The Temple and the Playhouse

Published on 20120201
 

In the heated (well, hopefully heated) discussions about the library some people like to toss up a conflict which I think is based on an imagined dichotomy.  The library, some say, should not be an entertainment area. Beware of the book temple image is the response from others. These two standpoints are often seen as opposing each other. Those concerned by the “entertainment” branding, marked as highbrow elitists from the other party, are worried that the libraries are sinking in to the marshes as Disneyworld franchises with video games and Starbucks serving coffee and muffins being the main attractions.  The other side, described as whimsical opportunists by the opponents, is afraid that the libraries, or at least that the perceived image of libraries, are turning in to dusty book containers. From my point of view I can´t see why modernisation of services like ...

  • establishing the library as the community space – give the key to the community
  • having hundreds or thousands of programs
  • enhancing self service
  • virtualizing a substantial part of the staff energy

...conflict with core library values like literacy, digital literacy, equal right to information and so on. It shouldn´t.  Imagine having small theatre groups, poets, authors, storytellers performing every morning, every afternoon, and every evening at the library. Coffee daytime, wine at the evening. Or the other way around :-). Such a programme of activity would surely not, because of the content, shake the image of the literature temple but will transcend the library in to a literary entertainment theatre. There are endless possibilities of combining these programmes with workshops, book circles, virtual presentations, forums and so on.

Of course a small library in a small town wouldn’t have the public to fill such an ambitious schema but the point I think is clear. The library could easily be the cultural playhouse of the town and still stick to the uttermost core values of the library pioneers of the old days.
Bending that a bit by throwing in a guessing  game of which poet wrote which phrase, having a local jazz band playing for a Sunday brunch and local artists hanging their art from the roof (with a parallel web presentation) we will soon have the discussion of the library services core values going again. And it should. Why not? Love that!

 

 
Written by: Boris Ukotic Zetterlund
Categories: playhouse temple literary entertainment theatre
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