La Bâtie-Neuve - Library

Located in the department of Hautes-Alpes, near the town of Gap, the town of La Bâtie-Neuve evolves within the community of communes of Avance. The latter is composed of 16 communes in total, but currently includes only 7 libraries or reading points. The renovated and expanded media library will be able to stand out as a major and complementary player to deepen the cultural offer available in this part of the territory.

The municipality plans to expand its library. A wooden extension will be built and renovations will be carried out on the building currently occupied by the service. The library enjoys an ideal location within the municipality. It is located on the ground floor of a building of communal dwellings, next to a parking lot and the school and several factors led the municipality to consider such works. The size of the premises is no longer sufficient to accommodate staff and users in optimal conditions. They are not easily accessible to people with reduced mobility. The current configuration of the institution considerably restricts the scope of the library’s cultural policy activities.
Cultural projects developed with the various partners, including local authorities and libraries in the vicinity, improved the visibility of this equipment and made both the public and the community aware of the importance of issues concerning culture and reading. With these many changes, the Bâtie-Neuve media library aims to become the main socio-cultural structure in its local area.
To achieve this objective, it has set a number of guidelines. By positioning itself as a place of diverse and varied resources, it affirms its desire to make culture accessible to all. Focusing on mediation, it will offer several types of animations and workshops, screenings, conferences, shows, art competitions and exhibitions. She also plans to organize internships related to different artistic practices. To support and enrich the content of its programming, it plans to enter into new partnerships with the various cultural actors in the sector.

By transforming its library, the municipality of La Bâtie-Neuve is making its project a reality by creating a place conducive to learning, integration, discovery and sharing. The role of such a structure in fostering access to culture and knowledge is paramount. In order to carry out its missions, it plans to position itself as a warm and lively place of welcome, in line with the expectations and needs of everyone.
To ensure the autonomy of users and promote their appropriation of the place, the collections will be organized by themes and presented in such a way as to improve their readability. The media library wishes to develop a number of specific funds. A press point will be set up near the reception of the media centre. It will include a multitude of press titles and will be accompanied by two tablets, which will provide access to the online press and the Internet to allow users an alternative consultation.

A video library and a disco will be proposed to meet other practices and reach a wider audience. They will allow the discovery of various musical and audiovisual content.

In a more focused perspective on the types of audiences, a family fund dedicated to early childhood will be proposed to sensitize children to reading and accompany parents in this process. A collection of audiobooks and large-print works will be dedicated to the visually impaired, to give them access to reading but also to introduce an alternative form of support to users.
A fund will be dedicated to training and self-study to help students, students and job seekers in their efforts. The learning of foreign languages will also be facilitated by the establishment of a library of works in foreign languages for adults and youth, accompanied by materials of methods promoting this learning. These funds are consistent with the presence of surrounding school audiences.
A local fund will be proposed to enable users wishing to deepen their knowledge of the region to learn about the local history and heritage.
A more environmentally oriented scientific fund will be developed. It will be accompanied by a seed library that will allow users to deposit, exchange or recover seeds of various varieties in order to plant at home. Activities organized in partnership with various structures and associations of gardeners can be proposed in this framework, offering the opportunity to exchange and sensitize users to certain know-how and practices.

In addition, the renewed media library will position itself as a mediator and trainer in the field of digital and new technologies. It plans to focus on digital resources and familiarizing audiences of all ages with them. It plans to accompany audiences in discovering these tools and the uses that can be made of them, by offering workshops based on various themes and corresponding to the needs of each one. For example, they may include introductory workshops, application discovery workshops, games workshops or workshops to mobilize certain resources useful for university studies.

The media library will provide its users with a digital work table comprising four computers, each equipped with software that can be used in the various workshops. Tablets will also be available for training and computer workshops, and two e-readers can be borrowed.

The positive points that can be retained today regarding this service will be able to deploy their full potential in the context of this project. It is a contemporary, visible and attractive equipment that the municipality wishes to highlight through the realization of this project. This service will evolve in a logic of proximity with its audiences, constituting a convivial and unifying place arousing the curiosity of everyone. It will contribute to the dynamism of the local cultural life, while improving the overall living environment of the Bastidons.

Architect : Maryline Chevalier à Crots
Localization : La Bâtie-Neuve
Size of media library : 200 m²
Estimated cost of work €549,407.50 excl. tax
State aid : €192,292 excluding tax

* Sheet prepared by Amélia Dreystadt, intern at the Drac Paca with the advisor for books and reading as part of a Master 1 Law and Management of Culture and Media at the Faculty of Law and Political Science of Aix-Marseille.