Designing for communities with communities: the efficacy of co-design workshops in library design

Public libraries have long served as critical social infrastructure, providing communities with access to information, resources, and gathering spaces. However, as the role of libraries continues to evolve and expand, there is a growing need to ensure that these institutions remain responsive and relevant to the diverse needs of the communities they serve. This presentation reports on the findings of an ARC-funded project (Hider, Garner, Godfrey, Jamali & Wakeling, 2024) that investigated the efficacy of co-design activities in involving community participation in the design and re-design of public library spaces across two case studies in Australia.
The underlying premise of this research is that public libraries, as community hubs, should reflect the voices and aspirations of the people they serve. By actively engaging community members in the design process, libraries can create spaces that are more inclusive, accessible, and aligned with the unique cultural, social, and educational needs of their respective communities.

Through a series of co-design workshops and participatory activities, the project team worked closely with diverse stakeholders, including library staff, local residents, and design experts. These collaborative efforts aimed to identify the key priorities, preferences, and aspirations of each community regarding the design and functionality of their public library spaces.

The presentation will focus on answering the central question: How effective were the co-design workshops from the standpoint of the participants and observers? The findings demonstrate the transformative potential of co-design methodologies in empowering communities and fostering a sense of ownership and investment in their public library spaces.

From the participants' perspectives, the co-design workshops provided a platform for their voices to be heard and their needs to be understood. Through facilitated discussions, hands-on activities, and iterative prototyping, community members could actively contribute their ideas, shaping the design process in a meaningful way. This bottom-up approach fostered a sense of agency and empowerment, ensuring that the final designs reflected the diverse needs of the communities.

The co-design workshops proved to be effective in bridging the gap between library professionals and community stakeholders. By bringing together these diverse perspectives, the workshops facilitated a shared understanding and collaborative problem-solving approach, leading to innovative and inclusive design solutions that addressed the multifaceted roles of public libraries within their communities.

The real-world impact of this research lies in its potential to ensure public libraries are vibrant community hubs that foster social inclusion, civic engagement, and lifelong learning opportunities. By embracing co-design methodologies, libraries can better serve the diverse needs of their communities, strengthen social cohesion, and position themselves as responsive and sustainable institutions that truly serve the needs of all community members.

Reference:

Hider, P., Garner, J., Godfrey, A., Jamali, H. R., & Wakeling, S. (2024). Designing for Communities with Communities: A Public Library Codesign Project. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2024.2332973