Rindal Library, Norway

Flexible and user-friendly with simple measures

The library is a combination library and is located right next to Rindal School. The needs therefore range from concentrated work and study sessions to inspiring areas for children and young adults.

A well-planned layout and new furnishings have transformed the library space into a bright, flexible and user-friendly meeting place. The project shows how relatively simple measures can have a great effect for both employees and visitors.

”The biggest change is probably that we have much better and more seating. And the reading hut has become very popular, so we are very happy with that.”

- Ida Kaspara Hyttebakk, Head of Library in Rindal Municipality

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Small measures can make a big difference

From dense shelving landscape to flexible library

Rindal Library contacted BS Eurobib with a desire to renew the library space without losing what already worked well.

The library is a combination library and is located right next to Rindal School. The needs therefore range from concentrated work and study sessions to inspiring areas for children and young adults.

A well-planned layout and new furnishings have transformed the library space into a bright, flexible and user-friendly meeting place.

The project shows how relatively simple measures can have a great effect for both employees and visitors.

The starting point

Before the upgrade, large parts of the library’s collection were placed on relatively high shelves, which made the room feel more enclosed and less manageable.

Lower shelves, flexible furniture, a corner dedicated to children and young people, and the preservation of workplaces were among the desired changes.

At the same time, the library wanted to utilize existing inventory where possible, create a better overview of the room, and enable flexible solutions in the future.

The solution

The new interior design proposal was therefore created with the library’s existing qualities in mind, while a key feature was to open up the space.

An important part of the solution was also to reduce the height of several free-standing shelves. This created a much better overview of the collection and added more light and air.

With a new layout and upgraded furnishings, the library has a brighter, more flexible and inviting space for activities, reading and hanging out.

3D plantegning over Rindal Folkebibliotek

3D floor plan of the new library space.

Reolsystemer med hjul på Rindal Bibilotek

Flexibility on wheels

To make the library more adaptable, the double-sided shelving on the floor was chosen with wheels. This solution makes it possible to both reorganize the space for events and adapt it to different user groups.

This flexibility is particularly useful in a combination library, where the space must function for both school use and different audiences.

A new zone for kids and teenagers

The new solution also establishes a distinct zone for children and young adults with their own reading hut. The combination of lower shelves and cozy seating results in a more informal atmosphere that invites reading, lounging and exploring.

A library with much more activity

After completion, the library finds that the space functions better for students, visitors and staff alike. The library director highlights elements that have made a big difference:

”The biggest change is probably that we have much better and more seating. And the reading hut has become very popular, so we are very happy with that. The bookshelves on wheels were also a big upgrade – with a lower height and that they are movable.

In addition, the bookshelves have been turned 90 degrees, and it created so much more light! So, I would say that the reading hut and the bookshelves on wheels are the elements we are most happy with. But we are happy with the new room as a whole.”

- Ida Kaspara Hyttebakk, Head of Library in Rindal Municipality