Ray Oldenburg is an American sociologist who made very influential contributions to the concept of "third places." He developed this argument in his 1989 book, The Great Good Place, where he described the role that informal public gathering places play in building communities and social interaction. Oldenburg defined the third place as those social milieus apart from the two typical social environments of home and the workplace.
Oldenburg's work brought into focus how these third places are vital in community life in that they provide neutral grounds where individuals can congregate and converse with each other in the development of social bonds. He based his argument on the view that third places are restorative to people and healthy for communities, working socially to bond individuals and create cohesion, inclusiveness, and civic engagement together. His ideas on urban planning, community development, and the design of public spaces bring out the issue of accessing an environment that is equally welcoming to all people as a means of supporting social interaction and community building.
Libraries have been regarded as the archetypal third places and are informal public meeting places where citizens congregate, socialize, and eventually develop relationships apart from their homes, which are their first place, and work, which is their second. In this way, through their acting as a neutral space for various groups to meet, libraries assist in creating social cohesion and community bonding. They create inclusiveness and mutual support among members of their communities. In addition, library-based social activities offer individuals a way of reducing their feelings of loneliness and isolation, thus fostering mentally healthier minds. The ambience in these places is informal and relaxed, hence allowing an individual to take a break and unwind completely. Libraries are neutral, accessible spaces that embrace an environment for community engagement, lifelong learning, and social interaction. They make a significant contribution to the daily life of people in the community as places of cultural exchange, civic debate, and personal development.
Join us in the library this Wednesday, August 7th, for Community Building as we create Slime from 12-4pm!
