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ABSTRACT
The library is one of the most important urban institutions with a wide social impact (including its research, educational, cultural and recreational impact). Being in the previous decades, a place, which aimed at building up the manuscript collection, it gradually opened up to the recipient, adapted its character depending on the changing times, today performing the function of a bustling center of culture and pro-ecological thinking.
The idea of the Green Library Movement first appeared in the early 90s in the US, where the non-profit organization known as Green Building Council, which promoted sustainable development in the design, construction and exploitation of buildings, pointed out that library buildings might be an excellent example for generations, by stressing the importance of the environmental issues for human and at the same time indicating energy-saving and pro-ecological solutions. Due to the progressing process of urbanization of cities, the aspect of environmental protection becomes extremely important, because the human influence on the surrounding world is irreversible. The debate on urban sprawl, emissions or global warming has evolved. Issues related to sustainable development are part of local and global discussions. The main idea of the concept of sustainable development emphasizes the crucial role of construction which takes into consideration future generations, hence the libraries are regarded as an investment in the future of society.
Respect for the environment and reducing the negative impact of building realizations implemented on the existing area, energy saving, use of renewable energy, flexibility and multifunctionality, use of local traditions and technologies, user comfort - these are the main aspects of sustainable architecture that have been adopted in the methodology of present paper.
These principles have been described in detail and implemented on the example of the design process of the building of the Municipal Public Library in Mielec along with the revitalization of existing green areas.
The aim of this paper is to present the idea of the Green Library Movement and to show how we can use sustainable and energy-saving design as a method of work aimed at protecting the environment and increasing the comfort of human life in relation to ecological, economic and social aspects.
The main objective is to pose a question about the future of libraries and indicate how...