How can you get more people to visit the public library, have them stay longer and borrow more books? Make it a Supermall. People Love Shopping! For the Library of Lelystad we used all rules of the perfect mall to get people engaged. See the results.

1. B2C Strategy + Design Case
Public Library of
Lelystad
The Knowledge Supermall
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011
Client Personnel: Marianne Zuidveld
Bohemia Personnel: Marco de Boer
Paul Oram

2. Situation
If you’re Dutch, you can not imagine how excited we were. We
were asked to position and give identity to the newly
built public library of Lelystad. Lelystad built a whole new
library, but how do they ensure that they are getting a wider
audience than the traditional library member who’s soon to be
extinct?
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011

3. Goals
Already 10,000 Lelystad residents are library members. Yet
where is the youth? Objective is to achieve 25% more members.
This could only be reached by dusting the rusty character of a
repository like a public library.
Target group
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011
• Residents of Lelystad who aren’t members, preferably
a younger audience.
• Residents who once were members of Library Lelystad.

4. Strategy
In collaboration with interior architect Aat Vos, a concept is
developed whereby the library has fewer barriers in both
its interior and communications. Core is that people are averse
to libraries but they love shopping. Why is that? Simply because
in shopping, marketing techniques are used to please the
shopper and have him / her stay longer while buying things. We
bought the guide to shopping, ‘Why We Buy’, and distilled a few
basic rules as a blueprint to the new library.
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011

5. Concept
Lelystad Library is transformed into a department store like
HEMA, Walmart and Carrefour, but where only knowledge can be
consumed in the form of books, magazine, CDs, DVDs and such.
New to libraries are:
• the shopping lane (speed track for finding popular books)
• the conveyor belt (drop-off and pick-up rotating belt for books)
• the shop-in-shop system (themed blocks)
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011
• the ‘ballenbak’ (complete kids’ area in age sections)
• the digital signage (flexible routing signs on screen)
• the shopping baskets

6. Visuals
The Knowledge Supermall
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011

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Window Shop
The outside decoration was set
up to look like an H&M.

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Shopping Baskets
stimulate shopping.

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Routing
All isles and paths have a
minimum width to ease the
shoppers.

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Digital Signage
All signs where screens to make
the collection flexible.

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Happy Mannequins
Seasonal promotions with
dressed up mannequins.

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Conveyer Belt
To promote quick in-out a
conveyer belt was introduced.

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Conveyer Belt
The belt automatically scans the
books coming in.

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Overall set up
The Library of Lelystad is
turned into a Knowledge
Supermall including food court,
shopping isles and ballenbak.

15. Results
The number of new members has increased by more than 35%;
the target is therefore amply met.
The Library has really become a center where members not only
get their books, but also direct on-site consumption of different
media. This makes it become a vibrant library.
The new library of Lelystad was chosen number 4 of the most-
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011
inspiring public libraries of the Netherlands within a month
after its opening.

16. Make a Mark.
For more information:
Hugo Kalf hugo@bohemiaamsterdam.com
Kyra Roest kyra@bohemiaamsterdam.com
Bohemia Amsterdam
Sint Pieterspoortsteeg 23a
1012HM Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bohemia Amsterdam | 10-11-2011
+31 [0]20 42 33 555
bohemiaamsterdam.com