NEW FORMATS
The format of Next Library is a “patchwork” of co-learning, co-creative, participatory, engaging, and interactive meetings, and lots of parallel sessions, great keynote speakers, wildcard sessions, demos/exhibitions, gaming, Get2Gether, Social un-conferences, Labs, and surprises.
Libraries are often seen as "public spaces open to everyone." This perception of libraries as accessible places that anyone can visit and use represents one of their most important values. But can all people truly feel free and comfortable there? Might there be invisible forms of exclusion that we're overlooking?
Inclusion doesn't end with slogans or declarations. It requires concrete practices: carefully observing people's experiences, welcoming their stories with hospitality, and reflecting these insights in our spaces and collections. By paying attention to details—from pathways and spatial structures to language and signage, from programs to collections—we can create opportunities for more people to participate together.
What might libraries that embrace diverse bodies, languages, and cultures look like? Who else could libraries welcome? These questions might serve as a starting point for reimagining tomorrow's libraries.
The experiences and content that broaden our perspectives are becoming increasingly diverse. We now encounter new worlds not only through books but also through video and audio, games, and digital tools. Sometimes we continue our exploration through writing, conversations, and hands-on creation. Libraries are evolving into places and platforms that embrace these changes.
What new forms of content and experiences might future libraries hold? Can they encompass the processes of people seeing, hearing, touching, and creating together? Content that communities create collectively might transform libraries into entirely new spaces for learning and growth.
Ultimately, this leads us to consider: what kind of growth is possible within libraries? What content do people need to expand their own worlds and build their narratives? Have you experimented with or imagined new types of content and experiences for libraries? We're curious about your experiences and visions.
We live in an era where knowledge and content are accessible at our fingertips, anytime and anywhere. So why should libraries continue to exist as physical places?
Libraries are spaces we can stumble upon and step into by chance. They're places where unexpected encounters and discoveries happen, where people connect with people and ideas connect with ideas. As human beings, we learn through our senses—we need to touch, see, hear, and experience together. We naturally gather where others gather, seeking connection and shared understanding.
In an age of AI and misinformation, libraries serve as a democratic infrastructure where face-to-face conversations and genuine dialogue can still flourish. They are neutral, safe spaces where people can exercise curiosity, challenge perspectives, and engage in the kind of empathetic exchanges that build community. Here, casual conversations about everyday life can occur naturally alongside more in-depth discussions about democracy and society.
What creates a library's sense of place? What kinds of spaces and experiences are needed to make libraries meaningful in our society? How can libraries become shared living rooms, laboratories, or urban sanctuaries where offline connections matter more than ever? We'd love to have conversations with those who are imagining, creating, and operating libraries as places with these questions in mind.