Using Codesign for the Development of Children and Young Adults’ Spaces in Public Libraries

This article reports on the codesign of children and young adults’ sections of an Australian public library. Drawing and Lego building sessions engaged children (3–11 years), and a workshop with activities including brainstorming and mood boards involved teenagers (13–18 years). The article examines the effectiveness of these approaches, emergent design elements, and post-implementation user reception. Findings reveal that codesign sessions were generally effective despite engagement challenges, and produced key design themes including spaciousness, interactivity, and comfort. A post-implementation survey of the children’s area indicated strong user satisfaction. Value and limitations of codesign with young library users are discussed.