Library makeover: The sanctuary of the mind

Abstract

When we were kids, each of us has a favourite place to hide. It’d be a cosy sanctuary for comfort and relaxation. We had this idea in mind when we first started our library makeover project in 2008. We wanted to transform the library into a safe place, and home for everyone. The makeover process is not only about facelift of the building. It involves reconfiguring interior space, improving the contents, and expanding the roles of librarians to meet the educational needs and serve the community. New spaces are added and repurposed as discussion rooms, multipurpose event space, and cyber centre. The librarian becomes the change agent to transform the society. Consequently, it attracts larger crowd, our group of customers becomes wider, and as such reinforces the library’s role as a community anchor. By providing a conducive one-stop centre, we can nurture individuals and foster the communities. We support the society by offering a well-equipped library to achieve their personal goals in terms of financial, career, family, health and spiritual. It definitely takes some massive effort of people to transform the society, but it starts with individuals and a library.