Library Board of Trustees Agenda and Packet 2010 08 12

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CITY LIFE Libraries Come Alive New mixed -use, multimedia libraries offer a direct route into the life of a city—off the tourist track. ByJONATHAN LERNER p ERHAPSYOU still have that last century idea of libraries, whisper quiet and offering little beyond books. But libraries are changing. And many new ones, especially central branch- es in places like Vancouver, Salt Lake City, and Brisbane, Australia, are intended to be hives of activity. They incorporate galler- ies, performance spaces, and stylish cafes. Often designed to stimulate downtown re- generation, they can be impressive works of architecture, too. According to Maija Berndtson, library director in Helsinki, Finland, where a new library is planned, today's library is a "cultural meeting point where city dwellers can spend their free time, feel at home, and meet others right in the center of town." Even better for travelers, these new- generation libraries offer an entree right into a city's life. CHECK ITOUT Millennium Library. in Norwich, a historic English city northeast of London, is a prime example. Located across a city- center plaza from a magnifi- cent 15th- century church, it is part of a soaring, glassy mixed -use building called The Forum. Your first stop in the Forum Mountain high: Salt Lake City's library includes a rooftop garden and views of the Wasatch Range. might logically be the Norwich Tourist Information Centre. There, besides find- ing area maps and restaurant rips, you can reserve space on one of 12 themed and guided city walks. At the library itself, consult local history experts at the Heri- tage Centre or give the kids a break from sightseeing with a romp in the colorful children's area. If your interest is military history, visit the 2nd Air Division Memo- rial Library, which honors the nearly 7,000 U.S. airmen who died during World War II while stationed in this part of England. There is much more to do before you leave the Forum. Explore Fusion, a digital screen gallery with a series of screens that display a changing program of films, videos, and elec- tronic art. Also housed here are the BBC's regional television and radio studios, where you can sign on for a SMART TRAVELER behind the scenes tour and try operating a camera or reading the news yourself at the Open Studio. The Forum is also a venue for shows and exhibitions, nearly all free, including one (running from May 29 to June 4, 2010), of winning works from the U.K. Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards. The Forum also is a regular stop for the stand -up funny guys from London's Comedy Store. STACKED WITH ART Not every new library has a wide range of offerings. But many bring their own unique elements to the mix. At Santa Cruz,Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, the library is part of a striking new building, by famed Swiss architects Herzog de Meuron, called Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (Tenerife Art Book It: New tomes mix with artwork at the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes. TRAVELER .NATIONALGI5OGRAPHIC.COM 53