“The third place” is a very popular concept today. It is a place where person wants to go rather than come back home. This is a place to which people hurry in after their work. Is a library a third place where anybody can find book, work or hobby? People who often attend libraries share their thoughts on the eve of Ukrainian library day. Some visitors say that library is a place of their childhood. Some visitors think that it is a place where scientific magazines from different parts of the world are stored in. Others consider library as a breath of fresh air and a lifework, transmitted from one generation to another.
Yevhen Korotkyi, KPI professor of the faculty of electronics and founder of the open electronic laboratory Lampa:
As for me, library is a place of development. Since my childhood I adore such places. Since my childhood when there was no such thing as the Internet, I stayed in the library until late and read many tech magazines and every week I took some new books. Libraries have formed my worldview. As child, I wanted to work in library. As I observe, today libraries are being transforming to centers of communication and creative work.
The KPI library is a wonderful place with beautiful design that inspires and motivates to work. During 14 years at the university, I saw how the library has been changed. I even remember the times when people without reader’s ticket couldn’t enter the library. There have been many good changes for the last 5 years. Today our library can be easily attended by all people who are interested. We always implement innovations and best world practices as electronic ordering of books, automation of books lending and returning, creating of information pages in social networks and messengers for communication and informing the target audience.
Only scientific and technical conferences were hold in the library earlier. But now the range of activities has been significantly expanded. Many business representatives and leading engineers, IT specialists’ lectures, trainings, seminars and hackathons are organized in library almost every day. The University Library collaborates with proactive students and professors. For example, creative space “Belka” was opened in the 4th reading room a year ago. It is visited by more than two hundred people daily. The library is supported by student volunteers, administration and staff. In fact, “Belka” is only the first of future large-scale changes. We are going to create an Innovation Center for the study of technologies and prototypes of 3D printers in the fifth reading room. At the same time, we are going to create a modern open-access educational center that has no analogues in Ukraine in the first reading room.
All of these positive changes are the result of library administration that is aware of the need of innovation, positive changes and constructive initiatives. Both experienced and young specialists work in the library. The working day at the library finishes at 7p.m. but nobody is in a big hurry to get home. With the score the library staff is working library may reach greater heights.
Igor Sytnik the Head of the Kiev center All-Ukrainian youth public organization ‘Regional Initiative Fund’:
The library for us is like a breath of fresh air. The library is always ready to support our initiatives and discussion. We sense that library staff shares organizations values. And that’s really the most important thing of any organization. We hope that there will be more such places in Ukraine. All events always are at the appropriate high level because of great communication with library staff. We (on behalf of the Organization) want to express profound gratitude to KPI library staff for the support and strong collaboration.
Andriy Snarsky Prof. of the General and Theoretical Physics Department of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty and Mathematical Methods of System Analysis of the Institute of Applied Systems Analysis:
The library is one of the best KPI places. It is being continuously developed and refined. I can still remember the days when the library was in the first building.
Already at that time there were unique major scientific journals. Then the library got a new beautiful building. New sections dealing with databases have been emerged. Library staff is always ready to help KPI staff.
Iryna Shevchenko, President of Library Association of Ukraine, Continuing Education Specialists, PhD in Education, Assist. Prof., Distinguished Cultural Figure of Ukraine:
All I need is library. My mum worked in rural library, for me, library is my life. Since childhood, library is a place to play, to meet with my peers, to hold the fastest reader competitions. It’s a place of pride because I had access to the latest books and my world’s best mum was a respected and intelligent librarian. Library is a place to study and a subject to study, a place to work and a subject of all my efforts, diligence and dream during my lifetime. I try to do my best and I want all Ukrainians have worthy libraries. I find a great inspiration and a belief that all my dreams will come true through the experience of engaging with the KPI library. At the KPI library you can find rapid innovative changes, a social whirl, an interesting space, wealth of ideas and students’ comfort. Dear students, love your library, grow, create and live with your library, change your library to be proud of your library and feel the warm and joy of visiting your library.
Nikita Soldatkin, architect:
For me, library is a public space. 20 years ago it was a place to find a book and get knowledge. At that time not everyone could afford books, especially rare books. But now we can find all information in our smartphones. Public enquiry has been changed and new functions of libraries are being inquired throughout the world. Nowadays libraries are becoming so called youth clubs. Of course, library is still a place to read a book, to write a research and also it is a place to relax after study, to make a project and to communicate. Unfortunately old library halls aren’t adapted to new functions. If you don’t wish to come and to be in libraries, it is high time to change something.
Designing the concept of one of the library hall I had an opportunity to work with library staff. I was impressed with well designed European experience of creating modern and comfortable space! It’s so hard to implement some changes in our country. Outdated regulatory principles, unadoptable regulatory structures and lack of funding are inconsistent with implementation of the changes.
I want to underline persistence and dedication of Chief Librarian Oksana Bruy and her team. Some of them were trained in European universities and got experience in modern libraries. They are not afraid to consider new ideas. I hope that library renovation will be further developed.
