BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//TYPO3/NONSGML Calendarize//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:calendarize-from-libraries-to-data-centres-an-architectural-history-of -information-storage DTSTAMP:20260401T085458Z DTSTART:20260414T185400Z SUMMARY:From Libraries to Data Centres – An (Architectural) History of I nformation Storage DESCRIPTION:For a long time\, there was no question as to where informatio n would be stored: libraries\, which emerged as a distinct building struct ure and central institution of western modernity in the mid-19th century\, were the physical sites where information was collected\, organized\, and made increasingly available. The industrial age had brought radical chang es in publishing and\, with them\, lower production costs for books\, requ iring efficient techniques and procedures to ensure compact storage and ra pid availability. In course of this development\, libraries grew from cult ural monuments to functional institutions\, whose role and architectural c haracter largely derived from the fact that they stored and lent books.\nW ith the advent of the digital age in the mid-1990s\, all of this was calle d into question. Libraries were declared obsolete\, as information could b e conveniently accessed from elsewhere. In the wake of these developments\ , library budgets were cut\, branches closed\, and staff reduced. At the s ame time\, the 2000s also saw a boom of new iconic libraries\, often desig ned by starchitects\, aiming to redefine their function\, architecture\, a nd practices. However\, the ultimate aim behind modern libraries – to cr eate a universal and eternal archive – has not died out. Rather\, it ha s shifted to a new architecture\, arising from the requirements of data pr ocessing and storage resulting from widespread internet use since the 1990 s: the data centre.\nWhereas libraries today are tasked with proliferating social and technical demands in order to compensate for what the internet cannot provide\, data centres constitute the physical infrastructure enab ling our digital lives. A comparative look at the library as modernity’s central site of information storage and management and the data centre as the information hub of the digital age reveals surprising similarities\, including shared concerns around efficiency\, security\, and environmental control. This not only allows for a more comprehensive history of informa tion storage\, but also invites reflections on possible futures for the ev er-growing number of insatiably energy-hungry data centres around the glob e.\nMore Information X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

For a long time\, there was no question as to where information would be stored: libraries\, which emerged as a dist inct building structure and central institution of western modernity in th e mid-19th century\, were the physical sites where information was collect ed\, organized\, and made increasingly available. The industrial age had b rought radical changes in publishing and\, with them\, lower production co sts for books\, requiring efficient techniques and procedures to ensure co mpact storage and rapid availability. In course of this development\, libr aries grew from cultural monuments to functional institutions\, whose role and architectural character largely derived from the fact that they store d and lent books.

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With the advent of the digital age in the mid-19 90s\, all of this was called into question. Libraries were declared obsole te\, as information could be conveniently accessed from elsewhere. In the wake of these developments\, library budgets were cut\, branches closed\, and staff reduced. At the same time\, the 2000s also saw a boom of new ico nic libraries\, often designed by starchitects\, aiming to redefine their function\, architecture\, and practices. However\, the ultimate aim behind modern libraries – to create a universal and eternal archive – \; has not died out. Rather\, it has shifted to a new architecture\, arising from the requirements of data processing and storage resulting from widesp read internet use since the 1990s: the data centre.

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Whereas librar ies today are tasked with proliferating social and technical demands in or der to compensate for what the internet cannot provide\, data centr es constitute the physical infrastructure enabling our digital lives. A co mparative look at the library as modernity’s central site of information storage and management and the data centre as the information hub of the digital age reveals surprising similarities\, including shared concerns ar ound efficiency\, security\, and environmental control. This not only allo ws for a more comprehensive history of information storage\, but also invi tes reflections on possible futures for the ever-growing number of insatia bly energy-hungry data centres around the globe.

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More Information

LOCATION:Online via Zoom & Gartensaal\, Institute for Advanced Study in th e Humanities Essen (KWI)\, Goethestr. 31\, 45128 Essen END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR