Skellefteå stadsbibliotek
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October 2021
Skellefteå is a municipality on the east coast of northern Sweden just below the Arctic Circle. It has 73 000 inhabitants and it is in an intense progress and plans for a growing population. One big investment is the recently opened Culture House/Centre Sara, named after the author Sara Lidman. With its 20 floors it is one of the tallest timber, wooden buildings in the world. This landmark building is situated in the centre of the town and looks like an exclamation mark. The building houses venues for arts, theatre, music, performances, meetings as well as a hotel and a library. Unfortunately the library has got a subordinate location in a long and narrow passage which ends in a cellar like area. Due to the move to this building the library premises have decreased about 40 percent from the earlier location, from 2 300 square meters to 1 400. The result is that the collection has been reduced by 25 percent. Less books, no music or DVD and no separate quiet rooms for studies or for other activities e g makerspace. The open foyer of several stages above the library causes acoustic problems. Library activities are still in a commencement so there might be improvements in the service but the physical bounders cause also limitations in the use of the premises. The opening hours are longer than in the earlier main library. TWO stars: Acceptable