This is a travelogue of Nordic libraries, written by the author, a library activist and civic activist, after visiting over 80 libraries in Northern Europe over 10 occasions.
However, this book does not stop at introducing the various aspects of advanced libraries.
We focus more on the social systems that made such libraries possible, and the changes that libraries brought about in individual lives and communities.
The driving force that enabled Northern Europe, once a periphery of Europe, to advance into a welfare state was libraries.
By expanding the story of Nordic libraries beyond the realm of libraries to encompass the entirety of society, it carefully examines how libraries change the world and how they can serve as platforms for a welfare state, presenting a discourse we need today.

“Libraries are not for books, but for people.” I was struck by the explanation given by Director Lindberg Firkó at the Tampere Central Library in Finland, which I visited for the first time.
I thought the library was a place to read and borrow books, but Director Pirkó said, “The collection is just one of the many services the library provides.”
He then said, “Libraries have the important task of forming civic consciousness in the society they belong to and ensuring that everyone can use them freely and equally.”
It gave us a message to think about the reason for the existence of libraries and their social role.

---From the "Opening Remarks"

While each library is unique, it is impressive that a building in the heart of Stockholm has been transformed into a library rather than a commercial space.
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul not only has a performance hall but also several libraries.
I imagined what it would be like if there was a large library next to Gwanghwamun Square.

---From "The library is in the middle of the town"

A library like a bookstore.
A library like a retail store.
A prime example of this emerging library trend is the new library in Almere, Netherlands.
In the 2000s, library usage rates began to decline due to the spread of IT.
Librarians, concerned about declining library usage, tried to decorate the bookshelves like a bookstore to make it easier for visitors to access books.
Bookstores display popular or recommended new books on the shelves so that their covers are easily visible, so that people who visit without knowing the books will immediately open the books out of curiosity.

---From "The Library is a Space for Encounters"

It is not easy for a library to provide services through a network.
In our country, there is little interaction between libraries run by universities, libraries run by education offices, and libraries run by local governments, even if they are all located in the same area.
There are many places where local governments have built separate libraries next to the education office library.
There is no interlibrary loan.
They are all public libraries run with tax support.

---From "New Library Services"

Here, teenagers draw pictures and do school assignments.
I also play computer games.
Young people can also develop and create their own stories.
He makes music videos and is interested in nanotechnology.
You can bring your own food to eat, but the library has a communal kitchen.
There is a table with cooking facilities so you can cook your favorite dishes.
If you want to learn how to cook properly, you can take out books from various places and refer to them.

---From "Reaching Children and Youth"

There was a barbecue area with a fire in the school playground.
They say they sometimes make barbecues with the kids, or just light a fire and play with it.
They say that in such cases, there is always an adult watching from the side, but anyway, there is a place in school where you can play with fire.
Looking at us in surprise, Woof kindly explains.
In Denmark, children's safety is important, but that doesn't mean they are prevented from doing something. Rather, they are made aware of the risks and taught how to avoid and overcome them.
“When you’re young, you don’t get hurt too badly even if you fall, but when you become an adult, you can easily get hurt too badly if you fall.
“If you don’t let your child climb a tree because it’s dangerous, that child will never be able to climb a tree again.” This was the story of an ordinary Danish father raising a child.

---From "Reading Culture in Northern Europe"

A new discussion also took place in the library.
Public libraries were not satisfied with simply providing basic collection services.
Enabling members of society to acquire the knowledge and cultural experiences necessary for political, social, and cultural development has been emphasized as a democratic issue.
In 1968, a committee was formed to establish a new cultural policy.
One of the key elements of the new cultural policy was that cultural policy should play a role in promoting equality in society.
---From "Sweden_From People's Library to Public Library"

The Odi Library is a space that embodies the message that “modern libraries are not for books, but for people” through Finnish design capabilities.
This sensibility is the power of Finland, which expanded design into the realm of social design.
Audi soon became Helsinki's new landmark.
Not only library lovers but also groups of tourists visiting Helsinki line up to visit Audi.
In 2019, it was selected as the Library of the Year by the International Library Association (IFLA), a highly selective organization.

---From “Finland: From a Latecomer to a Leading Library Nation”

Through reading and learning, people come into contact with other people's thoughts and experiences, and with stories from the wider world.
As they come into contact with their own history, they realize their own identity and develop a sense of national consciousness and solidarity.
You will learn about other people's thoughts and opinions, and you will have repeated experiences of telling your own story and listening to others' stories through conversation and discussion.
Through all activities that involve books in reading rooms, study clubs, and worker libraries, we gain awareness of ourselves as human beings, a sense of our rights, and a sense of citizenship.

---From "Libraries and the Welfare State"

High literacy leads to respect for others.
Through dialogue and discussion, we come to understand, acknowledge, and respect differences.
Don't fight to impose or impose your own ideas or norms on others.
A society with high literacy allows individuals and communities to coexist peacefully.
Although Nordic societies appear to be prevalent in individualism, they place great importance on family and community activities.
A society where individuals are happy and the community functions smoothly is a welfare state.

---From the "Closing Notes"