The library of the week is the delightful public library in Hudiksvall, Sweden. It’s a library in a municipal system consisting of eight libraries in total. I was there in November 2024 to give a talk on libraries and the 2030 Agenda for HelGebiblioteken (a collaboration between the public libraries in the Gästrikland and Hälsingland provinces).
Something that fascinated me with this rather old building (and the square it was placed on) was that the railroad goes underneath it in a tunnel (!) I remember I asked some local librarians about it, but I don’t remember that the response was very satisfactory. As far as I understand the Rådhustorget square and its buildings were there before the railway was built and somehow building a tunnel underneath the few buildings on the hill made more sense in the late 19th century (to be honest, I started looking up the various railways around Hudiksvall and their incorporation in the national railway net but it’s a rabbit hole I don’t have time to indulge in today). Anyway, Wikipedia has a good picture of a train appearing underneath the Statt hotel (the picture below is taken from the other side of the hotel, facing Rådhustorget).

Hudiksvall Library exterior
Anyway, this is a lovely library. I spent a couple of hours there the day before the event I was talking at. I read some magazines (why don’t I do this more often in libraries? It was so nice, and I rarely take time to read magazine articles since I stopped subscribing to the New Yorker a few years back – reading online is not the same. I’m very tactile person).
Library | Hudiksvall Library |
---|---|
Place | Hudiksvall, Sweden |
Coordinates | 61.727837, 17.111297 |
The building is a cultural house (kulturhus, I’m sure there’s a proper translation of this word) so it contains more than the library (even though the library is obviously the most important part of it). In the entrance, one is greeted by a small statue of Mäster Palm, a socialist agitator who once held a speech in Hudiksvall that got him sentenced to three months in prison (let’s all celebrate the wonderful subheading ”Klammeri med myndigheterna” on Wikipedia that describes this event). He apprently said:
”Vi hava en usel regering och dåliga representanter i riksdagen som ingenting begripa av arbetarnas och den betrycktes sak” [source cited on Wikipedia]
Some things never change, it seems! We desperately need a renaissance of socialist agitators in the world. In the entrance was also colourful shelf containing books sent to the library from the Swedish Arts Council (you can read more about the Garanterat bra böcker programme on their website (in Swedish)). Inside the library was another small statue commemorating the Swedish unknown soldier. The text on the plaque is a tribute to the Swedish unknown soldier, unfortunately I resized the text away and can’t find the text online – this is what happens to rational people with too few GB left on their laptop! :(
- Statue of Mäster Palm outside library entrance
- Kulturrådsböckerna, and me
- Statue to honor the Swedish unknown soldier, between two shelves with beautiful side end patterns
This is what the library looked on the inside (I took care to take the picture when there were no people visible, easier said than done). The stairs in the middle leads up to the local collection and archives. Above the computers and printer there are signs in multiple languages, reflecting the diversity of this rather small Swedish city. This picture is taken from the entrance so I think the placement of services may be related to frequently requested services. Books are obviously an important part of libraries but did you know libraries are an essential resource for people who need to manage their everyday life?

Hudiksvall library interior
Here are some more interior pictures. I asked the next day whether the side end of the shelves were a special design to connect to the UNESCO world heritage of the ”Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland” but if I remember correctly they had used wallpaper to spice up the shelves when redecorating the library and not all users were happy about it. Hehe. Also including a closeup of the computer area, and a picture of a shelf with books in national minority languages.
- Close up of multlingual signs
- National minority shelf in the library
- Shelf side end, repurposed wallpaper
Great library, friendly staff, and a highlight of the next day was that I saw a librarian in a Star Trek t-shirt. I commented on this (I’d like to say I said ”Qapla'” but as the basic person I am I probably said ”oh cool a Star Trek t-shirt!” and did a Vulcan salute) and was promptly invited to an online Star Trek watch circle. How great is that? Librarians truly are the best. I just noticed the TV circle is also in the library’s official programme – my hearteyes are endless! They also have a Doctor Who circle.
- ”Take a picture of me in front of this amazing sign! Aren’t libraries the best?”
- Me giving a lecture on Libraries and the 2030 Agenda in Hudiksvall
These two last pictures are taken by Marika Alneng, an awesome Swedish library consultant I’ve met and worked with on several occasions over the years. One is from outside the library, in front of their cool sign, the other is from inside the event where I’m just about to start talking about how libraries help build a better world. In true Mäster Palm fashion I also criticised our current government (especially our absolutely USELESS minister for climate and the environment) for their lack of effort in the 2030 Agenda work. No prison sentence yet… :)