Model libraries

Knowledge for young people

The model library in Poland: Planeta 11

In the beginning, there was the Gütersloh pilot library. It wasn't designed to be huge or ornate, but, as Reinhard Mohn expressed it, to have "a high rate of use at a low level of cost." Subsequently, the same model was used for the Biblioteca Can Torró in Alcúdia on the island of Majorca and the Mubarak Public Library in Cairo, as well as libraries in Bochum and Dresden. Customer orientation was the main focus for these institutions as well. Additional model libraries have also been established in Poland, in the cities of Olsztyn and Wroclaw.

Gütersloh Public Library

Promoting of reading, little bureaucracy and operations that are economically sound over the long term -- those were the prerequisites for reopening the Gütersloh Public Library in 1984. It very quickly became an intrinsic part of everyday life in Gütersloh. A major service provider had appeared right in the heart of the city, one that was simultaneously a center for information services, cultural offerings and educational needs. Its success can be ascribed to a number of factors: its modern spatial design, its pleasant atmosphere, the range of possibilities for its use, its extensive media offerings and their clearly organized presentation.

Setting our sights on library development

Together with partners in Bochum and Dresden, the Bertelsmann Stiftung spent five years helping Germany's cities develop state-of-the-art municipal library systems and finding new ways for organizing the operations of local library branches. As part of this process, methods were developed for increasing public awareness of the libraries' resources and acquiring new users, for example by identifying key topics and target groups, by promoting strategic partnerships with local organizations and by developing new forms of marketing and communication.

Biblioteca C'an Torró, Alcúdia

Life at the Biblioteca C'an Torró is particularly lively, since younger patrons in particular have made it a regular part of their daily activities. Local officials in the city of Alcúdia on the Spanish island of Majorca have worked together with the Bertelsmann Stiftung to provide residents with a communications center that offers a diversity of resources and services. By participating in the Comparing Businesses project run by the Fundación Bertelsmann in Barcelona, the library's performance was quantified, compared with other organizations and, where necessary, adjusted. In addition, the Public Libraries and Schools project offered the Biblioteca C'an Torró the opportunity to enter into in-depth, across-the-board partnerships with local educational institutions. Its beneficial impact can be seen on a daily basis.

Mubarak Public Library, Cairo

For the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the Mubarak Public Library, which opened in March 1995, was its first pilot project in the Arab world. For the first time, the concept of a state-of-the-art public library, which had proven effective in Gütersloh, was introduced into another cultural setting. The goal of using as much of the institution's resources as possible and the focus on customer service were retained. At the same time, media offerings and events and the library's organizational structure were tailored to reflect the realities of Arabic media and culture.

Model libraries for young people in Poland

Libraries for younger patrons were created in two Polish cities, Wroclaw and Olsztyn, in 2004. The libraries are designed to offer access to information of specific interest to children and young adults, strengthen their reading and information skills, and contribute to their learning, career choices and everyday pursuits. One quarter of Poland's population are children or young adults; building model libraries for young patrons there is thus an excellent fit. The Bertelsmann Stiftung is heading the project until 2007 in close collaboration with the participating municipalities of Wroclaw and Olsztyn and their public libraries. Until then, both libraries will be systematically expanded and their marketing efforts fine-tuned. The Bertelsmann Stiftung will then conclude its contribution to the project by extensively documenting and evaluating its efforts.

Model libraries for young people in Spain (Fundación Bertelsmann, Spain)

The project's objective is to establish a modern model library for young people between the ages of 16 and 25, offering a central access point for all their information requirements and media preferences. Consistent target-group orientation, the use of business management methods, and a constantly updated range of multimedia offerings make the facility customer-friendly, efficient and attractive. The use of new technologies provides research options tailored to young people's needs. In addition, the library will offer programs supporting reading and information skills, along with practical resources geared to a number of areas, including personal education and career choices.