A new library for local residents will open in Kalasatama toward the end of 2023. Located in a central area, the library will meet the needs of this growing neighborhood and will specifically target families with children and younger visitors.
Kalasatama will get its own library sometime in 2023. Library services will be located in the Redi shopping center, where locals can access them easily and safely.
Library Director Erna Marttila explains that the Kalasatama area wanted its own library, because the area has many families with children and does not yet have enough services for younger residents to engage in activities and spend time. “We want our activities to support the well-being of children and young people in the area,” Marttila says.
Nearby library services are part of the City of Helsinki’s strategy
Redi was chosen as the home for the new library because of its central location. Mattila points out that the City of Helsinki has defined in its strategy that it aims to ensure that all residents have access to local services within about a fifteen-minute walk or via public transportation.
Kalasatama is close to the Vallila and Kallio libraries, although getting there requires using somewhat challenging public transportation routes. “It’s easy and safe for locals to get to the new library,” says the library director.
“Through our work, we want to support the well-being of children and young people in the area.”
— Erna Marttila, library director
The library will also be located along everyday travel routes at its new site. “In planning library services, we aim for accessibility and to bring them as close to residents as possible,” Marttila explains.
Residents Involved in Library Planning
One of the guiding principles of the project has been to involve residents in the library’s planning. In February, a series of resident participation events was held in Redi over a three-week period, during which locals shared their views on the new library. Workshops for all ages also provided an opportunity to hear locals’ thoughts on the design process, right down to the floor plans.
In addition, residents of the area were able to provide feedback via an online survey on various library designs, noting what they liked and what needed improvement. Residents also shared their past experiences with libraries, both positive and negative.
“We wanted to hear their wishes regarding, among other things, the collections and the staff’s activities,” Marttila says, “and what kind of atmosphere they want in the new library.”
The Kalasatama Library is the City of Helsinki’s 38th library, and it increases the number of branches in Helsinki’s library networkfor the first time in the 2000s.
The new library will be completed in late 2023.
You can read about the project’s progress on the Helmet page of the Kalasatama Library and its Facebook page.