a few moments to come in, visit, and share what you love about libraries and what you might like to see in the future.