The New Library, Almere, Netherlands
The New Library (De nieuwe bibliotheek) is the public library of Almere, a planned city developed as a suburban area in the east of Amsterdam. Founded in 1976, Almere is actively establishing ties with Asia. Recently it became a Sister City of Shenzhen, China, and Japan in the second largest foreign investor in Almere, with such corporations as Nidec, Mitsubishi Forklift, Kobelco Construction, Kobelco Cranes and Yakhult located in Almere. About one third of the 200,000 or so residents of Almere are members of the municipal library. Library membership is free for children under the age of twelve. The new central library was completed in 2010, and is open seven days a week. It holds over 300,000 titles, including books, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, computer games, reading aids, e-books, and periodicals. Digital resources are available to library members inside and outside the library. In the Dutch library system, The New Library ranks as a Plus library, meaning that although it is a public library, it achieves the level of a college scientific library in materials and services. It offers almost 80 computers for the use of library visitors.
In 2010, the New Library’s building was opened, designed by Meyer and Van Schooten Architects (MVSA), is a Dutch architectural firm. According to their website, their company vision is
Everything MVSA designs should be future proof, contributing to a durable and sustainable society. Our solutions are the result of a collaborative, integrated design approach that embraces the entire architectural process, from first sketch to final detailing. We base each and every design on the functional needs of our client, the specific context of the project and the highest standards of sustainability. Our goal is always to mix this pragmatism with architectural poetry, to create a building that people love to use.
Along with the architectural firm J. van Stigt, MVSA is currently designing the University of Amsterdam’s new library in the Amsterdam city center. As the MVSA website explains,
Almere’s new public library… is one of the latest construction projects forming part of Almere’s city-centre renewal and for which OMA drafted master plans from 1994 to 2005. The new library building houses Almere’s public library, apartments and a lively shopping area… This multi-purpose building forms a focal point on the city’s Stadhuisplein. Its large glass entrance way is located on the square and the library itself is situated on upper floors, accessible via an escalator. The library itself can be clearly seen from all directions, creating a strong link between its function and the activities taking place out on the square… During the design process, we drew inspiration for the library’s look and feel from a monolith – a pillar of rock rising up above its surroundings. In practice, this resulted in concrete elements with natural stone surface finishing and patterning. Large glass walls emphasize contact with the outside world, while skylights and roof gardens organically connect the building’s individual components… The library’s floor plan reveals several loops resembling figures of eight. Using this layout, we created clarity and flexibility for the library’s routing and usage. The library consists of a series of interconnected rooms that together form a route measuring 400 m in length. Ascending terraced floors lead library users from the first to the second floor. Routing starts on the second floor and from a public indoor garden leads on to either the auditorium or to the study centre on the fourth floor via an escalator.
According to an article posted online at the blog Shareable, some visitors commented that the new building looked more like a bookstore than a library. The administrators followed public opinion and were inspired by retail design and merchandising approaches to attract readers. Library staff were trained in aspects of marketing and customer service. The New Library welcomed over 100,000 visitors in the first two months after it opened, a considerable success. Previously, the city’s library system had faced a decline in membership. Part of the problem was that many city residents felt that the old approaches to library service had become too familiar. To liven things up, groups of possible readers were catered for with their own personal shopping areas within the building. Among approaches used by the New Library that are usually seen in retail shopping were informative signs and posters as well as a customer-friendly approach. Online questionnaires revealed that up to three out of four readers did not visit the library looking for a specific book. Most just arrived and looked for what was available or new. By trying to get the readers to pay attention to specific books or other materials, the Dutch librarians used sales techniques to raise their awareness. After receiving over one million visitors in 2013, the library faced new challenges, such as building a generous collection of e-books and developing more digital services. Their mission is to prove that a library as a place to visit and spend time in is an essential part of community life, and cannot be replaced by digitization and the Internet. Aspects of library experience remain that cannot be offered online.
Thailand and the Netherlands
As all Thais know, the Kingdom and the Netherlands have been in contact for trading since the early 1600s. The Netherlands is the European Union’s most significant investor in Thailand. As a Dutch government website observes, Dutch companies are present in the Kingdom in the transport, technology, energy, food and financial services industries:
The Netherlands is Thailand’s main export market in Europe, and trade between the two countries is growing. Dutch imports from Thailand include electronics and office and telecommunications equipment, while electronic goods are the main exports to Thailand. Rotterdam plays an important role as a port of transit for Thai products. The Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce (NTCC) in Thailand promotes trade and investment between the two countries. Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly gaining ground in Thailand.
Educational exchange
Nuffic, the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, is an independent, non-profit organisation based in The Hague, the Netherlands. Its office in Bangkok promotes cooperation between educational institutions and universities in the Kingdom and the Netherlands. In 2015 Nuffic published an interesting comparison between the Thai and Dutch systems of education, available for free download. The Netherlands Fellowship programme encourages Thai student who hope to study in the Netherlands. In 2016, The Nation reported that His Excellency Karel Hartogh, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Kingdom of Thailand pointed out:
In terms of bilateral trade, exports from Thailand to the Netherlands amounted to 2.3 billion euros (Bt92 billion) last year, while Dutch exports to Thailand amounted to 1.07 billion euros.
The same year, it was noted that Dutch investors showed interest in Thailand’s national infrastructure projects, as a gateway to the rest of the ASEAN region. Thailand and the Netherlands are collaborating on technology, innovation, and agriculture, especially water management. Last year a trade show based in Utrecht, Netherlands highlighted Thailand. VIV Asia which will next be held in March 2019, is the largest international livestock trade show in Asia. Held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) on Bangna-trad Road, Bangna, Prakanong, Bangkok, the show features producers of pork, poultry, eggs, fish, and dairy.
(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)