The end of the 20ᵗʰ century was a period of dynamic change for libraries. The growing popularity of new media, the development of television and especially the Internet, changes in the way societies, economies and industries functioned have all had a significant impact on the way libraries are run. Just as libraries used to be important places for acquiring knowledge, for accessing information, today the flow of information is different, and the book as a product is no longer as attractive, but also, even in the context of libraries, has ceased to be the main element of their operation. Institutions have found a solution to this problem by attracting audiences with both a more interesting and varied cultural offer.
The paper discusses how library architecture has evolved over the centuries on the case study of the extension of the public library in Seinäjoki. Finnish city is also known for the work of Alvar Aalto, who created a civic centre that also became the site of one of the most interesting libraries. Aalto was passionate about this form of use, which accompanied him through various stages of his career. Given that the old building and the new one were built less than half a century apart, it is interesting from a research point of view to compare their architecture, aesthetics and approach to spatial organisation.
