LIBRARIES

More of a Portal than a Place

It’s not surprising that Susan Orlean’s 2019 book The Library Book, described as a ‘riveting true crime exploration and a love letter of libraries’, would appeal to the likes of me, but trust me it’s a cracking read. Full of interesting asides and unexpected twists and turns, the book unpacks the events that lead to the 1989 Los Angeles Public Library fire. While the details of the story may have faded a little from my memory, her discussion on the role and contribution of libraries to their communities has lingered. Most memorable is this statement; ‘In truth, alibrary is as much a portal as it is a place – itisa transit point, a passage’. As we plan for our new Ruyton library, the idea of a library being more of a portal than a place seems to resonate. On the most basic level our library must provide spaces, collections and programs to support the teaching and learning needs of the School community. But of course, in planning for the new library we strive for much more. The Ruyton library, like all good libraries, must help our community grow into the best version of itself.

Absence can sometimes help us crystallise whatwe most value in services and institutions. Iwasn’t the only attendee moved to tears during the Changing Spaces Library Design Conference 2021, as Sarah Slade, Victorian State Library Director, told of her deep sense of loss atbeing forced to close the doors of the library as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This closure was to become the longest interruption in the library’s 164-year history. TheState Library, like all libraries, is so much more than books on a shelf. Recent forced closures remind us that libraries are built to connect. Libraries are built to serve. Libraries are indeed a type ofportal, a chance for its patrons to travel through and emerge somehow changed, andperhaps enlightened. Critical to this, is the provision of safe spaces; physically, emotionally and intellectually safe. Our planning for the new library is underpinned by a desire to empower our students’ journey to become lifelong readers, allowing them to make informed reading choices from diverse collections. Beyond that, our library must provide opportunities for our students, to not only reflect on their own reality, but also explore their place in the world. In planning for the new library, we took inspiration from sites of best practice from around the world. Libraries, while they may take many shapes and forms, must always reflect the needs and values of their communities. Itis not by accident that Florence’s Laurentian Library, designed by Michelangelo, is a thing of classical beauty or that the Icelandic Library of Stykkishólmur provides an immersive experience reflecting the wonders of their glacial environment. Likewise, it is with a sense of celebration and connection that the threeton tubular bell hanging in Denmark’s the Dokk1 Library, is rung to welcome each new baby into the community. I think perhaps my favourite is the Haskell Free Library which sits across the border between the United States and Canada. What a wonderful metaphor for the ways libraries can break down barriers and borders, both intellectually and socially. During the last couple of years, a team of people have been working diligently to create a vision for a new library for Ruyton. Students and staff members have imagined a space that is both functional and beautiful. A space that will serve the needs of today’s students and generations of students to come. Like other world class libraries, we seek to anchor our thinking within the spirit of Ruyton, finding ways to reflect and celebrate the heart and soulof this great school. Julie Purcell Director of Library Resource Centre

Reference: Orlean, S. (2019). The Library Book. London: Atlantic Books