Heiloo Library has become an experience and meeting place

‘Sharing premises with the Municipality gave us the ideal opportunity to update our facilities and, as a library, become the knowledge-sharing, but more importantly, experience and meeting place we feel we ought to be.’ Dilly van Empel looks back with satisfaction. She is the director of De Stichting Openbare Bibliotheek Heiloo, a small independent library in a small independent municipality. And it was precisely the small size of both organisations that prompted the 2023 redesign of the library.

When the Rabobank moved out of the building that also housed the library a few years ago, part of the building stood empty for a while, until the Mayor came up with the idea of buying that part. The public service desks and social team could then be located close to citizens, behind the same front door as the library.

‘It had to be approachable, accessible and have several cosy seating areas. So, in the spring, I contacted Gina Draaijer from library design company Bieb Systemen. When I was still working at various libraries in Friesland, I had the pleasure of collaborating with this company to bring about some successful renovations and redesigns. It was time to sit down with them once again.’

Own design plan within the Municipality’s concept

The Municipality worked with an interior designer and the appearance of the joint interior had to be absolutely unambiguous: the civil affairs desks are located in the public area of the library and a joint reading café has been created together with the Municipality. ‘We did not work with our own interior designer, but broadly followed the Municipality’s concept of calm colours and natural materials. We even created our own layout plan. The large library service desks have been rigorously removed and we have set up a completely new youth section. About half of our furniture has simply been reused and, of course, we have put up presentation boards and signs restyled by Bieb Systemen.’

Solution-oriented partner

‘The cooperation with Bieb Systemen was very good. We were able to act quickly and they were not out to sell us more than we needed. Instead, they were willing and able to think in terms of solutions and to make it completely easy for us. In the summer of 2023, we moved to an alternative location for six months during the renovation of the building. That move, and the return in early December, was completely carried out for us by Bieb Systemen. All we had to do was indicate how much we wanted to have moved and when, and it was simply arranged for us. Plus, based on the dimensions of the temporary premises, Bieb Systemen thought about how we could furnish that space attractively and responsibly for just a few months. They were not just interior designers; they were, above all, involved partners in the entire process.’