Project: Bedtime Stories experiences and research on the cohesive power of public libraries.

Name: Vita Martí Navarro 

Looking at spaces designed for adults, the quest for leisure, forgetfulness and imagination often leads to environments that are predominantly commercialized, reinforcing dichotomies between public and private spheres, nature and culture, and limiting access to the generation of knowledge. Reflecting on this, I found libraries to be public spaces with the most potential to foster culture and host people, especially those who may not easily find hospitality elsewhere. 

I aim to advocate for the pivotal role of these spaces in our socio-cultural fabric, envisioning them as dynamic, inclusive, and democratic venues contributing to societal development. Urging libraries to embrace adaptability, the objective is to propose interventions addressing evolving needs and challenges.

Starting with the concept of shelter, I developed a series of metaphoric practices to reflect on the ambiance created before bedtime, aiming to understand its crucial role in our well-being and capacity to grow and transcend through life's challenges. By bringing to light the contrasts present, this experience seeks to reimagine the purpose and design of libraries as spaces providing communal rest and fostering connections, reminding us of the influence our environment has on shaping alternative narratives for ourselves and society.

The experiences developed for “Bedtime Stories” can be found in the following page: https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/2483570/2483571

With these premises in mind, I suggest delving deeper into the potential of these institutions to respond to emerging challenges and the complexity of societal needs, shifting from conventional 'mono-functional' spaces to more versatile 'multi-functional' structures. I would like to start a debate about how libraries can extend their functions beyond traditional roles and I find crucial to this examination to  address broader challenges such as accommodating diverse cultural identities within public spaces, as well as more specific challenges faced by public libraries in serving the homeless community. 

This discussion could be materialized through a series of artistic interventions, akin to the experiences developed during the 'bedtime stories' project accompanied by proposals for redesigning these spaces, making changes that could be structural or focused on  enhancing services provided by the institution, promoting cultural activities and creating new dynamics inside the space  willing to emphasize the necessity for these spaces to exist at intersections where various cultural identities can act, interact, transform, and be transformed.