A Finnish Library Now Also Offers Karaoke

A public library in Finland has found a new way to keep relevant to its users. It’s doubling as a Karaoke bar.

The library, located in the Helsinki suburb of Tikkurila, has installed a soundproofed karaoke booth where library cardholders can book a free two-hour session. While it might seem like sacrilege to introduce caterwauling singers into an environment where even loud page turning can normally get you shushed, Tikkurila Library clearly knows which way the wind is blowing. Since 1980, the number of Finnish pubic libraries has halved, and the tendency to consolidate many sites into larger branches makes smaller institutions particularly prone to be sidelined. By providing 3,300 songs to sing (and a suitably muffled isolation chamber in which to do so), the library is wisely pushing its role as a community meeting place.