Work

Using Codesign for the Development of Children and Young Adults’ Spaces in Public Libraries

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article reports on the codesign of children and young adults’ sections of an Australian public library. Drawing and Lego building sessions engaged children (3–11 years), and a workshop with activities including brainstorming and mood boards involved teenagers (13–18 years). The article examines the effectiveness of these approaches, emergent design elements, and post-implementation user reception. Findings reveal that codesign sessions were generally effective despite engagement challenges, and produced key design themes including spaciousness, interactivity, and comfort. A post-implementation survey of the children’s area indicated strong user satisfaction. Value and limitations of codesign with young library users are discussed.

Source: Public Library Quarterly

DOI: 10.1080/01616846.2025.2586962

Authors: Hamid R. Jamali, Simon Wakeling, Philip Hider, Jane Garner

Institution: Charles Sturt University

Language: English

Topic: Library Science and Administration

Subfield: Library and Information Sciences

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: green

Funder: Australian Research Council