Each chapter in this cutting-edge text addresses this critical question, capturing the insights and practical ideas of leading international librarians, educators and designers to offer you a ‘creative resource bank’ that will help to transform your library and learning spaces. This is an innovative and practical toolkit introducing concepts, drawing together opinions and encouraging new ways of thinking about library learning spaces for the future.

The book is structured in three parts. Part 1 – Projects and trends describes features of library space around the world through a selection of focused case studies painting a global picture, identifying common directions and ideas as well as highlighting country and regional diversity.

Part 2 – Trends and ideas looks at the why and how of library space, covering topics such as contextual factors, current ideas in library space development, and the creative design of new spaces. It examines how library spaces are adapting to new forms of learning, digital literacies and technological fluency.

Finally, Part 3 – Ideas and futures looks to the future of libraries and their learning spaces, inviting future-scanning contributions from a diverse range of authors, including librarians, learning specialists, academics, architects, an interior designer, a furniture designer and a management specialist.

Readership: This is a must-have text for those involved in designing and developing library and learning spaces, from library and university management to designers and architects. It’s also a useful guide for students taking courses in library and information science to get to grips with the importance of library design.

About the Author

Les Watson, well known for his work on the Saltire Centre, is now a freelance educational consultant on library, learning and IT issues. He has worked in education for 40 years as a teacher, lecturer, dean and pro-vice-chancellor and has managed libraries and information services in several organizations. He has considerable experience of library developments, creating, in addition to the Saltire Centre (2006), REAL@Caledonian (2001), tlc@bedford for Royal Holloway, University of London, (2008), and the Fountains refurbishment for York St John University (2011).

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