Sint-Martens-Latem, south of the city of Ghent, is characterised by its location on the River Lys and its green environment. It has leafy lanes, many unmetalled, and fine, large and in some cases built by renowned architects, private houses. By acquiring strategically located sites, the local authority aims for the conservation and, where necessary, restoration of the district’s green qualities.

Partly because of its artistic history, Sint-Martens-Latem is also seen as a cultural borough (see historical artists like Fritz Van den Berghe, Gust De Smet, Georges Minne and others). This is apparent from, among other things, its three museums, but also from the local cultural prizes for poetry, choral music and photography, and its various socio-cultural clubs and activities.

The local heritage is on a rather small-scale and is spread over the whole district, which gives it a fine-grained texture. The local council is particularly concerned with the DNA of the district and, as an area outside the city, aims to retain a character distinct from the neighbouring towns of Ghent and Deinze.

The public library plays an increasingly prominent part in the cultural life of the district. It is not only a place where one can borrow books: you also find audiovisual media there. In addition, the library itself organises various activities such as the youth book week, readings by authors for children and adults, class visits, support to reading clubs and IT workshops, and also engages in other activities run by the local cultural department. The library is more than a depository of books. It is a true meeting place for the local community.

However, the library infrastructure has not developed in parallel with these activities and has to be updated in order to meet the needs of visitors, staff and its activities. The present library building is on a site that also accommodates the local primary school. This school also houses an annex of the Academy of Word, Music and Dance in the town of Deinze, which uses the accommodation outside the normal school hours.

It is not only important that the new library meets the needs of its contemporary operations, but it should also be integrated as much as possible into the other functions fulfilled on this site for ‘lifelong learning’. Considering the limited space available, it is important to endeavour to establish synergies between the various activities.