Building A Contemporary Public Library Through Community Engagement: A Personal Journey

This article discusses how a broad understanding of community engagement has influenced the conception, realization, and services of one of the most internationally lauded modern public libraries, Dokk1, opened in 2015 in Aarhus, Denmark. Leveraging the power of networking and partnerships and the engagement of citizens and stakeholders is a key component in the success of the library. Input derived from the engagement process has informed decisions and influenced planning profoundly, contributing to the library's evolution into a significant cultural and communal hub with 1.4 million annual visits from people from all walks of life. The article examines the journey toward this achievement through the lens of the author, who has been a central actor in the decision making and planning processes leading up to Dokk1