As part of the planning of Mediaspace, a study tour to Vienna and Linz in Austria was conducted between 10 and 12 April 2006 with participants from one of the advisory groups working with realising the vision for Mediaspace and key staff in the internal process in Culture and Citizens’ Services.

Focusing on as varied approaches as:

• function and organisation of cultural centres with various players
• integration of library services with other activities – including specifically citizens’ services
• challenge and experience gathering from construction phases in large cultural buildings
• rethinking the library’s content and services, including the work with various target groups
• focus on ways to strengthen lifelong learning
• innovative use of new technology, interactivity between users and systems, user-friendliness
• exciting architectural solutions

The study tour offered interesting visits to institutions that each in their own way provided inspiring perspectives in regard to the future Mediaspace in Aarhus.

The group visited:

Vienna’s Main Library, Vienna
Ars Electronica, Linz
Wissenturm, Linz

The trip also offered an opportunity to visit Intersport Arena, Linz – an auditorium from 2003.

Everywhere, the study tour participants were welcomed by engaged managers and staff who invested considerable time and energy in disseminating the characteristic features of the place and answering questions.