Can a librarian accept an old building?

Abstract

An equivocal negative answer to the question in the title was refiected at the 1975 IFLA Seminar on library buildings and equipment. Since, regarding the strive to save old buildings and as a consequence of economical difficulties, other answers emerged, too (maybe, it depends, old buildings may have benefits, if...). The author, in addition to the reasons forced by pressure, considers also reasons based on negative experiences with new library buildings and on changed library concepts for ihe adoption ofold buildings as libraries. It is suggested that the important factors should be weighted from the dual aspects of essence (library) and exterior (building), and a decision of acceptance and refusal should be made according to the weighing.