Last month, Finland opened a new library meant to quench its ever-burning thirst for good books.
Most countries aren#’ so passionate about libraries — but then again, Finland isn’t like most countries. In order to celebrate its 100 year independence anniversary, Finland built a flagship library — a futuristic building in central Helsinki featuring not only 100,000 books but also 3D printing gear and sewing machines for creators, rehearsal rooms for musicians, a small cinema and several specialized spaces, all of which can be used for free.
Now, library officials announced that the facility is so popular that it’s running out of books. As many as 5,000 books are being borrowed a day, with over 66,000 books being borrowed over the month of December — although the library wasn’t even open until the 5th. CDs, working material and other media are also being borrowed at a remarkable rate.
In particular, the children’s section seems to be extremely popular. It makes a lot of sense, considering that the country’s love for books is also harbored in the new generations. Several of the bookshelves in the children section are already bare, with all the books being lent.
However, the lack of available literature on the shelves likely probably won’t curb visitor numbers by too much.
Oodi, as the library is called, strives to be a “living room” for visitors, serving not only to offer books to readers but also to offer an accessible and pleasant space to read or work in.
“The building is big and impressive without seeming like an industrial hall. It is surprisingly cosy. The cafés are a wonderful idea. Customers do not have to settle for coffee from a machine. This could be a great spot for a remote working day,” some of the library’s visitors pondered.
The fact that a library can raise this much interest is remarkable and it’s a problem many countries would probably like to have.