The international gathering of distinguished scholars at the Second International Summit of the Book, held in Singapore on 16 August, attracted much media interest. Before the start of the conference, Ismail Serageldin was interviewed by The Straits Times (English-language paper), and Lianhe Zaobao (Chinese-language paper).
Depicting his vision for the libraries of tomorrow, Serageldin wrote in an article for the Strait Times: "The library of tomorrow must offer four kinds of places. (i) creative messy places where young people can create together, with food, and music and flipcharts or their future equivalents; (ii) collaborative spaces where young people can study together in relative quiet, but with active discussions; and finally (iii) the quiet cubicle-type of space for single researchers. But fourth, there should also be spaces for art exhibits and common functions. That is what will ensure that the library remains at the heart of campus life in universities and community life in cities."
