The library as heterotopia: Michel Foucault and the experience of library space
Abstract
Purpose
Using Michel Foucault’s notion of heterotopia as a guide, the purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of considering the library as place, and specifically as a place that has the “curious property of being in relation with all the other sites, but in such a way as to suspect, neutralize, or invent the set of relations that they happen to designate, mirror, or reflect” (Foucault, 1986a, p. 24).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws upon a range of literary examples and from biographical accounts of authors such as Alan Bennett, Michel Foucault, and Umberto Eco to show how the library space operates as a heterotopia.
Findings
The paper finds that drawing together the constructs of heterotopia and serendipity can enrich the understanding of how libraries are experienced as sites of play, creativity, and adventure.
Originality/value
Foucault’s concept of heterotopia is offered as an original and useful frame that can account for the range of experiences and associations uniquely attached to the library.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
A version of this paper was presented at the Eighth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS 8), Royal School of Library and Information Science of the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (August 19-22, 2013).
Citation
Radford, G.P., Radford, M.L. and Lingel, J. (2015), "The library as heterotopia: Michel Foucault and the experience of library space", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 71 No. 4, pp. 733-751. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-01-2014-0006
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited