The opening ceremony of the Kalasatama Library will be held on Monday 15 January 2024. The library is in the Redi Shopping Centre, and it will be a unique multi-purpose space with interiors designed to fuel the imagination. The library’s surface area is 436 square metres.
“The new Kalasatama Library strengthens the city’s local services. It is estimated that high numbers of both families with children and seniors will move into the area, and we want to ensure that all city residents are just a short trip away from the wonderful world of books,” says Paavo Arhinmäki, the deputy mayor of the Culture and Leisure Division.
The interiors of the library facilities are designed by the Helsinki-based agency Rune & Berg Design. The overarching themes in the library design are local identity and accessibility. The library will offer new inspiration on every visit. The library was planned together with the area’s residents. The handprint of children can especially be seen in the library facilities. The language of form used for the couches, for example, was decided based on plasticine models made by children in workshops held for school pupils. A total of 838 people participated in the library design workshops and surveys.
“Kalasatama Library will be a small local library in a bustling shopping centre, in the middle of residents’ daily lives and along their routes. The library’s design pays attention to residents’ wishes for a calm and safe space where customers of all ages feel welcome,” says Erna Marttila, chief librarian at Kalasatama.
The wishes for the new facilities included rooms and corners that are suitable for reading and relaxation. According to Marttila, the library plans also include a cave-like and atmospheric nook where you can read or relax in peace, to complement the other leisure areas.
“The residents’ wishes for the library included surprising elements that fuel the imagination. This will be present in both the furniture and the surfaces. Fairy tales and stories where everything is possible served as inspiration for the design process. Likewise, the Kalasatama Library will also be a place of imagination and possibilities,” Marttila says.
Library events and book selection aim to reach local children and young people
In addition to the familiar basic services, Kalasatama Library will offer its customers the opportunity to organise small-scale events.
“We will hold events in the new library, such as children’s poem and story hours, gaming and movie clubs, and a book club,” Marttila says.
The focus in the library operations is being present for the children, young people and families.
“The basis is that the employees will have time to be present with the children and young people coming to the library,” Marttila says.
The library personnel will also work closely together with the local daycare centres and schools.
The library’s collection of children’s and youth literature will be extensive in relation to the library’s size, which is believed to encourage local children and young people to read books. The small selection of books offered to adults is carefully curated and has a changing theme.