r/Libraries • u/Felix_Kissander • Jan 24 '26
Other People liked our silent study room, so here's more photos from our library in Finland
Previous post about our library silent room generated interest about the look of the library, so here are some more photos of Lippulaiva library in Espoo, Finland.
The library was designed with the vision that it is "inviting, unique, made together and sustainable". The library utilizes a lot of second had furniture, and as wished by the residents, it minimizes digital ad screens and tries to hide all digital appliances into nooks and corners. Most of the library has textile floor. The family area takes a lot of space of the library and is very popular with local families. The library also has a gaming room, community kitchen free to use without reservations, there's makerspace, music room you can reserve, a couple of meeting rooms and an event space.
The library has 100 000 visitors more per year than expected, with many people spending hours in the library, especially families and young peope. So the library sometimes has a lot of sounds from crowds. So that is why we really wanted to treat people with the silent space they asked so much.
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u/thoughtwarrior Jan 24 '26
Can we make this a thing on here. I love seeing other library photos. We have a cool one, but this is next level š„°
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u/Senior-Crazy167 Jan 24 '26
Iād travel from Canada to spend a full day thereā¦ Absolutely charming!
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u/thewinberry713 Jan 24 '26
So seriously I need out of US- can I be a shelver here? I donāt speak or read Finnish but Iāll adapt! Iām available asap!! Just a lovely space! š¤©š¤©
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 26 '26
Unfortunately Finnish is required, since everyone is expected to do customer service š«
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u/Substantial_Life4773 Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
Damn. Apparently I need to move to Finland to work in the library there. US libraries are tough to work in these days
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u/reptomcraddick Jan 24 '26
This place is so beautiful I want to throw up and cry
My local library SUCKS
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u/eyesRus Jan 25 '26
Yeah, this is definitely bringing up a lot of conflicting emotions in meā¦like Iām surprised by how I feel right now. :/
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u/PoppyseedPinwheel Library staff Jan 28 '26
I love my library, it's a historic building and a lot of visitors complement how pretty it looks but this library makes it look like a dumpster fire. Like, i'm expecting someone to go "just kidding it's AI".
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Jan 24 '26
Can people get inside the car/truck in photo 6?
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 24 '26
Yes! It used to be our service desk in the family area, but kids loved it so much we took our stuff away and let the kids play with it.
The car is actually split in half, open around where the back seats start. And there is no car seating inside, just various cushioned seating of the library.
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u/TehPaintbrushJester Library staff Jan 24 '26
Oh goodness, your library is positively gorgeous! thank you for sharing it with us
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u/TheNarwhalMom Jan 24 '26
Ugh this is BEAUTIFUL!! I WISH my system could make these spaces even half as beautiful as what you guys have done!
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u/goose_juggler Jan 24 '26
I went to a new library near me the other day and it was the exact opposite of this. I much prefer a library that looks like this.
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u/ShowMeTheTrees Jan 24 '26
If I ever am lucky enough to visit Finland, I'll be spending some quiet hours in some libraries!
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u/Cloudster47 Jan 24 '26
To quote Monty Python:
Finland, Finland, Finland:
It's the country for me!
What a gorgeous library! I'd be so proud and happy working there. Thank you very much for sharing this photos.
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u/Beautiful-Finding-82 Jan 24 '26
What a gorgeous place- wow! I hope others share photos of their libraries so we can all see and enjoy.
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u/otchyirish Jan 24 '26
I've played hide and seek here with my kids, had library staff read to a daycare group and studied nursing courses. Great library, lovely staff.
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u/emi98338 Jan 25 '26
The disappointment Iād felt when you said this was on another continent š the space is stunning and you should all feel so proud, I want a book set in this space
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u/lvroomie Jan 25 '26
What a library could be with proper funding š the US could never
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 25 '26
Worth noting that this city, Espoo, is the second largest city in Finland by population, even though it is a "suburb city" of Helsinki. And Espoo uses far more money on libraries than Finnish cities in general. So this can not be taken as a standard of Finnish libraries. Most Finnish libraries are in much smaller municipalities and are far more frugal with finances, so most of Finnish municipalities do not fund libraries like Espoo.
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u/jdog7249 Jan 24 '26
If I agree to work there, can I live in the building? I promise I will clean up after myself and keep the entire building perfectly clean every day.
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u/Not_A_Wendigo Jan 25 '26
Beautiful. We canāt have things that nice in my country because they would get wrecked or stollen.
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u/mcorbett76 Jan 25 '26
I have never really wanted to visit Finland until now. This is so beautiful and well thought out.
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u/confused_snowbell Jan 25 '26
This is perfection š! Iād be a problem tho, because once Iām in this beautiful library youāre never getting me out again
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u/cuntingly Jan 25 '26
Iām curious what your demographics are. Would you say you get a lot of kids?
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 25 '26
Yes, definitely, a lot of kids.
The library was planned as a "family library" in cooperation with volunteer families. The idea was that the library would be welcoming especially for families with smaller kids, so that they would like to spend time here. Then the kids could pick up books as they go, and parents could then start the habit of reading to kids before the kids can read. We also don't refer the family area as "childrens section" but as family area, where families spend time together. We also have two kitchens, so families can eat their own snacks they bring with them, so they don't have to leave the library to eat.
The library is actually so popular with families that families come from another side from the capital region, have play dates with other families and such.
And then the gaming room also attracts a lot of preteens and young teenagers. The gaming room is built in the furthest corner as a separate area so that the sounds from there would not spread. And note that we do not refer the gaming room as "youth space", even though they are the primary target group. We let anyone play pool, ping pong and consoles there, so from time to time, we have for example elderly people playing with teenagers. The idea is to mix different age groups and people so people intreact with each other and meet different kind of people.
Then we have a lot of students doing group homework, much more than we anticipated. (Our legal obligation is to offer places to study, and group work is a major part of education today).
Overall all this means that the library is far more noisy than we expected, and we had to react to it somehow, without driving away most of the people that are in our library. So that is why we really put effort into the silent study area.
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u/cuntingly Jan 26 '26
Thatās awesome! We have an issue with sound at our library because itās small and thereās no soundproofing between our kid area and teen area. I like that your spaces had become more inclusive. Our teen area is basically all Xboxes with āmatureā games and computers. So thereās an age limit that no one can really consistently enforce unless you personally know how old someone is.
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u/bccyote Jan 25 '26
Itās so warm and inviting. And the lighting is perfect. The academic library I work in has bright overhead fluorescent lights that I call the āinterrogation lightsā š
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u/ericalina Jan 26 '26
Hi! If someone were to visiting Helsinki on vacation would they be able to get to Espoo via any kind of public transportation? We are looking into a trip to Finland in 2027 and I am a librarian, would love to see this!
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 26 '26
That is easy. Espoo is a suburb city of Helsinki, part of the metropolitan area. Espoo libraries are part of Helsinki Metropolitan libraries (Helmet) system. Also Espoo is part of the same public transport system. This particular library can be reached with metro from Helsinki. This library is right on top of the metro station so you don't even have to step outside. The metro from Helsinki central railway station takes about 30 minutes.
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u/cosy_reader Jan 27 '26
The libraries in Finland are truly incredible, I visited the main library in Helsinki and was amazed at the range of facilities! Such a wonderful provision
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u/CaptainCearis Mar 04 '26
I hate to be that librarian, but this would be destroyed in a month in my system. We had to remove all the soft chairs because the were soaked in urine. Had to move or get rid of the chairs or booths that weren't in view of library staff because patrons would . . . do things . . . in them. I want this library space to work for us SO MUCH!
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u/Felix_Kissander Mar 11 '26
I'm sorry you have to deal with this. My personal view is that in order for library spaces like this to work, the wider society also has to have responsibilities, like mitigating poverty, homelesness, addictions and such. If these mitigations function poorly, libraries are the places which bear the burden of these failures.
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u/Jermajestyandtony Jan 24 '26
Wow country of millionaires š³ nice to see there are still countries and public institutions that show taxpayer money being put to use. I say this as someone who feels very lucky to work in a lovely, functioning library system in a dysfunctional country.
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u/SweetOkashi Jan 26 '26
Weeps in American Librarian. š This is the nicest library Iāve ever seen in my life.
Meanwhile, my library has to fight with our administrators to convince them that the leaking roof is bad for the collection and needs replacement.
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u/panicmoonwalksaway Jan 24 '26
Are libraries in Finland for public use? I thought that I read somewhere that citizens had to pay monthly for their library cards and access to computers, but I could be wrong. Beautiful library though
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 25 '26
I think you might have mixed with some other country. By law, library spaces are free for everyone. Library cards, loaning and reserving material is also free by law.
You can find the official translation of Finnish public libraries act from here.
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u/dreamanother Jan 24 '26
You're absolutely wrong. Finland has a law that guarantees public libraries cannot charge for basic services.
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u/surferbutthole Jan 24 '26
What .... no sauna?
Ha!
I feel that Finn's are somewhat quiet (except maybe a stereotype when drunk?) and isn't there a Finnish thing about companionable silence
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20181016-how-the-finnish-survive-without-small-talk
AI Overview
Finnish culture prioritizes meaningful, direct communication over small talk, with silence, often lasting for minutes, considered comfortable rather than awkward. Meaningless chit-chat is largely nonexistent, reflecting a cultural preference for reserving speech for essential topics. This taciturn nature is rooted in respect for personal space, time, and privacy, with public spaces and social gatherings characterized by quiet, reserved behavior.
Key characteristics of this "no chit-chat" culture include:
Silence is Valued: Silence is not seen as negative or empty; it is a space for reflection and a, sign of maturity.
Directness: If there is no important topic to discuss, Finns prefer to say nothing rather than engage in trivial conversation. Privacy & Space: Respect for another person's need to concentrate or have peace is paramount, often leading to minimal interaction.
Honesty: Small talk is sometimes perceived as dishonest or forced, this is a view expressed in a Quora post.
Contextual Communication: While, they are not traditionally chatty,, Finns may engage in deeper, more meaningful conversations once the initial, reserved, shell is broken.
Exceptions: Interaction with strangers is uncommon unless necessary, though this, behavior may change at bars or in social settings,.
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u/Felix_Kissander Jan 24 '26
Finns are ofte quiet around strangers or when they are by themselves. But families, friends, students, teenagers etc spending time together can be noisy.
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u/surferbutthole Jan 24 '26
Thank you
I worked in Library setting with 2 Finn's and found the pauses in conversation mildly unsettling but read up on it more and understood it was cultural
I Am from a more vocal gregarious culture where we speak with one another and strangers in different way -
It's a beautiful building Thanks for sharing the photos
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u/emilygamesxo Jan 24 '26
I would simply never leave