In the victorious era of the internet, Amsterdam offers a new library

Amsterdam - While discussions are ongoing in the Czech Republic about the proposed new building of the National Library in Prague in Letná, and as the global public increasingly turns to the internet, the Dutch capital unveiled its new library at the beginning of July. The Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) offers 28,000 m² of books, magazines, DVDs, restaurants, two theaters, and conference halls, reported the AFP agency.
The library’s director, Hans van Velzen, is more than proud of the result after ten years of work. "Now everything begins. It will definitely be a success!" He does not hide his optimism about the building designed by architect Jo Coenen.
The library, referred to by local press as a "window to the world," is open seven days a week from 10 AM to 10 PM. Its construction cost 70 million euros (nearly two billion crowns), and the annual operational budget is 25 million euros.
In the bright library, moving stairs transport visitors to different departments. It has 13 floors with 28 kilometers of library space and 1.5 million books, magazines, DVDs, CDs... About 200 staff members in uniforms assist and help visitors; the borrowing and returning of books are fully automated.
The previous library, with 12,000 m², which has been in a different location in the city center since the 1970s, was no longer sufficient in capacity.
The new library also features a media library offering films and music, two restaurants (one smaller on the seventh floor with a view of the city and the other larger on the second floor), two theaters, conference and exhibition halls, reading rooms, 600 internet-connected computers, and more.
The director does not hide the fact that fewer people are visiting libraries (across the Netherlands, there were four million library visitors in 2005 compared to 4.3 million in 2001), but he emphasizes the great potential of the new building. "Here we can comprehensively fulfill our library goal: archiving and integration,” he says.
According to van Velzen, the building is situated in a convenient and attractive location, which could attract more visitors. Right next to it is a new concert hall and conservatory, and modern architectural development surrounds the library. This positions the library to collaborate advantageously with other cultural institutions in organizing various showcases or festivals.